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, 211 continental records, and 6 national records.[4][5]

Feliks Zemdegs
Feliks Zemdegs at the Swisscubing Cup Final 2018 in Lucerne, Switzerland.
Zemdegs at the Swisscubing Cup Final 2018 in Lucerne, Switzerland.
Born
Feliks Aleksanders Zemdegs

(1995-12-20) 20 December 1995
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Other namesFaz
Known forSpeedcubing
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
Gold medal – first place 2011 Bangkok2×2×2
Gold medal – first place 2011 Bangkok4×4×4
Gold medal – first place 2011 Bangkok5×5×5
Gold medal – first place 2011 Bangkok6×6×6
Gold medal – first place 2013 Las Vegas3×3×3
Gold medal – first place 2013 Las Vegas4×4×4
Gold medal – first place 2013 Las Vegas3×3×3 One-Handed
Gold medal – first place 2015 São Paulo3×3×3
Gold medal – first place 2015 São Paulo2×2×2
Gold medal – first place 2015 São Paulo4×4×4
Gold medal – first place 2015 São Paulo5×5×5
Gold medal – first place 2015 São Paulo3×3×3 One-Handed
Gold medal – first place 2017 Paris5×5×5
Gold medal – first place 2017 Paris7×7×7
Silver medal – second place 2013 Las Vegas5×5×5
Silver medal – second place 2015 São Paulo6×6×6
Silver medal – second place 2015 São Paulo7×7×7
Silver medal – second place 2015 São PauloMegaminx
Silver medal – second place 2017 Paris6×6×6
Silver medal – second place 2017 Paris3×3×3 One-Handed
Silver medal – second place 2017 ParisMegaminx
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Bangkok3×3×3
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Bangkok7×7×7
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Las Vegas7×7×7
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Paris4×4×4
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Melbourne5×5×5
Red Bull Rubik's Cube World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2018 BostonSpeedcubing
Silver medal – second place 2019 Moscow3×3×3 One-Handed
Silver medal – second place 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] He has been using CFOP to solve the 3×3×3 since he was 12 years old, the Yau method to solve the 4×4×4 and 5x5x5, the CLL method to solve the 2×2×2, and the Reduction method for 6x6x6 and 7×7×7.

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]

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 ever 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 podiumed in one event, getting third in 5x5x5.[15]

Zemdegs has a website, CubeSkills, which includes tutorials on solving the Rubik's Cube and other puzzles. There are free algorithm sheets, and some free speedsolving tutorial videos. The site also offers a premium membership, which enables access to advanced speed solving videos.[16]

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.[17][18] Zemdegs has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne, majoring in economics, with a breadth study track in mechanical engineering.[19]

In 2020, Zemdegs was one of the primary subjects of the Netflix documentary The Speed Cubers.[20]

As of August 2023, Zemdegs' YouTube channel has more than 475,000 subscribers.[21]

World records


World records by Zemdegs.[22]

EventTypeFirst world recordLatest world recordTotal
3×3×3Single7.03s
Melbourne Cube Day 2010
13 November		4.22s
Cube For Cambodia 2018
6 May		10
Average9.21s
Melbourne Summer Open 2010
30 January		5.53s
Odd Day in Sydney 2019
10 November		13
2×2×2Average2.35s
Asian Championship 2010
9–10 October		2.12s
Melbourne Cube Day 2010
13 November		2
4×4×4Single35.55s
New Zealand Champs 2010
10 July		19.36s
LatAm Tour – Arequipa 2017
22 June		12
Average42.01s
Melbourne Summer Open 2010
30 January		25.97s
Adelaide Summer 2017
21 January		7
5×5×5Single1:02.93
Australian Nationals 2010
4–5 September		37.93s
Canberra Autumn 2018
21–22 April		16
Average1:07.59
Australian Nationals 2010
4–5 September		43.21s
Melbourne Cube Days 2017
18–19 November		21
6×6×6Single2:05.88
Melbourne Summer 2011
29–30 January		1:20.03
World Championship 2017
13–16 July		6
Average2:15.64
Melbourne Summer 2011
29–30 January		1:27.79
World Championship 2017
13–16 July		8
7×7×7Single2:23.55
World Championship 2015
17–19 July		2:06.73
World Championship 2017
13–16 July		5
Average2:52.09
Australian Nationals 2013
7–8 September		2:14.04
China's 10th Anniversary 2017
1–2 October		11
3×3×3 One-handedSingle11.16s
Kubaroo Open 2011
7 May		6.88s
Canberra Autumn 2015
9–10 May		4
Average14.76s
Australian Nationals 2010
4–5 September		10.21s
Malaysia Cube Open 2017
14–15 October		5
4×4×4 BlindfoldedSingle3:37.80
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 1.54 Canberra Autumn 2018
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 1:16.54 Rubik's WCA Oceanic Championship 2022
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 9.68 Turn Around Tassie 2020
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

