For 42 years, the Rubik’s Cube has  transformed in the hands of Rubik’s Cube enthusiast to the delighted of the puzzle solver as well as onlookers. Though it took the inventor of the cube a month to solve the puzzle once he’d invented it, KPARK sophomore Tim Reed has solved his in 1:10, and sophomore Daniel Maxwell has a recorded time of 48 seconds.

Reed got his first Rubik’s Cube this Christmas, but he was no stranger to it.

“I had played on my friend Veron’s [Rubik’s Cube] for like 7 hours in one day, because I spent the night… I didn’t solve it,” he said.

After that night, he began memorizing algorithms used to solve the cube and practicing them on his friend’s cube, before getting his own. That cube is often with him at school, either in his hands or sitting close by for when he finishes his work.

“Its an addiction,” says Reed.  

Maxwell comes from a line of puzzle solvers, his first Rubik’s Cube being the one that was originally his grandfather’s.

“My grandfather was a really good puzzle solver and so was my dad,” he says.  “They always had [Rubik’s Cube’s] for fun,”

Maxwell also brings his cubes to school on occasion. Rather than to curb an addiction, he says he keeps it with him “just to show off.”

“[People] think ‘wow he must be a genius, but I’m really not,” Maxwell says. “It’s just method.”

Neither Reed nor Maxwell think it’s ‘uncool’ to be into Rubik’s Cubes, and are proud of their skills. Reed believes the Rubik’s phenomenon has lasted so long due to the dedication needed to become good at solving it. Maxwell believes it’s because of the originality of the puzzle. Whatever the reason, the “Magic Cube” as it was originally called, continues to hold the attention of thousands worldwide.

“I feel accomplished [when I solve the cube], because I remember when I spent hours on it and couldn’t solve it,” Reed said. “I’m still trying to get better.”