People · United States
James Cheung
Clock · top 4.7% of 32,817 all-time · competing since March 2024 · 2024CHEU02
James Cheung has been competing for 3 years. His best event is the Clock: a personal-best single of 5.13, set at Benicia Open II 2026, puts him in the top 4.7% of the 32,817 people who have ever been ranked in the event, and 387th in the United States. Until April 2015, no official Clock solve in the world had been that fast. Across 6 competitions since March 2024, he has put 92 official solves on the record across five events. Solve to solve, his 3×3 times vary about 15% around a typical one, an early reading from 8 counted rounds. His 3×3 best has come down from 23.18 in March 2024 to 10.68, a 54% improvement. James has entered six competitions, more competitions than 86% of everyone who has ever competed.
Standing, event by event
vs everyone ever ranked| Event | PB single | PB average | All-time standing | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clock | 5.13 | 5.75 | top 4.7% | 387 / 9,172 | |
| 3×3 | 10.68 | 12.92 | top 9.6% | 5,273 / 60,666 | |
| Pyraminx | 6.25 | 9.07 | top 21.9% | 5,953 / 29,168 | |
| 2×2 | 3.78 | 4.28 | top 23.8% | 9,447 / 41,674 | |
| 4×4 | 1:27.19 | — | early days — 2 solves | 10,911 / 19,354 |
Percentile against all competitors ever ranked in each event, a fairer measure than raw rank, because the pools differ by a factor of ten.
The line so far
Best single per competition, 3×3. Faster is higher — the axis is the right way up.
The story so far
- 2 May 2026First sub-15 3×3: 14.97 at Belmont Spring 2026.
- 9 Nov 2024First sub-20 3×3: 18.79 at Bay Area Speedcubin' 66 - Belmont 2024.
- 30 Mar 2024First competition: Bay Area Speedcubin' 59 LIVE - SSF 2024. A 23.18 3×3 single to start from.
Competitions
- Benicia Open II 2026 · 12 Sep 2026 — 2 personal bests set
- Bay Area Speedcubin' 69 2026 · 29 Aug 2026 — 1 personal best set
- Alameda County Fair 2026 · 27 Jun 2026 — 1 personal best set
- Belmont Spring 2026 · 2 May 2026 — 2 personal bests set
- Bay Area Speedcubin' 66 - Belmont 2024 · 9 Nov 2024 — 2 personal bests set
- Bay Area Speedcubin' 59 LIVE - SSF 2024 · 30 Mar 2024
Reading this page: a single is one solve's time · an average is the middle three of five solves, best and worst discarded · a PB is a personal best · a DNF (did not finish) is an attempt with no valid result: a popped piece, an unsolved face, an over-limit memorisation · top X% compares against everyone ever ranked in that event, which is fairer than raw rank because event pools differ tenfold.
The circuit
The people whose scorecards keep turning up next to his.
- Sean Greshock — met in 17 rounds, finished ahead 5 times
- Stanley Tran — met in 17 rounds, finished ahead twice
- Matthew Ketroser — met in 17 rounds, finished ahead once
Next targets
- A sub-5 Clock single — 1,444 people have one; it is 0.13 away.
- A sub-10 3×3 single — 21,606 people have one; it is 0.68 away.
Targets move as he improves.