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   Author  Topic: Wire cuffs, the return  (Read 1003 times)
Noke Lieu
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Wire cuffs, the return  
« on: Mar 2nd, 2004, 4:26pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
As
WIRE CUFFS WIRE CUFFS WIRE CUFFS WIRE CUFFS WIRE CUFFS WIRE CUFFS WIRE CUFFS WIRE CUFFS WIRE CUFFS WIRE CUFFS WIRE CUFFS WIRE CUFFS WIRE CUFFS WIRE CUFFS
was medium, I figured this'd live here too.
 
Grab a longish bit of string (how long...) There has to be some near your desk- look at your shoe laces.
Tie loops at ends to make hand cuffs.
 
Holding these loops- and not letting go- make an overhand knot in the rope.  
Cheating here is very easy, and equally unimpressive.
 
Now put the handcuffs on. Get the knot out of the rope (ie reduce the number of crossings from 1 to 0)
 
Last but knot  Roll Eyes least keeping the handcuffs on your wrists, put the knot back in.
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #1 on: Mar 2nd, 2004, 6:20pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
The most difficult part of this trick is making it look like tying your wrists together is somehow part of a task related to your work. ...well, its a beta test, yeah wearable string, you know dealing with string theory...its technical, you wouldn't understand... unless you read the memo, you didn't read the memo did you, well that explains it... here, put this on your left wrist...
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aero_guy
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #2 on: Mar 4th, 2004, 12:28pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
what do you mean by overhand knot?
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Noke Lieu
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #3 on: Mar 4th, 2004, 3:20pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
overhand knot = trefoil. kinda hard to discribe in words...  
especially when I have to go right now... Embarassed
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #4 on: Mar 4th, 2004, 3:30pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
on Mar 2nd, 2004, 4:26pm, Noke Lieu wrote:
Holding these loops- and not letting go- make an overhand knot in the rope.  
Cheating here is very easy, and equally unimpressive.

 
I must not be understanding what you mean by this, as the only interpretation I can put on it makes cheating also the only way to accomplish the task.
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Noke Lieu
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #5 on: Mar 4th, 2004, 4:57pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
Oddly enough, that means that chances are, you've got the puzzle. How to do it indeed.
It is possible without cheating.  Dont' get grumpy ( that'll give it away )
 
Quickly googled overhand "knot"
http://www.realknots.com/knots/stoppers.htm
pretty picture there.
« Last Edit: Mar 4th, 2004, 4:59pm by Noke Lieu » IP Logged
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #6 on: Mar 4th, 2004, 6:30pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
So, you can tie an overhand knot without passing the string beneath you fingers (never letting go, just wiggling the string between the fingers).  
 
That seems impossible, like tying an overhand not in a rubber band (a loop).  
 
What happens if I get grumpy?
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #7 on: Mar 4th, 2004, 7:12pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
Is it just me or does "wire cuffs" remind me of "finger cuffs" from the movie Chasing Amy?
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #8 on: Mar 4th, 2004, 7:36pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
What constitutes cheating? I remember this trick from when I was about 8 years old. It is somewhat surprising to me that nobody seems to remember it.
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #9 on: Mar 5th, 2004, 1:29am »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
I remember this too - I was letting other people play with it for a while...
 
The version I remember involves betting someone you can pick up a piece of string, shake it a bit, and pull it tight, and there'll be a knot in it.
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #10 on: Mar 5th, 2004, 1:41am »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
Wait a minute. I can pick up a line and throw an overhand knot into it. That's an old cowboy trick.  Wink But, that is different from what is asked here isn't it?  
 
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #11 on: Mar 5th, 2004, 2:53am »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
sorry, I forgot to specify that, once you pick it up, you keep hold of both ends of the string until after the knot's in it...
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Noke Lieu
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #12 on: Mar 7th, 2004, 2:40pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
Hope all of you had a good weekend.
 
Sorry this has caused confusion- I guess its easier to see it in action.
 
Cheating: moving your hands in a way that would not be possible if you had boxing gloves on that were glued to the rope. Don't wriggle your fingers!
 
Yes, this part of the puzzle  is a cheap little party puzzle, but also happens to be a nice little knot theory demo (they tend to omit that sort of thing in kids' books) :  
 
You can't turn an unknot (loop/rubber band) into a trefoil without cutting, increasing the number of crossings and then resealing.
 
If you're eight and you get grumpy, you tend to fold your arms.... and you're one step closer to solving it.
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #13 on: Mar 7th, 2004, 10:47pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
does the answer involve stepping through a loop?
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Noke Lieu
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #14 on: Mar 8th, 2004, 3:57pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
Hmmn.
(Assuming that you're asking about getting the knot into the rope, otherwise your feet never have to leave the floor.)
I suppose that it might be possible that you could conceivably do it that way, but it'd be tricky. Grab a rope and give it a go....  
 
found a maths web site for kids (http://murderousmaths.co.uk) that states:
It doesn't matter how many RAMS and gigabytes and DVD players your computer has, there are some things you have to do for yourself.
 
Whilst not strictly true, nice sentiment.
 
By being one step closer, I mean you're part of the way there. Man, now everything I am typing feels like a cryptic clue. Cry
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #15 on: Mar 8th, 2004, 9:29pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
Yes - now I remember it (it's been a while since I was a kid). The answer is of course to "tie the knot" before you grab the string.
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #16 on: Mar 9th, 2004, 2:13pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
In the final part is the trick that you losen up the knot to the point that now your arms are crossing but rope is not?
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Noke Lieu
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #17 on: Mar 9th, 2004, 2:54pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
In order to get the knot in to the string in the first part of the puzzle, fold your arms, so that they're crossed. You need to be doing more than a genie-arm-fold then pick up the rope. You now have a trefoil. A quick flick and unfolding of your arms should transfer the crossing from your arms to the rope.
 
NOW PUT THE HANDCUFFS ON....  Shocked
 
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return  
« Reply #18 on: May 3rd, 2004, 4:22pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
All this becomes easy with teamwork.  Two persons, one hand each.  ... Provided the rope is long enough.
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Noke Lieu
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Re: Wire cuffs, the return   knot.gif
« Reply #19 on: May 3rd, 2004, 8:35pm »		 Quote Quote Modify Modify
Hmmn.
Just the one person.
should look like this: (except prettier)
 
If you've tried these, you'll notice 2 and 3 aren't just reversals of each other...
« Last Edit: May 3rd, 2004, 8:35pm by Noke Lieu » IP Logged
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