People · France
Nicolas Knauer
3×3 · top 5.9% of 284,439 all-time · competing since February 2023 · 2023KNAU01
Nicolas Knauer has been competing for 4 years. His best event is the 3×3: a personal-best single of 9.42, set at Lutzelbourg Open 2026, puts him in the top 5.9% of the 284,439 people who have ever been ranked in the event, and 318th in France. Until February 2008, no official 3×3 solve in the world had been that fast. Across 4 competitions since February 2023, he has put 74 official solves on the record across seven events. Solve to solve, his 3×3 times vary about 11% around a typical one, an early reading from 7 counted rounds. His 3×3 best has come down from 17.51 in February 2023 to 9.42, a 46% improvement. Nicolas has entered four competitions, more competitions than 78% of everyone who has ever competed.
Standing, event by event
vs everyone ever ranked| Event | PB single | PB average | All-time standing | France | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3×3 | 9.42 | 10.92 | top 5.9% | 318 / 4,746 | |
| 5×5 | 1:21.64 | 1:38.48 | top 20.4% | 181 / 1,024 | |
| 4×4 | 48.18 | 50.54 | top 22.3% | 411 / 1,817 | |
| 2×2 | 3.92 | 5.34 | top 25.5% | 867 / 3,074 | |
| 3×3 one-handed | 30.39 | 31.43 | top 47.5% | 681 / 1,490 | |
| 7×7 | 5:09.55 | 5:18.50 | early days — 3 solves | 160 / 372 | |
| 6×6 | 3:28.64 | 3:35.50 | early days — 3 solves | 213 / 437 |
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
- 30 Aug 2026First sub-10 3×3: 9.42 at Lutzelbourg Open 2026.
- 30 Aug 2026Three personal bests in one day at Lutzelbourg Open 2026.
- 30 Mar 2024First sub-15 3×3: 11.89 at French Championship 2024.
- 25 Feb 2023First competition: Bretzel Open 2023. A 21.37 3×3 single to start from.
- 25 Feb 2023First sub-20 3×3: 17.51 at Bretzel Open 2023.
Competitions
- Lutzelbourg Open 2026 · 30 Aug 2026 — 3 personal bests set
- Haguen'Open 2026 · 7 Feb 2026 — 1 personal best set
- French Championship 2024 · 30 Mar 2024 — 1 personal best set
- Bretzel Open 2023 · 25 Feb 2023 — 1 personal best set
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.
- Valentin Hoffmann — met in 16 rounds, never finished ahead
- Nathan Vogel-Brustolin — met in 12 rounds, finished ahead 8 times
- Victor Colin — met in 12 rounds, never finished ahead
Next targets
- A sub-8 3×3 single — 7,931 people have one; it is 1.42 away.
- A sub-1:00 5×5 single — 2,252 people have one; it is 21.64 away.
Targets move as he improves.