Kevin Hays (born May 12, 1994) is an American speedcuber. He is best known for his proficiency at solving larger Rubik's cube puzzles, specifically the 5×5×5, 6×6×6 and 7×7×7 events. He has won six World Championship titles and set 21 world records across the aforementioned three events. In addition, he has set 47 North American records and secured 21 titles at the United States National Championships.

Personal life Hays was raised in Renton, Washington, where he started speedcubing during his freshman year of high school in January 2009. He later enrolled at Washington University in St. Louis, where he continued to practice cubing while also competing as a member of the Washington University Bears varsity swim team.

In 2019, Hays competed on the American television game show series Mental Samurai, ultimately finishing in 5th place.

Rubik's Cube career Hays made his competition debut at US Nationals 2009, achieving a 4th place finish in the 6×6×6 event and advancing to the final round in the 5×5×5 event. The following year at US Nationals 2010, he secured the national title in the 6×6 category with an average time of 2:36.44. At US Nationals 2011, he set his first world records in the 6×6×6 event, recording a world-record single time of 2:02.31 and an average time of 2:09.03.

In October 2011, Hays participated in his first World Championship in Bangkok, Thailand. Although he still held the world record average in the 6×6 event at this point, he recorded a DNF (Did Not Finish) result in the finals. However, he achieved a 2nd place finish in the 7×7×7 event with an average time of 3:46.99. At the 2012 US Nationals, he won the 4×4×4, 5×5×5, 6×6×6, and 7×7×7 events while finishing third in the traditional 3×3×3 event. Between 2012 and 2016, Hays consistently claimed the US national champion title in the 5×5×5, 6×6×6, and 7×7×7 events and maintained a top-three placement in these events for ten consecutive US Nationals from 2010 to 2019.

At the 2013 World Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, Hays became the first competitor to win the 5×5×5, 6×6×6, and 7×7×7 events at a single championship. At the 2015 World Championship in São Paulo, Brazil, he defended his titles in the 6×6×6 and 7×7×7 events and finished second in the 5×5×5 event behind Feliks Zemdegs. During the 2017 World Championship in Paris, France, Hays once again defended his 6×6×6 title and placed as runner-up in the 7×7×7 event behind Feliks Zemdegs. In 2019, at the World Championship in Melbourne, Australia, he finished second in the 6×6×6 event, with Max Park emerging as the champion.

Throughout his career, Hays broke the 6×6×6 world record single time on six occasions and improved the average record nine times. From December 10, 2011, to December 17, 2016, he was the sole record holder of the 6×6 single event, improving his record from 1:54.81 to 1:32.77. On March 10, 2018, Hays set a milestone by becoming the first person to solve a 7×7×7 cube in under two minutes in an official competition, with a time of 1:59.95.

On August 10, 2019, Hays announced his retirement from elite speedcubing to focus on the hobby aspect of the sport, and he later confirmed his retirement from professional speedcubing on January 1, 2022.

Notable results

World records Event Single Average Competition Date Times6×6×61:34.21Lexington Summer 2017July 1, 20171:40.66, 1:32.77, 1:29.196×6×61:32.771:42.36Asian Championship 2016October 1, 20161:45.93, 1:48.39, 1:32.776×6×61:45.98World Championship 2015June 14, 20151:43.03, 1:51.66, 1:43.236×6×61:46.41World Championship 2015July 17, 20151:48.99, 1:48.66, 1:41.586×6×61:33.55Indiana 2015June 12, 20156×6×61:40.861:51.30Vancouver Summer 2013August 3, 20131:40.86, 2:01.94, 1:51.116×6×61:49.461:55.13Couve Cubing 2012May 5, 20121:53.88, 2:02.06, 1:49.466×6×62:00.43Lynden Open 2012February 4, 20121:57.96, 2:02.38, 2:00.946×6×61:54.812:02.13Vancouver Winter 2011December 10, 20112:00.93, 1:54.81, 2:10.666×6×62:02.312:09.03US Nationals 2009August 12, 20112:13.68, 2:11.09, 2:02.317×7×7 1:57.76Rose City 2018June 9, 20187×7×7 1:59.952:08.71CubingUSA Heartland Championship 2018March 10, 20182:13.91, 2:12.27, 1:59.957×7×7 2:15.07Puget Sound Fall 2017September 23, 20172:23.33, 2:07.77, 2:14.127×7×7 2:42.85Clock N' Stuff 2015May 23, 20152:45.87, 2:37.56, 2:45.117×7×7 2:54.77World Championship 2013July 28, 20132:42.80, 2:56.39, 3:05.31

World Championship podiums

Year Event Place Single Average Times20196×6×621:18.421:27.021:18.42, 1:30.94, 1:31.6920176×6×611:32.001:35.341:32.00, 1:36.27, 1:37.7520177×7×7 22:21.552:25.832:28.18, 2:21.55, 2:27.7620155×5×5251.2655.6651.26, 57.76, 54.77, 54.45, 1:02.1220156×6×611:43.041:45.981:43.04, 1:51.66, 1:43.2320157×7×7 12:41.892:45.362:45.36, 2:41.89, 2:50.4320135×5×511:00.531:01.811:01.43, 1:01.64, 1:10.17, 1:00.53, 1:02.3520136×6×611:52.421:56.141:52.92, 2:03.09, 1:52.4220137×7×7 12:42.802:54.772:42.80, 2:56.39, 3:05.1320117×7×7 23:37.523:46.993:37.52, 3:51.19, 3:52.27

Official personal bests EventCategoryTimeCompetition name3×3×3Single5.89PDX Cubing for Dougy 2016Average7.68WCA World Championship 20194×4×4Single21.73CubingUSA Nationals 2018Average27.10Seattle Cube Cascade UW 20255×5×5Single40.68Cube Against Cancer Boston 2026Average47.11Kirkland Pyra Fest 20246×6×6Single1:12.97Surrey Side Events 2026Average1:19.38 Lakewood Spring 20267×7×7Single1:49.62West Coast Cubing Western Championship 2025Average1:56.03Empire State Winter 2024

References

External links

Kevin Hays' Official Rubik's Cube Results Kevin Hays' Reddit Questionnaire (August 12, 2013)