SAO PAULO, July 20 (Reuters) - Their fingers speedily working away, the competitors line the bright colours of their Rubik's Cubes as fast as they can, racing against the clock.
Some use the traditional 3x3x3 puzzle. Others try variations, completing differently-sized cubes blindfolded, with their feet or just one hand.
Fans of the colourful puzzle, invented by Hungarian architect Erno Rubik in 1974, gathered in Sao Paulo at the weekend for the Rubik's Cube World Championship for some serious speed cubing.
The Rubik's Cube World Championship was first held in Budapest in 1982 and now draws participants from around the world.
On Sunday, Australian Feliks Zemdegs took the world title for a second time, successfully completing the traditional 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube in 5.695 seconds.
"Because I won last time, I was sort of less nervous this time ... so that sort of helped a little bit," Zemdegs said.
The world record is held by Collin Burns, who solved the puzzle in 5.25 seconds earlier this year.