Frequently Asked Questions About WCA Competitions

[PatrickJameson]

Q: Am I fast enough to compete?

A: As long as you can solve the puzzle you wish to compete with in under 10 minutes, you can compete. The exception to this is when organizers place a time limit on events. These can usually be found on the competition website. Remember, competitions are about having fun, this isn't an extremely competitive environment. A lot of the day can be spent mingling around, learning and seeing some cool puzzles.


Q: How do I know if/when there's going to be a competition around me?

A: When competitions are confirmed to be happening they will be posted here: http://www.worldcubeassociation.org/results/competitions.php


Q: How do I get a WCA ID/page like 2007JAME01?

A: When the results for a competition are posted, anyone without an ID automatically gets one created. You don't need to do anything extra to get an ID.


Q: How do I register?
How will I know what to do once I get there?
What else do I have to know to compete?

A: All of these questions are answered on CubingUSA's Competitor tutorial found here: http://www.cubingusa.com/ctutorial.php


(Any other Q and A's that should be on here?)

 

[hic2482w]

"Am I fast enough to compete?"
I thought there was no time limit (cutoffs excepted), as when the timer goes past 10:00, the stopwatch starts being used?

 

[PatrickJameson]

"Am I fast enough to compete?"
I thought there was no time limit (cutoffs excepted), as when the timer goes past 10:00, the stopwatch starts being used?

A1a) The time limit is 10 minutes, or less/higher if announced before the event.

Also, usually anyone competing in something such as 4x4 and 5x5 BLD knows ahead of time that they'll be allowed to go over 10 minutes .

 

[hic2482w]

Ah. My bad

 

[~Phoenix Death~]

Is my Colored GuHong legal in competition?

 

[yomaster]

Is my Colored GuHong legal in competition?

I think that I heard that it is competition illegal, if you mean the "colored GuHong" is the one with colored plastic. It's illegal because when you turn a layer 45 degrees, underneath the corner piece you can see both colors on the inside plastic, and that supposedly gives you an advantage, which are not allowed.

 

[SpeedSolve]

How do you get a registration form? I can't seem to find one.

 

[TheMachanga]

How do you get a registration form? I can't seem to find one.

Go on the website of the competition you desire. CubingUSA has a list of upcoming competitions. I strongly recommend creating a cubingUSA account. The website has a tab for registration.

 

[SpeedSolve]

Ah. Thank you!

 

[IanTheCuber]

They only use a stopwatch in 4x4BLD, 5x5BLD, and 3x3MBLD.

 

[JyH]

They only use a stopwatch in 4x4BLD, 5x5BLD, and 3x3MBLD.

They also use them for 2-7, 3BLD, Pyraminx, Megaminx, OH, Magic, and MMagic.

 

[RyanReese09]

They only use a stopwatch in 4x4BLD, 5x5BLD, and 3x3MBLD.

It's not restricted to just that. Look at the slowest times in the WCA database for the events. A lot go well over 10 minutes.

 

[TMOY]

I think that I heard that it is competition illegal, if you mean the "colored GuHong" is the one with colored plastic. It's illegal because when you turn a layer 45 degrees, underneath the corner piece you can see both colors on the inside plastic, and that supposedly gives you an advantage, which are not allowed.

Update to this one: colored plastic cubes are now legal for BLD events, since doing that kind of 45-degree turns with the blindfold on doesn't allow you to see anything anyway.

 

[Mnts]

What about different color cubes? Like those pink, red, blue, yellow, etc cubes. I have never seen using them in competition.

 

[TMOY]

If you mean cubes of one single color other than black or white, yes they're allowed. the reason why people never use them is that most of them suck.

 

[irontwig]

István uses different coloured cubes for multi, I don't know how his system works, but it seems to help him at least.

 

[Cubenovice]

François,

I agree that stickerless cubes are OK for BLD solving, glad that this is now confirmed.

BUT: I noticed you use a stickerless cube among regular cubes for Multiblind.
Should this not be considered an unfair advantage as you can clearly distinguish the stickerless cube from all others?

 

[benskoning]

Dumb question form a new cuber: Can I use the table in megaminx some algs are easier for me to do on the table.

 

[TMOY]

François,

I agree that stickerless cubes are OK for BLD solving, glad that this is now confirmed.

BUT: I noticed you use a stickerless cube among regular cubes for Multiblind.
Should this not be considered an unfair advantage as you can clearly distinguish the stickerless cube from all others?

With a little practice it's easy to tell one cube from another while blindfolded, even if they are both stickered or both stickerless. And maintaining all your cubes in the exact same state, with exactly the same feeling while blindfolded, is simply impossible when you start to attempt large numbers. Besides, pieces don't move from one cube to another, hence a given orbit will always contain either only stickered pieces or only non-stickered ones. So no, I don't think it's an unfair advantage.

 

[Mikel]

Dumb question form a new cuber: Can I use the table in megaminx some algs are easier for me to do on the table.

A5b) While inspecting or solving the puzzle, the competitor must not have any assistance from anyone or any object (other than the surface). Penalty: disqualification of the solve.


The table counts as the surface, so you can use it.