Beginner
Saul Hafting is 21 years old. He lives in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Saul loves two things. He loves Rubik’s cubes. He also loves pogo sticks.
In 2021, Saul did something amazing. He was only 16 years old. He solved 211 Rubik’s cubes. He solved them while jumping on a pogo stick.
Guinness World Records checked his attempt. In 2022, they said it was a new world record. The old record was only 65 cubes.
Saul waited for a long time. This year, he got great news. His record is now in a real book. The book is called Guinness World Records 2027.
Saul was very happy. He said, “It’s awesome.”
Now Saul wants to travel. He wants to show people his special skill.
Vocabulary
- pogo stick — a toy with a spring that you jump on
- solve — to find the answer to a puzzle
- record — the best result ever achieved
- amazing — very surprising and impressive
- attempt — a try at doing something
- finally — after waiting a long time
Comprehension Check
Discussion Prompts
- Do you know how to solve a Rubik’s cube?
- What is a skill that you are proud of?
- Would you like to try Saul’s world record someday?
Intermediate
Saul Hafting, a 21 year old man from Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, has finally achieved a goal he set five years ago.
When he was only 16, Hafting set a Guinness World Record by solving 211 Rubik’s cubes while balancing on a pogo stick.
Officials confirmed his record in 2022. It easily beat the previous record of only 65 cubes.
Although his achievement appeared on the Guinness World Records website years ago, Hafting did not appear in the organization’s printed annual book until now.
Earlier this year, he received an email. It told him that he would finally be featured in the Guinness World Records 2027 edition, which recently went on sale.
“It’s awesome,” Hafting said. “I am very excited to get a copy of my own and flip through it and see my name in it.”
He added that he has held the record for many years, and he feels proud that no one has broken it yet.
Hafting is now looking forward to a media tour. During the tour, he plans to promote the new book and give live demonstrations of his unusual talent.
Vocabulary
- achieve — to successfully complete or reach a goal
- balance — to keep steady without falling over
- confirm — to officially state that something is true
- previous — happening or existing before the current one
- edition — one version of a book, released at a certain time
- demonstrate — to show how something is done
- feature (verb) — to include someone or something as an important part
Comprehension Check
Discussion Prompts
- Why do you think Saul waited so many years to appear in the printed book?
- What kind of unusual skill would you like to become known for?
- How do achievements like this compare to more common sports records?
Advanced
For Saul Hafting, becoming a published Guinness World Record holder was a goal five years in the making.
The 21 year old from Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, first set his record in 2021, when at just 16 he solved 211 Rubik’s cubes while continuously bouncing on a pogo stick, a feat that more than tripled the previous record of 65 cubes.
Although the achievement was verified and posted online in 2022, it took until this year for Hafting to be included in the franchise’s printed annual publication, Guinness World Records 2027, which has just been released in stores.
Reflecting on the years between setting the record and seeing it in print, Hafting said he had never been certain how long his record would last.
“If it ever gets broken, I know that I held it for many years, which is very satisfying,” he explained.
Having now secured a place in Guinness history, Hafting says he is looking forward to a media tour, during which he hopes to demonstrate the unusual combination of skills that made his record possible.
“My record is very unique, and quite the spectacle to see if I do a demonstration,” he said.
Vocabulary
- feat — an impressive physical or mental achievement
- verify — to check that something is accurate or true
- publication — a book, magazine, or document that has been published
- reflect on — to think carefully about something from the past
- secure (verb) — to obtain or achieve something, often after effort
- spectacle — an impressive public show or sight
- franchise — a series of related products, like a book series, that share a brand
Comprehension Check
Discussion Prompts
- What does Hafting’s story suggest about the value people place on unusual or niche skills?
- How might waiting years for recognition change how someone feels about an achievement?
- Why do you think Guinness World Records maintains both an online database and a printed book?
Original story: “Nova Scotia man solves 211 Rubik’s cubes while on a pogo stick” by Ben Hooper, UPI (September 11, 2026).
Photo: “Rubik’s cube, CN II” by kaʁstn (Carschten), Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0), cropped.