People · United States
Riley McDowell
Pyraminx · top 4.2% of 129,321 all-time · competing since July 2024 · 2024MCDO19
Riley McDowell has been competing for 2 years. His best event is the Pyraminx: a personal-best single of 3.15, set at Vegas Cubing Winter 2026, puts him in the top 4.2% of the 129,321 people who have ever been ranked in the event, and 1,098th in the United States. Until February 2008, no official Pyraminx solve in the world had been that fast. Across 5 competitions since July 2024, he has put 94 official solves on the record across six events. Solve to solve, his 3×3 times vary about 16% around a typical one, an early reading from 7 counted rounds. His 3×3 best has come down from 44.68 in July 2024 to 15.40, a 66% improvement. Riley has entered five competitions, more competitions than 83% of everyone who has ever competed.
Standing, event by event
vs everyone ever ranked| Event | PB single | PB average | All-time standing | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pyraminx | 3.15 | 4.74 | top 4.2% | 1,098 / 28,708 | |
| 3×3 | 15.40 | 19.71 | top 25.8% | 14,036 / 59,724 | |
| 2×2 | 4.48 | 7.34 | top 32.7% | 12,990 / 40,951 | |
| Skewb | 6.93 | 9.24 | top 33.1% | 5,552 / 18,907 | |
| 4×4 | 1:09.39 | 1:27.19 | top 46.3% | 7,700 / 19,072 | |
| 3×3 one-handed | 52.69 | — | early days — 2 solves | 11,658 / 15,683 |
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
- 28 Feb 2026Six personal bests in one day at Vegas Cubing Winter 2026.
- 8 Nov 2025First sub-20 3×3: 16.88 at Vegas Cubing Cup Fall 2025.
- 21 Sep 2024First sub-30 3×3: 26.57 at Honolulu Hāʻulelau 2024.
- 1 Jul 2024First competition: Michigan Mini 20 2024. A 44.68 3×3 single to start from.
Competitions
- Vegas Cubing Winter 2026 · 28 Feb 2026 — 6 personal bests set
- Vegas Cubing Cup Fall 2025 · 8 Nov 2025 — 2 personal bests set
- Honolulu Hoʻoilo 2025 · 25 Jan 2025 — 1 personal best set
- Honolulu Hāʻulelau 2024 · 21 Sep 2024 — 1 personal best set
- Michigan Mini 20 2024 · 1 Jul 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.
- Cy Hamilton — met in 16 rounds, finished ahead once
- Lukas Gubista — met in 12 rounds, finished ahead 5 times
- Samuel Martin — met in 12 rounds, finished ahead twice
Next targets
- A sub-3 Pyraminx single — 4,700 people have one; it is 0.15 away.
- A sub-15 3×3 single — 69,493 people have one; it is 0.40 away.
Targets move as he improves.