Competitors from across the country and the United States tested their nimble fingers at the inaugural Rubik's Cube Canadian Open tournament.

More than 50 twisted participants squared off at the "speed cubing" event at the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto on Saturday.

A 19-year-old student from the University of Southern California broke a world record by solving the Rubik's Cube in one minute and 15 seconds -- while blindfolded.

The Canadian record for solving the classic three-by-three cube is just 11.15 seconds. Dave Campbell is the current record holder for one-handed cubing, having solved one in just 24 seconds.

The Canadian who solved the multi-coloured coloured cube in the fastest time on Saturday will represent the nation at the world Rubik's Cube championship in Budapest, Hungary, in October.

That person is Harris Chan, 13, who said the world-famous puzzle is addictive. "Once I get home and tried, I just kept on doing it," the Thornhill resident said.

Actually, there's a Cube-a-Holics Anonymous group to help such people.

If Chan wasn't addicted, however, he might not have been able to solve the three-by-three cube in 14.21 seconds.

The Lau sisters of Toronto also competed for finger-flying supremacy.

"We do that instead of studying, which isn't the best idea, but it's definitely really addictive," said Kristen, 19. "She was interested in the cubing and then she got me cubing, so I'm interested in it as well," said younger sister Janice, 16.

Kristen, a physics and math major at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., said solving the cube isn't about how smart you are, "it's just how your recognition (is)." Added Janice: "And how fast your fingers are."

Both say that perseverance is another important quality in successful cubers.

Hungarian professor Erno Rubik invented the cube in 1974 as a teaching aid for his design classes.

The Rubik's Cube was first commercially launched in 1980. It is the best-selling toy or game ever, with more than 300 million cubes sold worldwide.

With a report from CTV's Alex Mihailovich and files from The Canadian Press