YouTuber solves puzzle cube in record time whilst hurtling towards ground in freefall
Solving a Rubik’s Cube with your feet planted firmly on the ground is a daunting task for some.
Now, imagine solving one while hurtling towards the ground at over 100 mph…
YouTuber Tom Kopke (Germany) did just that when he broke the record for fastest time to solve a rotating puzzle cube whilst in freefall in just 23.333 seconds.
His dive above Mossel Bay, South Africa in February smashed the record of 28.250 seconds set by Sam Sieracki (Australia) in 2023.
Tom, a 23-year-old medical student, said: “I first solved the Rubik’s Cube when I was 18 and practised a lot back then. I even made a video attempting some crazy Rubik’s Cube challenges, where I also said that one day I would solve it while skydiving.
“At the time, I didn’t have the money or the time to get my skydiving license, so I never followed through. For that video I did manage to solve six Rubik’s Cubes underwater and tied the Guinness World Records title, and I also learned how to solve the cube blindfolded.”
The record for most rotating puzzle cubes (3x3x3) solved underwater now stands at 16, set by Daryl Tan Hong An (Singapore).
But it was in the sky, rather than in the water, where Tom claimed his epic world record.
“I always wanted to learn skydiving because I have a lot more crazy skydiving videos planned, and I thought it would be really cool to start this journey with a clear goal in mind, which was to break the record,” he said.
On the ground, Tom can solve a cube in as little as nine seconds, and thinks his average is around the 15-second mark.
But how does someone practise solving a cube in freefall?
He explained: “At first, I tried solving it belly-down in the arch position (which is how the previous record holder, Sam Sieracki, solved it). But I quickly realized this was way too difficult because the wind resistance is very strong and you can’t solve efficiently.
“That’s when my instructor, Arnold van Dyk, had the idea that I should try solving it while back-flying. That is obviously way scarier because you can’t see the ground coming closer, and it also takes a lot more practice. But it reduces wind resistance significantly.
“At the beginning it was a complete disaster, especially because I lack experience, remember I only started skydiving a few weeks ago, and now I was supposed to fly on my back while also solving a Rubik’s Cube. But with a few days of practice and the help of my instructors we eventually got it down.”
Of course, one of the big worries was dropping the cube.
If it slipped from Tom’s grasp, his dream could have disappeared before him.
He said: “I [was worried] in the beginning yes, but I practiced a lot with the cube in the air so I got used to it. The most dangerous part is actually the handover, kind of like in track and field where a lot of mistakes happen during the baton exchange.”
He added: “I had one solve where I was on track for about 18 seconds, but then I celebrated too early, lost my focus, and messed up the last step. So technically no sub-20 solve yet. But I know that if I kept trying I could probably push the record much lower. For now I think it’s cool to give someone else the chance to beat it before maybe going for it again.”
And after teaching his skydiving instructors how to solve cubes, he could have some competition!
Read about more cubing records in our Hobbies and Skills section.
Tom says he couldn’t believe it when he found out he had broken the record, admitting that 23 seconds in the air felt like “an eternity”.
“When I landed I thought ‘no way that was record time’,” he said. “It felt more like a minute.”
Next, Tom would love to attempt to break a record by solving puzzle cubes while running a marathon.