People · Moldova
Nicolae Matei
3×3 · top 55.7% of 284,439 all-time · competing since July 2010 · 2010NICO01
Nicolae Matei has been competing for 16 years. His best event is the 3×3: a personal-best single of 26.45, set at U.R.A. Back to School 2016, puts him in the top 55.7% of the 284,439 people who have ever been ranked in the event, and 76th in Moldova. Across 15 competitions since July 2010, he has put 253 official solves on the record across ten events. Solve to solve, his 3×3 times vary about 13% around a typical one; 54% of the 35,811 competitors with ten or more counted rounds hold a tighter spread. His 3×3 best has come down from 1:35.06 in July 2010 to 26.45, a 72% improvement. Nicolae has entered 15 competitions, more competitions than 95% of everyone who has ever competed.
Standing, event by event
vs everyone ever ranked| Event | PB single | PB average | All-time standing | Moldova | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3×3 | 26.45 | 32.89 | top 55.7% | 76 / 143 | |
| 2×2 | 8.69 | 12.99 | top 71.9% | 64 / 103 | |
| 3×3 one-handed | 1:00.18 | — | top 84.0% | 29 / 39 | |
| Pyraminx | 17.99 | 27.83 | top 89.8% | 52 / 58 | |
| 4×4 | 2:23.94 | — | top 90.2% | 43 / 52 | |
| 5×5 | 5:55.50 | — | top 98.5% | 21 / 21 | |
| Skewb | 38.20 | — | early days — 1 solve | 27 / 27 | |
| 6×6 | 9:49.22 | — | early days — 1 solve | 8 / 8 | |
| Megaminx | 8:20.17 | — | early days — 1 solve | 13 / 13 | |
| 7×7 | 18:59.00 | — | top 99.8% | 5 / 5 |
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
- 5 Nov 2016First sub-30 3×3: 26.45 at U.R.A. Back to School 2016.
- 15 Jul 2016Three personal bests in one day at European Rubik's Cube Championship 2016.
- 6 Apr 2013Five personal bests in one day at Romanian Open 2013.
- 23 Jun 2012Five personal bests in one day at Romanian Open 2012.
- 21 May 2011First sub-60 3×3: 58.21 at Romanian Open 2011.
- 21 May 2011Four personal bests in one day at Romanian Open 2011.
Competitions
- Cluj Cubing Sports Festival 2026 · 13 Jun 2026
- Sebes Autumn 2019 · 12 Oct 2019
- Constanta Cube Days 2019 · 10 Aug 2019
- Romanian Cubing Open 2019 · 20 Apr 2019
- Constanta Cube Days 2018 · 11 Aug 2018 — 1 personal best set
- Romanian Cubing Open 2018 · 26 May 2018
- Romanian Rubik Open 2017 · 27 May 2017 — 2 personal bests set
- U.R.A. Back to School 2016 · 5 Nov 2016 — 2 personal bests set
- Constanta Rubik Open 2016 · 20 Aug 2016 — 1 personal best set
- European Rubik's Cube Championship 2016 · 15 Jul 2016 — 3 personal bests set
- Romanian Rubik Open 2016 · 19 Mar 2016 — 2 personal bests set
- Romanian Open 2013 · 6 Apr 2013 — 5 personal bests set
- Romanian Open 2012 · 23 Jun 2012 — 5 personal bests set
- Romanian Open 2011 · 21 May 2011 — 4 personal bests set
- Romanian Open 2010 · 3 Jul 2010
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.
- Mihai Căpăţinescu — met in 51 rounds, never finished ahead
- Nicoleta Matei — met in 50 rounds, finished ahead 26 times · head to head
- Radu Făciu — met in 44 rounds, never finished ahead
Next targets
- A sub-25 3×3 single — 149,621 people have one; it is 1.45 away.
- A sub-8 2×2 single — 126,624 people have one; it is 0.69 away.
Targets move as he improves.