Puzzlers from around the world descend upon Stanford University to compete in 18 mind-boggling events.
The competition involves 18 events that test skills like puzzle solving speed, fewest moves, and even ability to solve the puzzle blindfolded from memory. There are also competitions for other puzzles, like Rubik's Magic, Megamix, Pyraminx, and the Rubik's Clock.
Here, Jameson O'Connor, of the U.S., collects his thoughts before competing in the 3x3x3 Blindfold qualification round, in which he scored a personal best time of 7.23 seconds. In the event, a Rubik's Cube with 3 bricks on each side must be completed blindfolded. Players have to use memory tricks to recall the correct positioning and moves necessary to complete the puzzle.