Anthony Michael Brooks

Last updated

Anthony Michael Brooks is an American speed cubing champion. He specializes in the 2x2 cube and classic 3x3 cube, and used to be officially ranked in the top five [1] in the world in both categories as recognized by the World Cube Association. Since learning to solve the cube in March 2008, Brooks has become known for developing advanced speedsolving methods as well as frequently promoting speedcubing in the media. While working as the Liberty Science Center's Speedcuber-in-Residence, Brooks set the Guinness World Record for most Rubik's Cubes solved underwater in a single breath, [2] and also led the team that currently holds the world record for solving the Groovik's Cube, the world's largest functioning Rubik's Cube. [3] In July 2017, Brooks was featured on the debut season of FOX's Superhuman TV show. [4]

Contents

Appearances

Brooks has served as a performer at the World Science Festival and has twice performed on stage at the Liberty Science Center's annual Genius Award Gala [5] for recipients and guests such as Bill Nye, David Blaine, Sir Richard Branson, Garry Kasparov, Susan Sarandon, and will.i.am. He also acted as the principal performer at the Beyond Rubik's Cube exhibition's world premiere.

Brooks has demonstrated speedcubing live on ABC, [6] Bloomberg Television, [7] CNN [8] and NPR, [9] and has been featured in segments aired on BBC, [10] ESPN [11] and NBC. [12] He made his commercial debut in Volkswagen's "You Can't Fake Fast" ad campaign [13] and his newspaper appearances include The New York Times , [14] The Wall Street Journal, [15] and New York Daily News. [16] In July 2017, Brooks was featured on FOX's Superhuman TV show, in which he successfully solved 10 Rubik's Cubes in under two minutes. [17]

Personal

A graduate of The Science Academy of South Texas, Brooks currently studies Economics and Business Administration at the University of Texas at Arlington. He has taught numerous people how to solve the Rubik's Cube, including his mother and younger brothers. His mother now holds the Jamaican national record for solving a Rubik's Cube, and his brother, Brian, is one of Texas' top ranked speed cubers. In January 2017, Brooks became the first speedcuber to win the main event of 50 World Cube Association competitions, which he described as completing a "personal goal." [18]

Notable Results

Current Personal Bests in Competition

World Records

EventResultLocationDate
Rubik's Cubes Underwater (Single Breath)5Liberty Science CenterAugust 1, 2014
Groovik's Cube (Largest Functioning Rubik's Cube solve)4:29Liberty Science CenterOctober 19, 2013

Former North American Records

EventResultCompetitionDate
3x3 Rubik's Cube6.93Dayton FallOctober 15, 2011
Pyraminx3.68Austin FallNovember 14, 2009
3x3 Multiple Blindfolded5/5Denver OpenApril 25, 2009

World Championship Podiums

EventPlaceResultCompetitionDate
2x2 Rubik's Cube22.41World ChampionshipJuly 17–19, 2015

U.S. National Championship Podiums

EventPlaceResultCompetitionDate
2x2 Rubik's Cube12.96U.S. National ChampionshipAugust 12–14, 2011
3x3 Rubik's Cube38.81U.S. National ChampionshipJuly 31 - Aug 2, 2015

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rubik's Cube</span> 3D twisty combination puzzle

The Rubik's Cube is a 3D combination puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik. Originally called the Magic Cube, the puzzle was licensed by Rubik to be sold by Pentangle Puzzles in the UK in 1978, and then by Ideal Toy Corp in 1980 via businessman Tibor Laczi and Seven Towns founder Tom Kremer. The cube was released internationally in 1980 and became one of the most recognized icons in popular culture. It won the 1980 German Game of the Year special award for Best Puzzle. As of January 2024, around 500 million cubes had been sold worldwide, making it the world's bestselling puzzle game and bestselling toy. The Rubik's Cube was inducted into the US National Toy Hall of Fame in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernő Rubik</span> Hungarian inventor (born 1944)

