Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NATCHEZ — Natchez will host the first-ever World Cube Association Mississippi Championship 2025 on Feb. 22 and 23 at the Natchez Convention Center.

The association governs competitions for solving “twisty puzzles,” which are mechanical puzzles operated by twisting groups of pieces.

The most common of these is the Rubik’s Cube, which is a traditional puzzle of nine colored squares on each of six sides of the cub stacked three squares high and three squares wide.

But there are many others in the competition, including a simpler two-by-two design all the way up to a seven-by-seven square, said RJ Gohn, one of the event’s organizers. In addition, there are competitions for different-shaped puzzles such as Megaminx, Pyraminx, Skewb and Square 1.

The more advanced stages of the competition are made even more challenging, as competitors solve the puzzles blindfolded, one-handed or with as few moves as possible and try to do so in the least amount of time.

However, anyone who can solve the traditional Rubik’s cube shouldn’t feel intimidated about joining the fun, Gohn said.

“Our timers go all the way up to 10 minutes. If you can solve it, you can join. For each round, there will be people of all skill levels put together,” he said. “The first day is more spectator and beginner-friendly,” he said. “Sunday is quieter and when we really get into the more advanced events. It’s totally free for spectators and anyone who is accompanying the competitors. For anyone who wants to participate, a $40 registration fee covers any event.”

Anyone interested in participating should complete the online registration form no later than 6 p.m. CST on Feb. 7. No on-the-spot registrations will be accepted.

The events start at 9 a.m. on both dates and continue until around 5:30 p.m. with a one-hour break for lunch in between, Gohn said.

Gohn, a Baton Rouge, Louisiana native, is a student at Southeastern Louisiana University and directs Marketing and Communications for Southern Cubing LLC.

When his father Randall Gohn started working at Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Department, Gohn said he got to see the Natchez area and saw an opportunity to host the first Mississippi Championship at the Natchez Convention Center.

“I help organize all the ones in the Baton Rouge area and have done a few in the Starkville area but this would be the first state championship for Mississippi,” he said, adding there’s no limit to the wide range of participants.

Between 60 and 70 competitors of various ages and skill levels will be coming from all over.
“I do know at least one from California is coming and we have some from Alabama, Georgia and a large group from Louisiana,” he said.

Gohn said he was first introduced to WCA competitions in middle school. Though he has never solved one blindfolded, Gohn can solve a cube in six seconds, he said.

“I have met people who heard about our competitions, came to a few and made friends and learned how to solve a Rubik’s Cube just from that,” he said. “I wouldn’t say it’s hard but it takes memorization and practice. I was able to teach my sister one day how to do it and she is now able to solve one on her own. Doing it blindfolded requires more memorization and recognition of patterns but I’ve known people who do that faster than with their eyes open.”

For those who aren’t fast at solving the puzzles, the faster and more advanced levels of the competition are still fun and free to watch, he said.

“It is totally spectator-friendly,” Gohn said.

To prepare, online resources and more information about the competition can be found at www.southerncubing.com, he said.
There you’ll see our mission, frequently asked questions and all the competitions coming up in the area and some forms if you are interested,” he said.

Register online for the WCA Mississippi Championship 2025 by Friday, Feb. 7, at www.worldcubeassociation.org/competitions/MississippiChampionship2025.