Back to the Top News Newsfeed

Children of the Cube

SALT LAKE CITY — There were three worthwhile vantage points for “Max Park vs. the World,” an exhibition featuring seven of the globe’s fastest speedcubers. That’s the moniker for the growing faction of people who solve Rubik’s Cube-style puzzles at mind-bending speeds. Six of them formed a relay against Park, an autistic 16-year-old from California who is breaking most of their records.

One good spot was from the audience, joining hundreds of (mostly) young people gazing up at the celebrities of speedcubing the way N.B.A. fans crowd sidelines to watch Stephen Curry warm up.

Eyes and phones were up.