Feliks Zemdegs

Feliks Aleksanders Zemdegs^[1] (/ˈfɛlɪks ˈzɛmdɛɡz/, Latvian: Fēlikss Zemdegs; born 20 December 1995) is an Australian Rubik's Cube speedsolver. He is one of the only two speedcubers ever to win the World Cube Association World Championship twice (the other being Max Park), winning in 2013 and 2015, and is widely considered the most successful and greatest speedcuber of all time.^[2][3] He has set more than 350 records across various speedcubing events: 121 world records, 213 continental records, and 7 national records.^[4][5]

Feliks Zemdegs
Zemdegs in March 2024
Born	Feliks Aleksanders Zemdegs (1995-12-20) 20 December 1995 (age 28) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Other names	Faz
Known for	Speedcubing
Medal record Representing  Australia Speedcubing WCA World Championship Event 1st 2nd 3rd 3×3×3 2 0 1 2×2×2 2 0 0 4×4×4 3 0 1 5×5×5 3 1 1 6×6×6 1 2 0 7×7×7 1 1 2 3×3×3 One-Handed 2 1 0 Megaminx 0 2 0 Total 14 7 5 2011 Bangkok 2×2×2 2011 Bangkok 4×4×4 2011 Bangkok 5×5×5 2011 Bangkok 6×6×6 2013 Las Vegas 3×3×3 2013 Las Vegas 4×4×4 2013 Las Vegas 3×3×3 One-Handed 2015 São Paulo 3×3×3 2015 São Paulo 2×2×2 2015 São Paulo 4×4×4 2015 São Paulo 5×5×5 2015 São Paulo 3×3×3 One-Handed 2017 Paris 5×5×5 2017 Paris 7×7×7 2013 Las Vegas 5×5×5 2015 São Paulo 6×6×6 2015 São Paulo 7×7×7 2015 São Paulo Megaminx 2017 Paris 6×6×6 2017 Paris 3×3×3 One-Handed 2017 Paris Megaminx 2011 Bangkok 3×3×3 2011 Bangkok 7×7×7 2013 Las Vegas 7×7×7 2017 Paris 4×4×4 2019 Melbourne 5×5×5 Red Bull Rubik's Cube World Cup 2018 Boston Speedcubing 2019 Moscow 3×3×3 One-Handed 2020 Speedcubing

Biography

Feliks Zemdegs is of Latvian descent, and his maternal grandmother is Lithuanian.^[6] Zemdegs bought his first speedcube in April 2008 after being inspired by speedcubing videos and tutorials on YouTube.^[7] The first unofficial time he recorded was an average of 19.73 seconds on 14 June, 2008.^[8]

Zemdegs won the 3×3×3 event at the first competition he attended, the New Zealand Championships 2009 on 18 July, 2009, with an average of 13.74 seconds in the final round. He also won 2×2×2, 4×4×4, 5×5×5, 3×3×3 blindfolded, and 3×3×3 one-handed.^[9] He set 11 Oceanic records at this competition.

At his next competition, the Melbourne Summer Open 2010 on 30 January, 2010, Zemdegs set his first world records for 3×3×3 average and 4×4×4 average, with times of 9.21 seconds and 42.01 seconds, respectively.^[10] He held the 3×3×3 average world record continuously from then until 23 April, 2017, improving it 8 times, eventually to 6.45 seconds. The most world records he has held at one time is 12 in May 2011. As recently as 28 January, 2017, he held 11 of those records concurrently.

