In the time it takes you to read this sentence, Max Park can solve a Rubik's Cube.
The 21-year-old from California set a Guinness World Record for the fastest time in solving a 3x3x3 rotating puzzle cube when he nailed it in an astonishing 3.13 seconds on June 11.
Park pumped his fist in triumph and leaped up from his seat high-fives fellow attendees after his record achievement at the Pride in Long Beach event run by the World Cube Association. Rubik's shared a video of the feat on Instagram, calling it "mind blowing."
It was the latest incredible feat for Park, a speed-cubing dynamo who was inducted into the Guinness World Records Hall of Fame earlier this year. He beat the previous record of 3.47 seconds set by China's Yusheng Du in 2018. He also improved on his personal best of 3.63 seconds.
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Park, who has autism, has solved cubes of all sizes in record times and even solved a 3x3x3 Rubik's cube using only one hand in 6.82 seconds in 2019. He held nine world records before adding another one with his latest achievement, according to Guinness World Records.
The puzzle prodigy was introduced to Rubik's Cube as part of his therapy after being diagnosed with autism at 2 years old, according to a news release.
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“As parents of an autistic child, we’ve seen firsthand how life-changing cubing has been toward Max’s personal growth," his father, Schwan Park, said in the news release. "We’re so proud of him for his jaw-dropping feat, and we hope this encourages further acceptance, understanding and appreciation for talents within the autistic community.”
Cubing has provided "good therapy" and helped Park "socialize and strengthen his skills," his parents told Guinness World Records.
"There was a time when Max couldn’t even open water bottles, but he showed interest in solving Rubik’s Cubes," they said.
His mother, Miki, learned the cube-solving techniques first and then taught her son. He won his first cubing competition at 10 against graduates from MIT and CalTech, according to Guinness World Records.
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