Rubik championships

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

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

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 US$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.