Six-Year-Old Lian Yunzhi Breaks Women's Rubik's Cube World Record

During two competitions sanctioned by the World Cube Association in Wuhan and Guangzhou, six-year-old Lian Yunzhi from China achieved remarkable averages of 4.52 and 4.27 seconds in solving the 3×3 Rubik's Cube, setting a new women's world record. Known as "Zhizhi," she was introduced to the cube via an extracurricular program that also included gymnastics, music, and dance. Her parents observed that the cube significantly enhanced her overall skills, leading her to focus more on it. Lin Yangxi, her mother, shared with local media that solving the cube sharpens various cognitive abilities and promotes a balanced attitude towards winning and losing. After struggling with an eight-second barrier, they sought a specialist in Shanghai. Yunzhi now masters over 1,300 algorithms, dedicating two to three hours daily to practice, and sometimes up to six hours on weekends, mostly for competitions and socializing. Lin expressed that achieving the record was a "dream come true" for her daughter, who enjoys chasing her ambitions despite sacrificing playtime. "The whole school knows her now," Lin remarked to The Guardian, mentioning that older students sought her autograph, filling the classroom with excitement. Through cubing, Yunzhi has garnered significant affection and attention.