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Solving a Rubik Cube in Freefall in Record Time Is One Way to Skydive as a First-Timer

Remember that 2019 viral video of a Marine passing out three times as he skydived for the first time? This is the exact opposite of that.
Chinmay Prabhu sets third world record on his first skydive, solving a Rubik Cube in freefall 11 photos
Photo: YouTube / Chinmay Prabhu
Chinmay Prabhu sets third world record on his first skydive, solving a Rubik Cube in freefallChinmay Prabhu sets third world record on his first skydive, solving a Rubik Cube in freefallChinmay Prabhu sets third world record on his first skydive, solving a Rubik Cube in freefallChinmay Prabhu sets third world record on his first skydive, solving a Rubik Cube in freefallChinmay Prabhu sets third world record on his first skydive, solving a Rubik Cube in freefallChinmay Prabhu sets third world record on his first skydive, solving a Rubik Cube in freefallChinmay Prabhu sets third world record on his first skydive, solving a Rubik Cube in freefallChinmay Prabhu sets third world record on his first skydive, solving a Rubik Cube in freefallChinmay Prabhu sets third world record on his first skydive, solving a Rubik Cube in freefallChinmay Prabhu sets third world record on his first skydive, solving a Rubik Cube in freefall
A new freefall record has been set, for the most unexpected thing: the fastest time to solve a rotating puzzle tetrahedron, the pyramid version of a Rubik Cube. It took India-born Chinmay Prabhu just 24.22 seconds to solve the Pyramix puzzle, and he was able to do it as he was freefalling during a tandem skydive in Sri Racha, Chonburi, Thailand.

Perhaps the most impressive part – not that solving Rubik Cubes while freefalling is not an impressive feat on its own – is that this was the first time Prabhu skydived. Ever. His training consisted mostly of watching YouTube videos of other people doing it.

The Guinness Record attempt took place on April 14, 2022, with video of it available at the bottom of the page. A few days ago, Guinness ratified the record, effectively making Prabhu a third-time Guinness Record holder. As Guinness points out, “Chinmay enjoys challenges combining cubing with other activities,” and he already holds the record for most puzzles solved underwater (nine of them in just 1.48 minutes) and most puzzles solved while riding a bicycle (176 in 1.07 hours of riding).

The record attempt started at a height of 13,000 feet (3,962 meters), after a tandem jump from the plane. The most challenging part about the attempt, according to Guinness, was retrieving the puzzle from the other skydiver because “wind resistance was so strong that he struggled to get a good grip.” That’s clear in the video, too, as it takes Prabhu two different attempts to grab the puzzle, before he sets to work on it.

Prabhu turned to crowdfunding to raise money for this record attempt. Explaining how he decided to do it while skydiving (for the first time), he explained that he wanted to reach for the sky with his most recent challenge. He meant it literally.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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