At the World Championship 2011 in Bangkok, Zemdegs won 2×2×2, 4×4×4, 5×5×5, and 6×6×6. He also took third in 3×3×3 after winning the first three rounds and placed third in 7×7×7.^[11]

At the World Championship 2013 in Las Vegas, Zemdegs won 3×3×3, 4×4×4, and 3×3×3 One-handed. He also placed second in 5×5×5 and third in 7×7×7.^[12]

At the World Championship 2015 in São Paulo, Zemdegs won 3×3×3, 2×2×2, 4×4×4, and 5×5×5. He also placed second in 6×6×6, 7×7×7, and Megaminx.^[13]

At the World Championship 2017 in Paris, Zemdegs won 5×5×5 and 7×7×7. He also took second in 6×6×6, 3×3×3 One-handed, and Megaminx, and placed third in 4×4×4.^[14]

At the World Championship 2019 in Melbourne, Zemdegs only placed in the top three in one event, getting third in 5x5x5.^[15]

In 2020, Zemdegs was one of the primary subjects of the Netflix documentaryThe Speed Cubers.^[16]

On June 5, 2021, Zemdegs lost his last world record (his 5.53 3x3x3 average) to Chinese speedcuber Ruihang Xu.^[17]

At the World Championship 2023 in Incheon, Zemdegs failed to place top 3 in any event and did not make the semi-finals in the 3x3x3 event which is crazy, because Feliks Zemdegs has never missed a 3x3 world championship final, ever since he first participated in 2011..^[18]

Zemdegs is currently ranked 11th in the world for 3x3x3 average with a result of 5.53, set in 2019.^[19]

Zemdegs has a website, CubeSkills, which includes tutorials on solving the Rubik's Cube and other puzzles. There are free algorithm sheets and speedsolving tutorial videos. The site also offers a premium membership which enables access to advanced speed solving videos.^[20]

Zemdegs attended St Kevin's College, Toorak and graduated in 2013 with a perfect study score in VCE English and an ATAR of 99.90.^[21][22] Zemdegs has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne, majoring in economics, with a breadth study track in mechanical engineering.^[23]

As of March 2024^[update], Zemdegs' YouTube channel has more than 479,000 subscribers.^[24]

World records

World records by Zemdegs.^[25]

Event	Type	First world record	Latest world record	Total
3×3×3	Single	7.03s Melbourne Cube Day 2010 13 November	4.22s Cube For Cambodia 2018 6 May	10
	Average	9.21s Melbourne Summer Open 2010 30 January	5.53s Odd Day in Sydney 2019 10 November	13
2×2×2	Average	2.35s Asian Championship 2010 9–10 October	2.12s Melbourne Cube Day 2010 13 November	2
4×4×4	Single	35.55s New Zealand Champs 2010 10 July	19.36s LatAm Tour – Arequipa 2017 22 June	12
	Average	42.01s Melbourne Summer Open 2010 30 January	25.97s Adelaide Summer 2017 21 January	7
5×5×5	Single	1:02.93 Australian Nationals 2010 4–5 September	37.93s Canberra Autumn 2018 21–22 April	16
	Average	1:07.59 Australian Nationals 2010 4–5 September	43.21s Melbourne Cube Days 2017 18–19 November	21
6×6×6	Single	2:05.88 Melbourne Summer 2011 29–30 January	1:20.03 World Championship 2017 13–16 July	6
	Average	2:15.64 Melbourne Summer 2011 29–30 January	1:27.79 World Championship 2017 13–16 July	8
7×7×7	Single	2:23.55 World Championship 2015 17–19 July	2:06.73 World Championship 2017 13–16 July	5
	Average	2:52.09 Australian Nationals 2013 7–8 September	2:14.04 China's 10th Anniversary 2017 1–2 October	11
3×3×3 One-handed	Single	11.16s Kubaroo Open 2011 7 May	6.88s Canberra Autumn 2015 9–10 May	4
	Average	14.76s Australian Nationals 2010 4–5 September	10.21s Malaysia Cube Open 2017 14–15 October	5
4×4×4 Blindfolded	Single	3:37.80 Melbourne Summer 2011 29–30 January	3:37.80 Melbourne Summer 2011 29–30 January	1

Official personal records

Listed below are Zemdegs' personal records achieved in official World Cube Association competitions.^[4]

