What the soc: The Tab tries Warwick University’s Rubik’s Cube society

After our exploration and experience with duck soc, I was once again on the hunt for more niche and underground societies offered at Warwick.

My next target was Warwick Rubik’s societies, one I didn’t know the university offered and one I had little to no experience in.

Warwick Rubik’s soc holds weekly events on campus, which are casual meet-ups, providing snacks and cubes for all to try and improve their skills.

My experience

As someone who has never solved a Rubik’s cube in my life (prior to the event) and the closest you could get to being a complete beginner, the event was perfect. While I was one of the few beginners, the society and exec members prioritise teaching at their events.

While the society was very open and welcoming, it does seem to draw a specific demographic of the university. Members were typically of a STEM persuasion, spanning computer science, maths, physics, and economics. Some exec members theorised that this was because “stem students are probably more naturally drawn to these types of puzzle- solving”.

Indeed, the intricacies of “cubing” (to use the correct term) were far more detailed than I had previously assumed. I was taught different algorithms, specific tactics, and how to handle the cube to increase efficiency of movement.

Though named and logo-ed after the iconic Rubik’s cube, the societies showcased a grand collection of many different types of cubes beyond the typical 3×3, including a Pyraminx, 2×2, 4×4, and something called a mirror cube that I could not even begin to understand how to solve.

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The atmosphere was entirely friendly and welcoming, but not without some playful competitive spirit between the veterans of the puzzles. I learnt that the record within the society is currently held by the president, solving a 3×3 in just 7.4 seconds.

Similarly, I asked the treasurer to solve a very intriguing looking clock puzzle as fast he could. I looked away to speak to a different member for just a moment, and when I looked back the puzzle was laying completed on the table

While it is a small society with just over 30 members, this has prompted a greater sense of community and connection between members. Warwick’s society was officially founded in 2021, after interest in “cubing” exploded during and after the pandemic.

While cubing has a large online community, spanning sites like TikTok, YouTube, X and more, the in-person society at Warwick offers a greater sense of community and the face-to-face interactions are vital and, as described by exec members, creates a kind of “friendship glue” for university students.

Every term have an in-person and informal competition that spans about 12 hours, complete with their own referees, timers and, to top it off, pizza. They also compete in national events with impressive results. They came third in 2023-4, and fourth in 2024-5. Rubik’s societies seem to be popping up in universities like UCL, Cambridge, Manchester, showing their demand at some of the country’s top universities.

By the end of the session, I was proud to say that I have now solved my first cube. It was the 2×2 cube and took me about the whole session, but I am still counting it as a win. The society was welcoming and friendly, prioritising connection, teaching, and sociability.

When asked why people should join the society, the president described it as a “niche, fun thing to do and learn plus you get to meet like-minded people”. It doesn’t take a genius puzzler to solve the appeal and necessity for Warwick Rubik’s society.

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