The record
The one-handed event is exactly what its name says: the same 3x3x3 cube, solved with one hand. Ponce's 5.62 seconds stands as the world-record single, set at the Mid-Atlantic Speedcubing Championship over the weekend of 14 to 16 August 2026.
A single is one attempt rather than a set. The World Cube Association tracks singles alongside averages, which are calculated as a trimmed mean of five solves with the fastest and slowest discarded. Both kinds of record are ratified and published by the association.
What 5.62 seconds means
The measure that gives the record its scale is the two-handed world championship. Philipp Weyer of Germany won the 2019 world title in Melbourne with an average of 6.74 seconds, using both hands. Ponce's one-handed single is more than a second faster than that winning average.
That comparison has limits, since a single attempt is not the same as an average of five, and a championship is not the same as a record attempt. It still gives the number a reference point: a solve done with one hand that would have been quick with two.
How records are made official
Nothing counts in speedcubing until the World Cube Association says so. The association, founded on 18 October 2004 by Ron van Bruchem of the Netherlands and Tyson Mao of the United States, sanctions competitions through official delegates and ratifies and publishes every record.
That structure is why a speedcubing record is unusually solid as a claim. It is set in public, judged on the spot and published centrally, rather than asserted afterwards. The association employs 464 delegates and 112 committee members to keep that system running.
The size of the field
As of August 2026 the World Cube Association had registered more than 290,000 competitors across over 17,500 official competitions, held in more than 100 countries. It recognises 17 official events, from the 2x2x2 cube up to the 7x7x7, plus blindfolded solving, one-handed solving and puzzles such as Megaminx, Pyraminx, Skewb and Square-1.
A world record in any one of those events is a placing at the head of a global, continuously active field. Records fall regularly, which is the other side of the same fact: the ranking was current as of 31 August 2026 and may not be current when this page is read.
What is documented - and what is not
This page is built from secondary encyclopaedia entries that cite the World Cube Association's own rankings. The association's competitor profile for Ponce could not be read here, and that limitation is stated rather than hidden.
No birth year, age, home city, occupation or competition history beyond this record appears in the sources used here. What is firm is the record itself: the event, the time, the competition and the date it was set.
Watch: Patrick Ponce on camera
| Person | Country | Milestone | Age / Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Knights | United States | Winning the 2003 World Rubik's Games Championship in Toronto | Age 20 |
| Patrick Ponce | United States | The 3x3x3 one-handed world record single | — |
| Breandan Vallance | United Kingdom | Winning the 2009 Rubik's Cube World Championship | — |
| Michał Pleskowicz | Poland | Winning the 2011 Rubik's Cube World Championship | — |
| Philipp Weyer | Germany | Winning the 2019 Rubik's Cube World Championship | — |
What is documented — and what is not
✓ Documented
- World-record single of 5.62 seconds in 3x3x3 one-handed, set at the Mid-Atlantic Speedcubing Championship 2026 (Wikipedia, citing WCA)
- Listed as the current record as of 31 August 2026
- Records in the sport are ratified and published by the World Cube Association
? Unverified, disputed or wrong
- The WCA competitor profile itself could not be read here; both sources are secondary
- No published age, birth year, home city or occupation
- No other competition results for him appear in the sources used here
Questions people ask about Patrick Ponce
What is Patrick Ponce's world record?
5.62 seconds for a single one-handed solve of the 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube, set in August 2026.
Where did he set it?
At the Mid-Atlantic Speedcubing Championship 2026, held from 14 to 16 August.
Is a single the same as an average?
No. A single is one attempt. An average is a trimmed mean of five solves, with the fastest and slowest discarded.
How does that compare to two-handed solving?
The 2019 world championship was won with a two-handed average of 6.74 seconds, more than a second slower than Ponce's one-handed single.
How old is Patrick Ponce?
No source used here gives an age or birth year.
Who verifies speedcubing records?
The World Cube Association, founded in 2004, which sanctions competitions through delegates and publishes all ratified records.
Is the record still standing?
It was listed as current as of 31 August 2026. Records in this sport change often, so the published rankings are the only reliable check.
Is Patrick Ponce on Wikipedia?
He has no article of his own. He is named in Wikipedia's speedcubing article as the one-handed record holder, citing WCA results.
Quick quiz: how well do you know Patrick’s story?
What is Patrick Ponce's one-handed world record?
When did he set it?
What is a 'single' in speedcubing?
Sources
- Speedcubing (citing World Cube Association records) — Wikipedia, n.d.
- World Cube Association — Wikipedia, n.d.
Checked by the Geniuses.club editorial team. Ages are given as of September 2026.
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