If you asked someone what they thought the worst WCA event was, they would most likely say “clock.” Most people think that clock is just a disregarded event that no one likes, but, there is actually a lot of worth in learning clock, both entertainment-wise, and competitively. This article talks about how to solve the clock, why it’s the best event to compete in, and why you should learn it too.
A Brief Overview
The original Rubik’s Clock: Safalra (Stephen Morley), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Clock is a pretty basic event. If you’ve just got one, then you should definitely try to solve it by yourself first. The clock has two elements: The pins, and the wheels. In the most concise way possible, different orientations of the pins move different dials of the clocks when the wheels are turned. You can find a great tutorial here. The basic method of solving the clock requires no knowledge of notation and therefore is pretty simple. If you want to get faster and more competitive with the puzzle, you should consider learning the Lou, or no-flip method. All top clock solvers use this method and it’s generally considered the best one. If you’re looking to buy a clock, although it is the most expensive one, it’s worth shelling out around $30 for the QiYi magnetic clock because it’s way ahead of any other clock.
Competing
Sub-8 will get you into finals, and sub-7 is podium
One of the reasons clock is the best event competitive-wise is that it’s not very competitive at all. Because it’s still a fairly unpopular event, not many people spend a lot of time practicing it which makes it easier to podium in. It takes a few months of dedication to get sub-15, a few more for sub-10 and it takes around a year in total to get sub-7 which is top-100 in the US, and pretty much-guaranteed podium in any competition. Unlike more competitive events like 3×3, 4×4, and 5×5. Clock provides a much better return on investment.
It’s a Relatively New Event
Because clock is still pretty new popularity-wise, there is more scope for you to create your own methods or solving strategies. More content can also be created around this puzzle (like this article) because not much exists out there already. In sum, clock is one of the best events because it’s less competitive than other events, it’s not very popular, and getting started is extremely easy.
Cubing Content 