Lightning hands, a puzzler's eye.

• Author: Harmon, Amy
• Position: Q&A - Cubists - Interview

Three years ago, Andy Camann of Newton, Mass., found a Rubik's Cube and a solution book in his house. Now, the ninth grader solves the puzzle in as little as 12 seconds and competes against the world's top cubists. UPFRONT asked him for some tips.

What skills are necessary to be a good cuber?

Math is definitely not one of the skills.... If you can recognize colors fast, if you have spatial abilities, then you'll probably be fine.

What's the secret to solving the cube?

The cube has 12 edges and 8 corner pieces. Rather than solving it all in one step, you break it down into smaller steps. So people come up with different ways of putting pieces together, and those are the different methods.

What's the key to your success?

I'd have to go...