Event	Type	Time	Competition
3x3x3	Single	4.16	Auckland Summer Open 2020
	Average	5.53	Odd Day in Sydney 2019
2x2x2	Single	0.71	Rijswijk Open 2018
	Average	1.45	Melbourne Cube Days 2023
4x4x4	Single	17.98	Altona Algorithms Attempt 2 2021
	Average	21.57	Altona Algorithms Attempt 2 2021
5x5x5	Single	37.93	Canberra Autumn 2018
	Average	41.81	WCA World Championship 2023
6x6x6	Single	1:15.69	Melbourne Summer 2024
	Average	1:21.90	Weston-super-Mare Open 2018
7x7x7	Single	1:53.59	Australian Nationals 2023
	Average	2:00.63	Australian Nationals 2018
3x3x3 Blindfolded	Single	34.37	Odd Day in Sydney 2019
	Average	47.13	Ugine Jeu et Jouet 2018
3x3x3 Fewest Moves	Single	24	Koalafication Sydney 2019
	Average	27.33	Canberra Autumn 2015
3x3x3 One-handed	Single	6.88	Canberra Autumn 2015
	Average	9.60	Melbourne Cube Days 2023
Clock	Single	8.81	Australian Nationals 2011
	Average	11.80	Australian Nationals 2011
Megaminx	Single	33.11	CubingUSA Nationals 2018
	Average	36.65	Weston-super-Mare Open 2018
Pyraminx	Single	2.27	Perth Autumn 2018
	Average	4.20	Melbourne Summer 2022
Skewb	Single	2.20	Melbourne Summer 2021
	Average	5.08	Sydney Re-Open Saturday 2021
Square-1	Single	8.99	Adelaide Summer 2018
	Average	12.58	CubingUSA Nationals 2018
4x4x4 Blindfolded	Single	3:37.80	Melbourne Summer Open 2011
5x5x5 Blindfolded	Single	11:56.00	Adelaide Summer 2018
3x3x3 Multi-Blind	Single	11/11 47:01	Adelaide Summer 2018

Media appearances

• 2 June 2009 – Herald Sun article (Australia)^[26]
• 3 June 2009 – Channel 9 Today program (Australia)^{[citation needed]}
• 18 July 2009 – TVNZ 1 News (New Zealand)^[27]
• 20 July 2009 – The Dominion Post article (New Zealand)^[28]
• 21 January 2010 – Stonnington Leader article (Australia)^[29]
• 17 July 2010 – The Australian newspaper article (Australia)^[30]
• 21 July 2010 – Herald Sun article (Australia)^[31]
• 26 July 2010 – The Sydney Morning Herald video (Australia)^[32]
• 27 July 2010 – The Age article (Australia)^[33]
• 6 September 2010 – Melbourne Leader article (Australia)^[34]
• 9 November 2010 – Test Australia: The National IQ Test solving demonstration^[35]
• 16 November 2010 – Ninemsn article (Australia)^[36]
• 19 November 2010 – Yahoo News video (United States)^{[citation needed]}
• 2 June 2011 – ABC Catalyst video (Australia)^[37]
• 9 February 2012 – The New York Times article (United States)^[38]
• 30 November 2012 – 92.5 Gold FM interview (Australia)^[39]
• 3 May 2014 – The Guardian article (Great Britain)^[40]
• 27 November 2014 – IOL South Africa^[41]
• 23 July 2015 – Huffington Post (United States)^[42]
• 11 September 2015 – Sydney Morning Herald^[7]
• 25 March 2016 – The Brain (China) game show^[43]
• 27 August 2017 – Little Big Shots show (Australia)
• 29 July 2020 – The Speed Cubers - Netflix Documentary^[44]
• 11 December 2021 – The Guardian Rubik's Cube's second coming (Great Britain)^[45]
• 2 October 2022 - Perthnow article^[46]

