THE STORY BEHIND THE SATIRE · Christchurch, New Zealand · Oct 19, 2026

Four Engineering Students Reduce a Cube to 9.806 Seconds

What happened

UPI reported October 19 that University of Canterbury students Caleb Everitt, Johann Torres, Hayden Watson and Maz Cameron built a robot that solved a scrambled 4-by-4 cube in 9.806 seconds during an official Guinness World Records attempt on October 16. The system used four cameras, an open-source solving algorithm, faster drone motors and suction-cup grippers. The university says Guinness confirmation is still pending.

Why it matters

The current published Guinness record is 45.30 seconds, so the attempt would be a substantial improvement if certified. More important than the stopwatch is the integration: mechanical design, power electronics, computer vision and software all had to agree on the same fraction of a second. Until Guinness completes its review, 9.806 seconds is a documented attempt result—not a certified world record.

The Blappos angle

Verified reporting and certification status end above. The Blappos interpretation: four years of engineering education successfully removed 35.494 seconds from a cube. The card’s fictional students, four-eyed robot, laboratory and stopwatch are original illustration; they do not depict the real team or machine, reproduce event footage or claim that Guinness has approved the result.

Read UPI’s October 19 report and the University of Canterbury announcement ↗

Blappos is commentary. Artwork is illustration—not documentary photography—and the joke is not a substitute for the linked reporting. Check this story’s source ledger or read our sourcing, satire and corrections standard.