Ernő Rubik is a Hungarian inventor, widely known for creating the Rubik's Cube (1974), Rubik's Magic, Rubik's Magic: Master Edition, and Rubik's Snake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minh Thai</span> Vietnamese-American speedcuber

Minh Thai is a Vietnamese-American speedcuber. As a sixteen-year-old Eagles Rock High School student from Los Angeles, he won the first world championship on June 5, 1982 in Budapest by solving a Rubik's Cube in 22.95 seconds. He is also the author of the book The Winning Solution (1982), a guide to solving the cube. Later, Ortega Corners-First Solution Method for Rubik's Cube was based on Minh Thai's Winning Solution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speedcubing</span> Solving Rubiks Cubes or other "twisty puzzles" with speed

Speedcubing, also referred to as speedsolving, is a competitive sport centered around the rapid solving of various combination puzzles. The most prominent puzzle in this category is the 3x3x3 puzzle, commonly known as the Rubik's Cube. Participants in this sport are known as "speedcubers," who focus specifically on solving these puzzles at high speeds, or more generally as "cubers". The essential aspect of solving these puzzles typically involves executing a series of predefined algorithms in a particular sequence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberty Science Center</span> Museum in Jersey City, New Jersey

Liberty Science Center is an interactive science museum and learning center located in Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States. At its opening, it was the largest such planetarium in the Western Hemisphere and the world's fourth largest.

Jessica Fridrich is a professor at Binghamton University, who specializes in data hiding applications in digital imagery. She is also known for documenting and popularizing the CFOP method, one of the most commonly used methods for speedsolving the Rubik's Cube, also known as speedcubing. She is considered one of the pioneers of speedcubing, along with Lars Petrus. Nearly all of the fastest speedcubers have based their methods on Fridrich's, usually referred to as CFOP, that is,.

Lars Erik Petrus is a Swedish accomplished speedcuber. He has been described as a Rubik's Cube icon and master.

Leyan Andrew Lo held the world record of 11.13 seconds for the fastest Rubik's Cube solve until Toby Mao in 2006 had a solve of 10.48 at the U.S. nationals competition in San Francisco. Leyan appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, where he solved a Rubik's Cube in 18.9 seconds. He also holds the former world record for the fastest blindfolded Rubik's Cube solve, at 1:28.82.

Bob Burton is an American speedcuber, most famous for competing in and organizing competitions all over the world and his former world records on the Rubik's Magic and Rubik's Master Magic.

Christopher Michael Hardwick is an American competitive speedcuber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron van Bruchem</span> Speedcuber and founder of WCA

Ron van Bruchem is a Dutch speedcuber living in Hilversum. He helped create the current resurge of Rubik's Cube enthusiasm by founding the international speedcubing community and organizing international competitions. He is also a founder, delegate and former chairman of the World Cube Association, an organization aiming at the spread of speedcubing as a regulated sport. He is also the host of the website speedcubing.com.

Eric Limeback is a Canadian speedcuber. He is known for his 11/11 3x3x3 multiblindfold Canadian record solve, as well as his standard 3x3x3 blindfolded solving. Limeback was the first Canadian to record a sub-30 second official 3x3x3 blindfolded solve. Limeback began solving the Rubik's Cube in 9th grade. He graduated from Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute in 2010. He formerly held the Guinness World Record for the most 3x3x3 cubes solved in 24 hours, 5800, set from 3–4 October 2013 at Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feliks Zemdegs</span> Australian speedcuber (born 1995)

Feliks Aleksanders Zemdegs is an Australian Rubik's Cube speedsolver. He is one of the only two speedcubers ever to win the World Cube Association World Championship twice, winning in 2013 and 2015, and is widely considered the most successful and greatest speedcuber of all time. He has set more than 350 records across various speedcubing events: 121 world records, 214 continental records, and 7 national records.

