A speed cube, also known as a speedcubing cube or simply a speedcube, is a type of puzzle cube designed for fast and smooth solving. These cubes are often used in competitive speedcubing competitions, where participants solve the Rubik’s Cube and similar puzzles as quickly as possible. Speedcubes are designed with features that enhance their performance, making them easier to turn quickly and manipulate during solves. Some common features of speed cubes include:

1. Improved Mechanism: Speed cubes use advanced mechanisms with precise engineering to reduce friction and allow for smoother, faster rotations. They typically feature a core with adjustable tension to customize the cube’s feel to the solver’s preference.
2. Corner Cutting: Speedcubes are designed to allow for corner cutting, which means that a corner or edge piece can move slightly past its normal position without jamming. This feature enables faster solving since 3×3 cubes solvers can make turns more efficiently.
3. Stickerless Design: Many speed cubes are available in a stickerless design, where the colored sections are made of plastic rather than stickers. This reduces the risk of peeling stickers and provides a cleaner look.
4. Different Sizes: Speedcubes come in various sizes, with the 3×3 Rubik’s Cube being the most popular. However, there are also speed cubes for other puzzle types, such as 2×2, 4×4, 5×5, and even larger cubes.
5. Lubrication: Speedcubers often lubricate their cubes with specialized lubricants to reduce friction further and maintain smooth performance.
6. Customization: Many speedcubers customize their cubes by adding different types of lubricants, adjusting the tension, or swapping out parts to suit their solving style and preferences.

Speedcubing is a popular hobby and competitive sport with a dedicated community of enthusiasts. Competitions are held worldwide, and speedcubers strive to solve the puzzle as quickly as possible, with some achieving incredibly fast times, often under 10 seconds for the 3×3 Rubik’s Cube. Speedcubing requires a combination of skill, dexterity, and memorization of solving algorithms, and it continues to evolve as new techniques and equipment are developed.