Logan Park resident Aston Lim, 11, enjoys challenging himself to see how fast he can solve a Rubik’s Cube.
He first learned about cubing from a classmate at Grand Ridge Elementary last September. They have been practicing almost every day since then, helping each other to improve. Aston also practices at home to improve his solving times. 
The act of cubing is more than a hobby for Aston. After watching a competition in real time, he saw the cubing community was very friendly and decided to give it a try. During competitions, participants use various solving methods and techniques to complete the puzzle in the shortest amount of time.
“It’s fun and it’s thrilling,” he says. “The PNW cubing community is lively, kind and welcoming.”
So far, Aston has participated in five competitions. Most recently, he competed at CubingUSA Nationals in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he recorded a new personal best.
“It’s nice to see my time improved after working on it,” he notes.
He says there are different competitions for different cubes (for example: 2×2, 3×3, 4×4, 5×5, and so on). On top of that, there are competitions for different methods such as one-handed, blindfolded, nighttime, etc. Aston does the 3×3 category right now, but he hopes to do more in the future.
Before competitions, participants clean and put lubricant on their cubes to make them turn faster and smoother. It’s also important to bring an extra cube as a back-up in case one gets lost since they all look similar, he added.
Above all, speed cubing pushes individuals to think critically, develop problem-solving skills and improve fine motor skills. Plus, Aston likes how the activity has allowed him to meet a community of like-minded enthusiasts.
“It’s also fun to bring cubes to gatherings and challenge people to scramble my cube,” he says.
Aston and his friends are starting a cubing club at Pacific Cascade Middle School, where he is starting sixth grade this fall. He encourages interested students to sign up in the coming months.
“The more people show interest and sign up for the club, the more chance that it will stay for the long run,” he says. “It will be fun, I promise.”
