Pro speedcuber completes Rubik’s cube challenge blindfolded

By Kirstie Sutheran

Solving a Rubik’s cube is difficult at the best of times, but this professional speedcuber managed to do it blindfolded!

Roman Strakhov from Russia completed the 9×9 challenge on his twentieth attempt and believes he now holds the ‘unofficial world record’ for solving a Rubik’s cube of this size. 

Practicing in his bedroom, the 24 year old, who started speedcubing seven years ago, said he developed the tactics and methods for 

memorisation and execution, and was eventually able to solve the 9×9 cube after 10 months of trying. 

Roman said: “The world ‘unofficial’ refers to a solve being made at home without judges or witnesses.

“Official competitions don’t have the 9×9 category in them because so few people in the world can complete them.

“The maximum size of cube solved in these competitions blindfolded is 5×5, which I completed at a competition in 2012.”

Having taken part in competitions all over Europe he hopes to defend his titles in the World Cube Association’s Euro 2018 Championships in 

Madrid in July. 

“I started to try a 9×9 blindfold solve because I wanted to achieve something great.

“When I finally completed it I couldn’t believe it, but then I felt this huge relief – it was the greatest achievement of my life!”