Gilles Roux is a French speedcuber primarily known for inventing a 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube method, the Roux Method, and achieving fast times with it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mats Valk</span> Dutch speedsolver

Mats Valk is a Dutch Rubik's Cube speedsolver. He broke the Rubik's cube single solve world record twice with times of 5.55 seconds in 2013 and 4.74 seconds in 2016. He won the Rubik's Cube European Championship in 2018 and was runner-up for 3x3x3 at the Rubik's Cube World Championships in 2013 and 2015.

Collin Burns is a speedcuber from the United States who formerly held the world record for solving the Rubik’s cube in 5.25 seconds.

Vincent Sheu is an American speedcuber or Rubik's Cube solver from Saratoga, California known for organizing World Cube Association competitions and setting world records in both the Fewest Moves event and the 2x2x2 single solve. He currently serves as a Director and Delegate for the World Cube Association (WCA) and has been an organizer of every annual US Nationals Cubing Competition since 2010. Sheu previously served as the first Chair of the WCA's Regulations Committee with Lucas Garron from 2012 to 2015, directing a complete redrafting of the official competition regulations and guidelines during his tenure. He has received media attention as the subject of several viral images and video clips at various college sporting events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Hays (speedcuber)</span> American speedcuber, 6 time world championship winner

Kevin Hays is a former professional American Rubik's Cube speedcuber. Recognized as an expert at solving big cubes, he has won 6 world championship titles and set 21 world records across the three events. He has also set 47 North American records and won 21 US National titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krishnam Raju Gadiraju</span> Athlete

Krishnam Raju Gadiraju is an Indian speedcuber and unicyclist. He is a six-time world record holder and the first Indian to ever set a world record in speedcubing and unicycling.

Sean Patrick Villanueva is a Filipino speedcuber who is the reigning World Cube Association 3×3×3 one-handed world champion who won the title in Incheon, South Korea in August 2023 with an average time of 9.42 seconds. He previously held the Asian Record for 3x3x3 one-handed average at 8.64 seconds, which he set at Santa Cruz Speedcubing 2024 in Santa Cruz, Laguna on January 28, 2024. He currently holds the 3x3x3 one-handed world record average with a time of 8.09 seconds, set on May 26, 2024 at Quezon City Open II 2024 in Quezon City, Philippines.

References

  1. ↑ "Anthony Brooks | World Cube Association".
  2. ↑ "Most rotating puzzle cubes (3x3x3) solved underwater | Guinness World Records".
  3. ↑ "Groovik's Cube World Record Broken at LSC - LSC Blogs". Archived from the original on 2016-02-18. Retrieved 2013-11-06.
  4. ↑ "YouTube". YouTube .
  5. ↑ "Liberty Science Center's 'Genius Gala 2.0' | NJ.com". Archived from the original on 2014-05-20. Retrieved 2013-05-27.
  6. ↑ "Video Win a Date With Brad Pitt on Groupon - ABC News". ABC News .
  7. ↑ "Reference at www.bloomberg.com". Bloomberg News .
  8. ↑ "CNN Video Experience | CNN".
  9. ↑ "Forty Years of Mindbending Success with the Rubik's Cube". Archived from the original on 2014-05-20. Retrieved 2014-05-19.
  10. ↑ "Iconic Rubik's Cube celebrates 40th birthday - BBC News". BBC News.
  11. ↑ "YouTube". YouTube .
  12. ↑ "Reference at www.nbcnews.com". NBC News .
  13. ↑ "YouTube". YouTube .
  14. ↑ Quenqua, Douglas (6 August 2012). "Rubik's Cube Enjoys Another Turn in the Spotlight - The New York Times". The New York Times .
  15. ↑ Simon, Lizzie (28 May 2013). "Opportunities for Geniuses - WSJ". Wall Street Journal.
  16. ↑ "Rubik's Cube record holder demonstrates skills in Times Square for toy's 40th anniversary celebration - New York Daily News". New York Daily News .
  17. ↑ "YouTube". YouTube .
  18. ↑ "Login • Instagram".{{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.