Oscar and Lucas Wang have recently broken a collective four world records in speedcubing; the sport of solving a cube puzzle such as a Rubik’s cube, or variant, within the fastest possible time.

First up, Lucas (Year 8) broke the world record for the 2x2x2 cube at the Northside Spring Saturday 2022 World Cube Association event with a solve time of 0.47 seconds.

The previous time of 0.49 seconds, set by Polish speedcuber Maciej Czapiewski, was the longest standing record in the history of the 2x2x2 cube and had remained unbroken for six years.

“I was so excited, it was like a dream, and I had no idea I was going to be that fast,” says Lucas.
“At the competition everybody got the same scramble, and it was five moves to solve.”

Czapiewski’s former world record was achieved off a four-move scramble, so Lucas didn’t anticipate taking the top spot given the added degree of difficulty. 

You can watch Lucas' impressive solve below.

Records two and three from the Wang brothers came from older sibling Oscar (Year 10) who solved five separate 3x3x3 cubes one-handed in succession in 1 minute 9 seconds and achieved the fastest time to solve a rotating puzzle cube while dribbling a basketball (14.35 seconds).

When asked ‘why the basketball?’, Oscar’s answer is simple.

“It’s hard for other people to challenge it,” he jokes. “I also love to play basketball.”

The fourth and final record was smashed by the combined power of the Wang brothers.

With Lucas using only his right hand and Oscar using only his left (a tandem solve), the duo achieved the fastest time to solve a 3x3x3 rotating puzzle cube as a team of two (12.01 seconds).

These recent successes have inspired the brothers to attempt more Guinness World Records, including a 3x3x3 tandem solve while under water.

Even though the boys continue to reach new heights, they say the world of speedcubing remains as supportive, friendly, and fun as ever.

Oscar's 6-second solve at an All Saints assembly

A highlight for the Wangs was meeting Feliks Zemdegs, an Australian speedcuber who is considered by many to be the ‘GOAT’ in the sport, only two-time winner of the World Cube Association World Championship and recent subject of the Netflix documentary The Speed Cubers.

“It was like meeting Michael Jordan,” says Lucas. “Feliks has held so many records over the years.”

“When we came to the World Championships in 2019, we met a bunch of the world’s best cubers including Feliks,” adds Oscar.

“At the time, we weren’t very fast ourselves, but we met lots of people at that event that have just inspired us to keep going.”