Speedcubing

Speedcubing, also called speedsolving or simply cubing, is the competitive practice of solving combination puzzles, most prominently the 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube, as quickly as possible, recognized as a mind sport in which competitors called speedcubers solve mechanical puzzles under standardized conditions for the fastest time or, in some events, the fewest moves. Competitive solving relies on pattern recognition, memorized algorithms, inspection and efficient finger movements called finger tricks, using established methods such as CFOP, Roux, ZZ and Petrus. International competition is governed by the World Cube Association, a non-profit founded in 2004 that recognizes 17 official events spanning the 2x2x2 through 7x7x7 cubes plus puzzles such as the Pyraminx, Megaminx, Skewb, Square-1 and Rubik's Clock, and holds sanctioned competitions in more than 100 countries with hundreds of thousands of registered competitors; the first international Rubik's Cube championship was held in Budapest in 1982.