References
  1. "Current details for ABN 40 697 737 850 (Feliks' ABN entry, linked to his company "Cubeskills International"". abm.business.gov.au. 14 November 2016. 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. "New Zealand Championships 2009 results". 18 July 2009. 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. "Cubeskills.com".
  17. Saunokonoko, Mark (12 September 2015). "Feliks Zemdegs: cracking the Rubik's Cube". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  18. "St Kevin's College Toorak - VCE Study Score Archive 2013". www.quppa.net. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  19. "About Feliks". CubeSkills. Archived from the original on 12 April 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  20. Bajgrowicz, Brooke (29 July 2020). "'The Speed Cubers' takes on the world of competitive Rubik's Cube solving". Mashable. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  21. "Feliks Zemdegs". YouTube. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  22. History of WCA world records
  23. Masanauskas, John (2 June 2009). "Melbourne schoolboy a Rubik's Cube genius". Herald Sun. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  24. "Rubik's cube craze sweeps NZ (1:40)". Television New Zealand. 18 July 2009. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  25. "Rubik's cubers a breed apart". The Dominion Post. 20 July 2009. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  26. Bruce, Kate (21 January 2010). "All-of-a-twist up to persist in Armadale – People – News – Stonnington Leader". Stonnington Leader. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  27. King, Simon (17 July 2010). "Golfers line up for bad boys' club". The Australian. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
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  29. "Can you Cube it? Feliks can". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 27 July 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
  30. Nolan, Kellee (27 July 2010). "Feliks speeds his way to top of the cubist world". The Age. Melbourne.
  31. Younger, Emma. "MULTIMEDIA: Fingers fly at the National Rubik's Cube competition – Arts & Entertainment – Lifestyle – Melbourne Leader". Melbourne Leader. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  32. "Feliks Zemdegs – Rubiks cube – National IQ test Channel 9 9 November 2010". YouTube. 9 November 2010. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  33. Lin, Anne (16 November 2010). "Aussie teen breaks Rubik's cube record". ninemsn. Archived from the original on 19 November 2010. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  34. Spurr, Chris (2 June 2011). "Catalyst: God's Algorithm – ABC TV Science". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  35. Greenbaum, Hilary; Rubinstein, Dana (9 February 2012). "Who Made That Rubik's Cube?". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  36. "Rubik's Cube Wizz Feliks Zemdegs – Shows – Brig & Lehmo for Breakfast – GOLD104.3 – Good Times & Great Classic Hits". GOLD 104.3. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  37. Scheffler, Ian (3 May 2014). "Beyond the Rubik's Cube: inside the competitive world of speedcubing". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  38. Mposo, Nontando (27 November 2014). "Fastest finger to solve colourful puzzle". Independent Online. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  39. 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.
  40. "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.
  41. "The Speedcubers". Netflix. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  42. "Rubik's Cube's second coming". The Guardian. 11 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  43. "Netflix star speed cuber fights it out at Perth contest". PerthNow. 2 October 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
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