CHENGDU — Lian Yunzhi set a new women's world record for the average time solving a 3x3 Rubik's Cube. The six-year-old from Chengdu, Sichuan province, China, broke the women's 3x3 average world record at two World Cube Association certified competitions in Wuhan and Guangzhou.

Lian Yunzhi posted an average time of 4.52 seconds at the competition in Wuhan. She then improved that mark by posting an average time of 4.27 seconds at the competition in Guangzhou. Lian Yunzhi is the first female speedcuber to average under 4.5 seconds.

The average times were calculated after solving the Rubik's Cube five times. One of Lian Yunzhi's individual attempts at the Wuhan competition took approximately 3.54 seconds. Lian Yunzhi's nickname is "Zhizhi".

Lian Yunzhi was introduced to the Rubik's Cube at age four. It initially took Lian Yunzhi 90 seconds to solve a Rubik's Cube. Her mother is Lin Yangxi.

Lin Yangxi enrolled Lian Yunzhi in a Rubik's Cube class alongside other extracurricular activities such as dance and music lessons. Lin Yangxi stated that she gradually realized cubing was an excellent activity for fostering a child's comprehensive abilities and shifted her focus towards it.

Lian Yunzhi has mastered more than 1,300 Rubik's Cube solving algorithms. Lian Yunzhi practices solving the Rubik's Cube for two to three hours daily. Lian Yunzhi's parents brought her to Shanghai to learn from top coaches.

Lin Yangxi said that solving a Rubik’s Cube improves focus, memory, logical thinking, spatial awareness, and helps develop a healthy mindset toward winning and losing. She added that it’s not just about blindly memorising formulas, but using logical reasoning to find optimal solutions.

Why It Matters

Lian Yunzhi’s rise in speedcubing reflects a deliberate, parent-supported training regimen involving daily practice, specialized coaching, and algorithm mastery, illustrating a model of early talent development. The progression from a 90-second solve time as a beginner to world-record averages demonstrates the impact of structured training and cognitive skill development in competitive puzzle solving.

What's New

Lian Yunzhi set a new women's 3x3 Rubik's Cube average world record with an average of 4.52 seconds at the WCA Wuhan Danqiu Rubik's Cube Competition on September 12, 2026, and then improved it to 4.27 seconds at the WCA Guangzhou Speedcubing Competition IV on September 14, 2026. Lin Yangxi is person.

How Sources Differ

CCTV video footage reported that one of Lian Yunzhi's individual attempts at the Wuhan competition took approximately 3.54 seconds, while World Cube Association competition results listed Lian Yunzhi's average time of 4.27 seconds at the competition in Guangzhou. CCTV video footage reported that one of Lian Yunzhi's individual attempts at the Wuhan competition took approximately 3.54 seconds, while a CCTV report stated Lian Yunzhi is the first female speedcuber to average under 4.5 seconds. World Cube Association competition results listed Lian Yunzhi's average time of 4.52 seconds at the competition in Wuhan, while a CCTV report stated Lian Yunzhi is the first female speedcuber to average under 4.5 seconds.

A statement by Lin Yangxi to local media noted that Lin Yangxi enrolled Lian Yunzhi in a Rubik's Cube class alongside other extracurricular activities such as dance and music lessons, while a CCTV report stated it initially took Lian Yunzhi 90 seconds to solve a Rubik's Cube. World Cube Association records stated Lian Yunzhi set a new women's world record for the average time solving a 3x3 Rubik's Cube, while a CCTV report stated it initially took Lian Yunzhi 90 seconds to solve a Rubik's Cube.