Chinese speedcuber Lian Yunzhi has twice broken the women’s 3x3 Rubik’s Cube average record, lowering the mark to 4.27 seconds.
Six-year-old Lian Yunzhi reacts after solving a Rubik’s Cube at a World Cube Association-certified competition in Wuhan, China, on Sept. 13, 2026. (AP)
Wuhan, China: Six-year-old Chinese speedcuber Lian Yunzhi has set a new women’s world record for solving a 3×3 Rubik’s Cube, completing the required average in just 4.27 seconds.
Lian first established the record earlier this month at a World Cube Association-certified competition in Wuhan, where she recorded an average of 4.52 seconds.
She then improved her own mark to 4.27 seconds at another certified competition in Guangzhou, becoming the first female speedcuber to record an official average below 4.5 seconds.
The official average is calculated from five solves, with the fastest and slowest attempts removed before the remaining three are averaged.
WATCH: 6-year-old Chinese girl sets world record for solving a 3×3 Rubik’s Cube in just over four seconds (Video: ANSA)
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Known by the nickname “Zhizhi,” Lian began learning to solve the puzzle at the age of four. Her mother said she now trains for around two to three hours a day.
Lian has reportedly learned more than 1,300 solving algorithms and has also trained with professional coaches in Shanghai.
During one of her recent competitions, she completed an individual solve in about 3.54 seconds.
The current record concerns the women’s average time for the 3x3x3 cube, rather than the overall fastest single solve. The overall single-solve record is a separate category.