6 years ago
A huge thanks to Bill Wang for giving us his time for this interview. Bill is currently one of the fastest speedcubers in the world across a host of different events. He is world class in 3x3, 4x4, 5x5, 3x3 OH, 3BLD, 4BLD, and 5BLD, and is attending his first World Championships in Paris this July.
Embedded below is his video of a 5.31 average of five solves - the fastest on YouTube. Here is a link to his Facebook page, and you can check out more videos over at his YouTube channel. Enjoy!
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m Bill Wang, I am 18 years old and currently living in Toronto, Canada. I am currently a university student at the University of Waterloo and I have just completed my first year of studies there. Other than cubing, my hobbies include playing soccer (or football), basketball, and working out.
When and why did you start speedcubing?
I started speedcubing in late 2010. A couple of my classmates at the time had acquired the skill of solving cubes and after seeing it happen in front of my eyes, I was immediately intrigued and I went to purchase my first cube shortly thereafter.
What’s your favourite algorithm?
My favorite algorithm is probably the Jb perm as it is probably my fastest PLL to execute in a solve.
Do you have any goals for the upcoming World Championships in Paris? What are you looking forward to at your first Worlds?
My goal for the upcoming WC in Paris is to perform to my standards in the events that I care about (3x3, 4x4, 5x5, OH, 3BLD, 4BLD) and hopefully my performance will ultimately be enough to earn myself a podium or two. I am looking forward to meeting some of the cubers that I have never had a chance to meet before, such as Feliks, Cornelius, Nahm, Weyer bros, etc.
Would you rather break the 3x3 WR single or average, and why?
I would rather break the single WR because of the Youtube views that I would get :)
From your perspective, how has the world of speedcubing changed over the years you have been involved?
Speedcubing has grown exponentially since I started in 2010. Cubing companies are bigger, competitions are bigger, and the top-end speedcubers are getting better. Hardware has changed dramatically, the cubers are way more knowledgeable, and as a result, the records are becoming more and more unfathomable.
Do you have any thoughts or opinions on the increasing prevalence of sponsorship in speedcubing?
I think sponsorship is great as it allows fast and famous cubers to have easier access to the best hardware and to the big competitions. It also provides an added incentive for the up-and-coming cubers who wish to become sponsored one day. Sponsorship is also a mutually beneficial agreement as not only does the sponsoree benefit, but so does the company who offers the sponsorship as they are attracting more customers by using a famous figure to represent themselves.
Where do you see speedcubing in 5 years time, and where do you see yourself in that picture?
I honestly have no idea whether I will be cubing in 5 years. I guess I will have to see whether my interest is still there at that point in time. As for speedcubing as a whole, I am sure that it will continue to develop and expand and attract more people into the world of speedcubing.
If you could go back and give yourself (or anyone) one piece of speedcubing advice when they start out, what would it be?
If I could give myself one piece of advice when I started, I would tell myself to not practice as much within my first year of cubing. During that year, almost every ounce of my free time was dedicated to practicing. This led to me burning out and taking a break between late 2011 and mid 2013. If I had not practiced as much to begin with, then I probably wouldn’t have needed that break and I would’ve been continuously practicing for 6-7 years now. My guess is that in this alternate scenario, I would be faster than I am now as I would’ve had constant practice throughout my entire cubing career.
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Faye Yu Posted 6 years ago
Thanks for the interview! It was a lot of helpful advise and fun to watch :)
Aashish Kewalramani Posted 6 years ago
Hi feliks
Pls help me to improve my time using f2l
As my timing is better with begginers method
Lane Doak Posted 6 years ago
Aashosh Kewalramani, I am a sub 30 avarage speed cuber with a 7 Second avarage F2L. Now, Seeing as you are faster at the beginners method F2L then CFOP F2L, that tells me that you're just now starting off with F2L. The best advice I can give you, is to slow down a whole bunch, and take your time and intuitively solve it rather than trying to learn algorithms for each case. learn the easy and comon ones. If you need any more advise on which video you need to watch when, Send me an email at: lanedoak@icloud.com . i'm more the willing to give as much advise as I can, and I should reply quickly.
Honestly, ~Lane Unoffical Speed Cuber averaging 27.802
Carl La Hood Posted 6 years ago
Great interview and amazing average by Bill as well!
Aurora Pratt Posted 6 years ago
The Fifth Question was a laugh;d
Aaditya Sikder Posted 6 years ago
Hey,Feliks
Could you make more F2L example solve video?
I can't improve my timing with F2L.Plz give me some tricks.
Who is your greatest opponent now? What was your hardest competition till now?
The interview was amazing.
Anurag Lamsal Posted 6 years ago
Dem youtube views m8 :D
Tien Tran Posted 6 years ago
Do you think you would beat feliks?
Cuberious The SpeedCuber Posted 6 years ago
Can X-Cubers, One Scramble be brought back, but this time on the CubeSkills Channel? Can Bill Wang, Lucas Etter, Rami Sbahi, Max Park, and all the other people do an episode of X-Cubers, One Scramble?
Also, to Bill and Feliks, how do you guys feel about speedcubing at an early age? Do you ever feel like "I Shouldn't Have Wasted My Childhood On Solving These Cubes!"?
Jaxon Clough Posted 6 years ago
Lane Doak, don't try to help someone until your best single is sub 15 and average sub 20. I am in that category, and if your going the Southern Championship I'll help you get there.
