(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-10-08 20:50

BUDAPEST, Hungary - A 16-year-old took the top prize at the Rubik's Cube world championship Sunday, solving the puzzle five times in an average of 12.46 seconds.

Players compete in solving Rubik's cubes during the final of the 2007 Rubik's Cube World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2007. Hundreds of competitors from 32 countries took part in the three-day event, which began Friday, with prizes to be awarded in 17 categories. [Agencies]

But the fastest single attempt was a cool 10.88 seconds, just off the world record of 9.86 seconds.

Yu Nakajima of Japan won the main event for twisting the classic 3x3 cube - which has nine colored tiles on each on its six sides - into the winning position, where all like-colored tiles are on the same face.

Andrew Kang of the United States, who came in second for the main event, set the best time for a single attempt at the championship. The world record has been held by Thibaut Jacquinot of France since May.

The five-attempt event garners the top award of $7,000, prizing consistency over of a single - possibly lucky - win.

More than 250 competitors from 33 countries took part in the event, the first to be held in Hungary - where the game was invented by Erno Rubik in 1974 - since competition began in 1982.

Rubik, an engineer who developed several other mechanical games after the cube, made a rare public appearance at the medal ceremony, helping to hand out the main awards.

"I'm glad the cube is reaching new generations, who face it with fresh wonder, curiosity and enthusiasm," the game's creator said.

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