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Blindfold doesn’t deter student from Rubik’s Cube success

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Xenia Daily Gazette

CEDARVILLE — Cedarville University students Nick Camillone and David Mortenson competed at the Mason Cubing Challenge Sept. 10 and had pretty good success.

Camillone’s highest placing was fourth in the blindfolded challenge while Mortenson’s highest placing was 14th in the 5×5 cube challenge.

Camillone, a freshman mechanical engineer major from New York, developed an interest in the Rubik’s Cube in 2008 as a fun hobby. For the past four years, he’s honed his skill at speed cubing by competing in six different Rubik’s Cube competitions, including the 2014 US Nationals.

“It was cool hanging out with so many different people that are learning the same thing I am,” he said about his latest competition, where he placed fourth in the blindfolded competition, sixth in the 4×4 and eighth in the 5×5. The numbers signify the number of individual blocks on the cube.

He enjoys the competitions because they give him a chance to beat his own time. Camillone’s best official time for the 3×3 cube is 9.75 seconds, but his best non-competition time is 6.63 seconds.

Mortenson, a junior audio broadcasting and digital media major from Iowa, took up cubing in 10th grade as a way to entertain himself on long bus rides for band trips. His father had a slow, but effective method to solve the 3×3 cube, but when Mortenson’s older brother got a newer cube with instructions for a faster method, Mortenson knew he’d found his hobby.

The Mason Cubing Challenge was Mortenson’s first competition, and he placed 14th in the 5×5, 15th in the 4×4 and 17th – out of more than 80 competitors – in the 3×3.

“It’s a unique thing that I just happen to be into, and it’s a lot of fun,” Mortenson said.

Mortenson is also involved in many other activities at Cedarville, including Resound Radio, Men’s Glee Club and Filmgate, a student-led film organization as well as the worship team at his church. Camillone enjoys playing the bass trombone and plays in Cedarville’s orchestra and symphonic band.

Submitted photo David Mortenson (left) and Nick Camillone competed at the Mason Cubing Challenge Sept. 10.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2016/10/web1_Rubiks1.jpgSubmitted photo David Mortenson (left) and Nick Camillone competed at the Mason Cubing Challenge Sept. 10.

Content provided by Cedarville University.