Feliks Zemdegs from CubeSkills Posted 6 years ago
^ Not sure I agree with that actually Jaxon - as long as someone is slightly more knowledgeable/experienced than someone else, they can always help out in some capacity. It often helps to actually teach from a different perspective. For example, I find it actually really difficult to teach beginner techniques because I can't assume much knowledge, but it might be easier for a beginner to teach someone else how to solve the cube because they approach it from a different perspective.
Soami Kapadia Posted 6 years ago
When did you(feliks) become sub 10
Feliks Zemdegs from CubeSkills Posted 6 years ago
Around September/October 2009 I think :)
Yash Cuber Posted 6 years ago
Feliks I have realy big problem at f2l look ahead . I slow down but the time I get is still not satisfiing.please help
David Pearce Posted 6 years ago
Haha, WR single because of the views and $$$
Aashish Kewalramani Posted 6 years ago
Hi feliks all the best
Luqmannull Hakim Posted 6 years ago
Hi Feliks. How do you lube your cubes? :)
Justin MacLean Posted 6 years ago
Feliks, what is the best way to practice colour neutrality for 3x3?
Charlie Apple Posted 6 years ago
F2l is slowing me down, what can I do to get faster at F2L.
Rafly Hanggaraksa Posted 6 years ago
Uhh feliks just asking, what website do u learn about speedcubing?
It would have been great if you answer this question,
Jeffrey VanderKuyl 2 Posted 6 years ago
I want to know how long it will take me to become sub ten if I am at around 20 sec average in 3 weeks. what do u think feliks if I am dedicated
Maxime Maxime Posted 6 years ago
Feliks can you do a video about how become sub 10 and which algorithm should we know and a video about the slow turning please. Congratulaton for your record. Thank you.
Jacob San Juan Posted 6 years ago
Hi! Can anyone help me with my Cross-F2L transition? My F2L itself is fine, and I'm able to keep a constant lookahead at around 2-3tps, but I always pause between the Cross and F2L. How can I fix this?
Glenn Smith Posted 6 years ago
Fun interview and uh Wow people really SPAM with a bunch of irrelevant garbage.
Junaid jamshed Mp Posted 6 years ago
Feliks faz I need to see you
Amirul Aqram Posted 6 years ago
hi feliks, good luck for the competition at paris, i am waiting for your world record breaking, i hope you do your best! ? : )
Alan Jia Posted 6 years ago
Just a thought: Did you choose Bill Wang over max Park because you think he's faster, or because you wanted more people to know him? or was it some other reason?
Sebas Ponce Vak Posted 6 years ago
Hi Feliks, What can i do if i cant do better times than sub 20? I cant get better times please
Shygaan Khalili Posted 6 years ago
nice solves
zuhayr Haq Posted 5 years ago
M
zuhayr Haq Posted 5 years ago
My Favourite cubers;
Feliks
Bill
Max
Cornelius
Rowe
Sebastian
Phililp Weyer
Philip Lewicki
Rami
Jay
Patrick
Chris Olson
Lucas
Collin
Drew
Mats
Seung Hyuk Nahm
Kevin Hays
Eva Kato
Daniel K
Jakub
Benjamin Kyle
Daniel G
Marcin K
+100 others
zuhayr Haq Posted 5 years ago
ho w do you think you did at sydney champs 2017
Feliks Zemdegs from CubeSkills Posted 5 years ago
Pretty badly, except for 4BLD and multiBLD :p
divyam khater Posted 5 years ago
Feliks you are the speedcuber that inspired me to start speed solving. :)..........though 2 to 3 people have broken your WR ,you are the best cuber according to me.Thanks Feliks for inspiring me and for creating this website .Thanks a lot.
divyam khater Posted 5 years ago
Feliks and everyone else can you give me some tips to learn all OLL and PLL algorithms .. And i also have a problem in reconganising which PLL .
zuhayr Haq Posted 5 years ago
Divyam Khater,
Use Triggers and breakdown your algs. eg Tperm is just FRU'R'U'RUR'F'RUR'U'R'FRF'.
As for recognition look at opposite colours,headlights and bars. hopefully this advice helps you
divyam khater Posted 5 years ago
thank you
zuhayr Haq Posted 5 years ago
Your welcome
Cuberious The SpeedCuber Posted 5 years ago
Can you interview yourself?
Feliks Zemdegs from CubeSkills Posted 5 years ago
Hahaha probably not going to do that, but hoping to get some more interview-y stuff on the site :)
Wesley Pakulat Posted 5 years ago
Bill Wang is one of my favorite speed cubers. I also live in Canada and have met him at a comp.
Bence Berkenbosch Posted 5 years ago
Hey, Feliks I just bought a Gan Air SM and I don't know how often I should lube it. I figure you know.
幸泽 兰 Posted 5 years ago
Hi，Feliks！I have a Rubik's Revenge, but I don't know how to slove faster. There are too many ways on the Internet. What kind of learning should I learn?
William Yang Posted 5 years ago
Search up the reduction method it is the less algs and more intuitive
Jacob Shum Posted 5 years ago
I have a random question, but is Bill Wang Dylan's brother?
Btw, Dylan is J Perm on YT
Feliks Zemdegs from CubeSkills Posted 5 years ago
Haha no, they're not related.
Silas Lickliter Posted 4 years ago
XD it would be pretty funny if they were. Did Bill Wang set any WRs for 3x3?
Noah Marsh Posted 4 years ago
Nope! Or at least, none in the WCA history. Heres the history of all 3x3 single and avg records. He does not come up there.
Arav Jain Posted 4 years ago
This interview was really fun Feliks
Arav Jain Posted 4 years ago
Could recommend a few good cubing comps please