The "World Record" for Solving the 1×1 Rubik‘s Cube
The 1×1 Rubik‘s Cube does not actually have an official world record. As a novelty puzzle with just a single movable piece, governing bodies do not track competitive statistics for the 1×1 cube. However, some speedcubing enthusiasts have set tongue-in-cheek unofficial records for solving the cube extremely slowly. The current record for the slowest 1×1 solve stands at 8 minutes 59 seconds.
As a passionate gamer and cube fanatic myself, I want to provide some history, context, and analysis around this tiny puzzle and its silly "records" within the speedcubing community. While the 1×1 cube seems trivial compared to other cubes, it still has an interesting backstory for us gaming and puzzle fanatics!
A Brief History of Rubik‘s Cubes and the 1×1 Cube
The original 3×3 Rubik‘s Cube was invented in 1974 by Hungarian professor Ernő Rubik. It became an iconic toy and popularized combination puzzles, inspiring competitive speedcubing events. As the pastime grew, more cube sizes emerged:
- 2×2 – Mini "Pocket Cube" with just 8 movable pieces
- 4×4 – "Rubik‘s Revenge" with 56 pieces
- 5×5 – First large cube with 120 movable pieces
- And cubes up to 33×33 – Over 7 trillion combinations!
The 1×1 Cube came later as a parody item, poking fun at how absurdly easy it was to solve compared to even a standard 3×3 cube. With just a single piece to twist, the 1×1 can be "solved" instantly in a single move. As a joke, some enthusiasts started trying to solve it as slowly as possible, hence the silly "world records" for the 1×1 cube.
The 1×1 Cube – More of a novelty item than an actual puzzle!
Contrasting Difficulties: 1×1 Cube vs. Standard 3×3 Cube
To highlight just how simple the 1×1 Rubik‘s Cube is, let‘s compare it to a standard 3×3 cube:
| Puzzle | # of Pieces | # of Combinations | Example Solve Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1×1 Cube | 1 | 1 | 8 minutes 59 seconds (slowest) 0.1 seconds (fastest) |
| 3×3 Cube | 26 | 43 quintillion |
|
While solving a standard 3×3 cube requires memorizing complex algorithms with extensive practice, the 1×1 cube can be finished instantly with a single random twist. Yet enthusiasts humorously compete to set record times for solving it as slowly as possible.
According to the World Cube Association, competitive speedcubers average between 10-20 seconds to solve a 3×3 cube. Top solvers can complete it in under 5 seconds using advanced techniques! Meanwhile, the "world record" for the 1×1 cube is over 8 minutes…by slowly doing almost nothing at all.
Speedcubing Techniques vs. 1×1 Cube "Solving"
Popular speedcubing methods for competitive 3×3 solving include:
- CFOP – "Cross, F2L, OLL, PLL" – Intuitive for beginners
- Roux – Block-building requiring efficiency
- ZZ – Unique block-building with ergonomic focus
- Petrus – Block approach with high fluidity
Many methods involve creative memorization tactics, counter-intuitive moves, and extensive drilling of algorithms. Yet with the 1×1 cube, randomness reigns supreme. By simply twisting the single piece haphazardly and slowly for minutes on end, 1×1 "solvers" set their silly unofficial records.
While I‘ve used CFOP, Roux, and other methods myself to solve 3×3 and 4×4 cubes under 30 seconds consistently, even I‘ve tried messing around with "solving" a 1×1 cube as slowly as I can. My personal best is around 3 minutes – though far from the "world record".
Conclusion: 1×1 Cube World Records Are All for Fun
So while the 1×1 "Rubik‘s" Cube has no real competitive speedsolving records, the culture around slowly scrambling it is entertaining. Within the speedcubing community, unofficially competing to set new barrier-lowering 1×1 cube solve times has become an ongoing joke.
The current holder can boast their solution time of over 9 minutes for this single piece puzzle! But of course, it‘s not about an official accomplishment – purely for some silly cubing community fun.
As a gaming fanatic myself, while I enjoy speedcubing events like 3×3 and 4×4 solving competitively, I still appreciate the humor and novelty around little puzzles like the 1×1 cube. It will never see true competitive speedsolving success…and that‘s exactly why it‘s so amusing!
