The Rubik’s Cube is more than just a popular toy: It’s also the foundation of a new kind of competition centered on who can solve it in the shortest amount of time.
Those vying to set a new world record in “speed cubing” tend to be young and predominantly male. Obtaining a spot as one of the world’s best is beset with all sorts of colorful twists and turns. A title can be captured by just a few milliseconds and then lost the very next day. The video above explores three and a half decades of speed-cubing champions.
Read more: A 14-Year-Old Just Solved A Rubik’s Cube In Under Five Seconds