References

1. . abm.business.gov.au. 14 November 2016. Archived from the original on 14 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
2. "2015 WCA World Championship Results". 15 June 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
3. "2013 WCA World Championship Results". 15 June 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
4. "Feliks Zemdegs". World Cube Association. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
5. "The top 5 most influential Rubik's Cube speedsolvers of all time". ruwix.com. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
6. "Latviešu izcelsmes austrālietis Zemdegs kļūst par divkārtējo pasaules čempionu Rubika kuba salikšanā (Latvian-Australian Zemdegs becomes two-time world champion in Rubik's Cube speedsolving)" (in Latvian). Lsm.lv. 22 July 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
7. Saunokonoko, Mark (11 September 2015). "Feliks Zemdegs: cracking the Rubik's Cube". Retrieved 11 September 2015.
8. "First posted average".
9. . 18 July 2009. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
10. "Melbourne Summer Open 2010 | World Cube Association". www.worldcubeassociation.org. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
11. "Worlds 2011 podiums".
12. "Worlds 2013 podiums".
13. "Worlds 2015 podiums".
14. "Worlds 2017 podiums".
15. "Worlds 2019 podiums".
16. Bajgrowicz, Brooke (29 July 2020). "'The Speed Cubers' takes on the world of competitive Rubik's Cube solving". Mashable. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
17. "Records | World Cube Association". www.worldcubeassociation.org. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
18. "Rubik's WCA World Championship 2023 | World Cube Association". www.worldcubeassociation.org. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
19. "Rankings | World Cube Association". www.worldcubeassociation.org. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
20. "Cubeskills.com".
21. Saunokonoko, Mark (12 September 2015). "Feliks Zemdegs: cracking the Rubik's Cube". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
22. "St Kevin's College Toorak - VCE Study Score Archive 2013". www.quppa.net. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
23. . CubeSkills. Archived from the original on 12 April 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
24. "Feliks Zemdegs". YouTube. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
25. . Archived from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
26. Masanauskas, John (2 June 2009). "Melbourne schoolboy a Rubik's Cube genius". Herald Sun. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
27. "Rubik's cube craze sweeps NZ (1:40)". Television New Zealand. 18 July 2009. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
28. "Rubik's cubers a breed apart". The Dominion Post. 20 July 2009. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
29. Bruce, Kate (21 January 2010). . Stonnington Leader. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
30. King, Simon (17 July 2010). "Golfers line up for bad boys' club". The Australian. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
31. Masanauskas, John (21 July 2010). "Melbourne schoolboy Feliks Zemdegs the 'Usain Bolt' of Rubik's cube". Herald Sun. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
32. . The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 27 July 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
33. Nolan, Kellee (27 July 2010). "Feliks speeds his way to top of the cubist world". The Age. Melbourne.
34. Younger, Emma. . Melbourne Leader. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
35. . YouTube. 9 November 2010. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
36. Lin, Anne (16 November 2010). . ninemsn. Archived from the original on 19 November 2010. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
37. Spurr, Chris (2 June 2011). "Catalyst: God's Algorithm – ABC TV Science". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
38. Greenbaum, Hilary; Rubinstein, Dana (9 February 2012). "Who Made That Rubik's Cube?". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
39. . GOLD 104.3. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
40. Scheffler, Ian (3 May 2014). "Beyond the Rubik's Cube: inside the competitive world of speedcubing". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
41. Mposo, Nontando (27 November 2014). "Fastest finger to solve colourful puzzle". Independent Online. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
42. Strachan, Maxwell (23 July 2015). "Rubik's Cube Champion Feliks Zemdegs On Whether Puzzles And Intelligence Are Linked". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
43. "Gianfranco Huanqui and Feliks Zemdegs: "The Brain" China – Semifinal 14 April 2016". YouTube. 9 November 2010. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
44. "The Speedcubers". Netflix. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
45. "Rubik's Cube's second coming". The Guardian. 11 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
46. "Netflix star speed cuber fights it out at Perth contest". PerthNow. 2 October 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2023.

External links

• Feliks Zemdegs's channel on YouTube
• Feliks Zemdegs Reddit Questionnaire (3 January 2013)
• Feliks Zemdegs tutorial website (14 March 2017)
• How to Start Speedcubing by Feliks Zemdegs