Lian Yunzhi Sets New Women’s World Record for 3×3 Rubik’s Cube Average

Speedcubing has a new milestone holder. Lian Yunzhi, a kindergarten student from Chengdu in China’s southern Sichuan province, rewrote the record books by breaking the women’s 3×3 average world record twice across three days at certified events in Wuhan and Guangzhou, according to state broadcaster CCTV on Monday. Known by her nickname Zhizhi, she first posted a 4.52-second average at a World Cube Association-certified competition in Wuhan on Sept. 13. Three days later, after five solves, she lowered the benchmark further to 4.27 seconds at a similar contest in Guangzhou, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

The performance makes her the first female speedcuber to average under 4.5 seconds for the puzzle, according to CCTV reporting. Her 4.27-second average ranks fourth globally among all competitors regardless of gender, according to official World Cube Association rankings. Among all competitors, only world record holder Yiheng Wang at 3.51 seconds, Xuanyi Geng at 3.67 and Yi Shen at 4.24—all hailing from China—have ever achieved a faster official average.

Daily Practice Routines and Mastery of 1,300 Algorithms

Zhizhi embarked on her journey toward international renown at the age of four, when her mother enrolled her in speedcubing lessons as one of her “seven or eight” extracurricular pursuits, which also encompassed painting, gymnastics, and dancing. While she behaved well in all her classes, her parents eventually recognized distinct potential in speedcuber training and chose to dedicate more time to it.

The journey required pushing through a stubborn plateau. After several months of practice, Zhizhi’s average time settled at eight seconds, where it remained stuck for three or four months. Her mother noted that both parents and child felt like giving up during the bottleneck. Breakthroughs arrived after the family found a specialist teacher in Shanghai and expanded her repertoire beyond basic methods.

The young prodigy has now learned more than 1,300 solving algorithms and practices daily for 2 to 3 hours. Her mother said the accolade was a dream come true for her daughter, who trains for up to three hours a day for competitions.

She was overjoyed and felt that all her hard work had paid off, Lin Yangxi told the Guardian of her daughter’s feat.

Solving a Rubik's Cube improves focus, memory, logical thinking, spatial awareness, and helps develop a healthy mindset toward winning and losing, Lin said. It's not just about blindly memorizing formulas, but using logical reasoning to find optimal solutions, she added.

Competitive History and Records Across China

Official records from the World Cube Association show that Zhizhi has participated in 33 competitions across China and has 569 official solves. Her personal best times stand at 3.54 seconds for a 3x3x3 cube and 2.15 seconds for a 2x2x2 cube. Before this, the record belonged to Qixian Cao.

State media broadcasted footage showing the young child with a red gingham bow fastened in her hair as she swiftly manipulated and turned a Rubik’s Cube. Upon completing the puzzle, she sets the cube down on the table, applauds, and raises a fist in triumph. Her mother noted that Zhizhi was an introverted kid. Now, she is very confident. She smiled proudly and clapped after one attempt took her only about 3.54 seconds. According to CCTV, Lian’s first attempt at solving a Rubik’s Cube occurred when she was 4 years old, at which point completion took her 90 seconds. Initially hesitant to enter competitions, she grew more passionate about the puzzle as her performance improved and she earned greater recognition. That encouraged her to train harder and persevere through challenges, it said.

The community response at her school has been immediate. The whole school knows her now, Lin said. Older students crowded into her classroom carrying slips of paper and asked for her signature, as the teacher recounted to me. She has gained a lot of love and attention through cubing.