new blindfolded 3×3 world record

As Gizmodo reports, there’s apparently a new (blindfolded) sheriff in town. Hungarian Marcell Endrey clocked a 28.80 3×3 blind solve at the Zonhoven Open in Belgium, shaving two seconds off the previous record of 30.58.

Even more impressive, the 28 seconds includes almost 13 seconds of inspection time. In other words, it was a 15-second blind solve!?!

Looks like a stickerless Dayan — which is illegal in normal competition (since you can see four sides at once). I guess that concern doesn’t exist when you put on a night shade….

NYT Mag on the Cube, Feliks

Just found this while flipping through today’s NYT mag, which is also available online:

NYT Mag 2012-02-12

I do suppose I’m a part of the “recent resurgence … led by an interest in speedcubing and the desire of some Gen X parents to share a toy of their youth with their kids.”  Gotta love Feliks’ comment on practice: “Q: How do you practice? A: I don’t really do much because it’s not really that difficult to maintain my speed, I guess.  So I just solve it casually.”