Rowe Hessler (born February 27, 1991) is an American speedcuber. He is a two-time former U.S. Champion and was runner-up in the 3×3×3 event at the 2011 World Championship. He held the world record for both the single and average of the 2×2×2 event in 2009. Between April and October 2025, he held the world record in 3×3×3 multi-blindfolded with 63/66 cubes solved, totaling 60 points. Hessler held the North American record for the average of five 3×3×3 solves from 2009 to 2014, improving the record from 11.11 to 8.27 seconds.
Career Hessler began competing in official World Cube Association (WCA) events in 2007. At the 2009 World Championship, he won the 2×2×2 event with an average of 3.28 seconds and secured third place in the 3×3×3 one-handed event with an average of 20.02. In 2010, he set the North American record for a single 3×3×3 solve with a time of 6.94 seconds.
In the 2011 World Championship held in Bangkok, Hessler achieved a 9.56-second solve to finish as the runner-up in the 3×3×3 event. Between 2009 and 2014, he consistently lowered the North American average record for five 3×3×3 solves, culminating in an 8.27-second average at the 2011 Bridgewater Open.
In December 2015, Hessler attempted to break the Guinness World Record for most Rubik’s Cubes solved in 24 hours at Stony Brook University, drawing support from students and faculty.
Beyond the standard events, Hessler is recognized for his blindfolded solving skills. His 3×3×3 multi-blind personal record of 63/66 cubes ranked as the world record between April and October 2025, beating Graham Siggins' 62/65, but then beaten by Graham Siggins' 63/65. He has ranked within the top 50 globally in 3×3×3, 4×4×4, and 5×5×5 blindfolded events. In December 2024, Hessler participated in a speedcubing exhibition at a memory-focused event held at a Natick assisted living facility, showcasing the cognitive demands of multi-blind solving.
World Championship podiums +EventRankingResultCompetition3×3×32nd9.56sWorld Rubik's Cube Championship 20112×2×21st3.28sWorld Rubik's Cube Championship 20093×3×3 one-handed3rd20.02sWorld Rubik's Cube Championship 2009
Continental Championship podiums +EventRankingResultCompetition3×3×3 multi-blind2nd54/66 1:00.00Rubik's WCA North American Championship 2024
World records Event Result Competition 2×2×2 single 0.96 seconds U.S. Nationals 2010 2×2×2 average 2.45 seconds Brown Cubing Day 20092×2×2 average 3.15 seconds Cumberland Valley Open 20093×3×3 multi-blind63/66 59:50New York Multimate PBQ 2025
North American records Event Result Competition3×3×3 single6.94 secondsMIT Fall 20103×3×3 single8.72 secondsWashington D.C. Open 20103×3×3 single8.91 secondsNewark Open 20083×3×3 single9.13 secondsUS Nationals and Open 20083×3x3 average8.27 secondsBridgewater Open 20113×3x3 average8.91 secondsLiberty Science 20103×3x3 average9.39 secondsMIT Fall 20103×3x3 average9.96 secondsHarvard Fall 20103×3x3 average10.39 secondsWashington D.C. Open 20093×3x3 average11.04 secondsBrown Cubing Day 20092×2×2 single1.03 secondsBrown Cubing Day 20092×2×2 single2.90 secondsCornell Spring 20082×2×2 average3.35 secondsVirginia Open 20084×4×4 single29.30 secondsWorld Championship 20134×4×4 single31.65 secondsRiver Hill Winter 20134×4×4 average34.32 secondsCSP Fall 20133×3x3 blindfolded single59.66 secondsNiagara Open Summer 20083x3x3 one-handed single11.41 secondsMIT Spring 20113x3x3 one-handed single16.21 secondsToronto Open Winter 20083x3x3 one-handed average14.92 secondsMIT Fall 20113x3x3 one-handed average15.97 secondsMIT Fall 20103x3x3 one-handed average16.24 secondsHarvard Fall 20103x3x3 one-handed average17.42 secondsLong Island 20103x3x3 one-handed average19.11 secondsMIT Fall Competition 2009Megaminx single58.59US Nationals 20113×3×3 multi-blind4/4, 18:34Kearny Kardinal 20083×3×3 multi-blind5/8, 59.20US Open 2007
References