Henry Ernest Dudeney/Puzzles and Curious Problems/351 - The Entangled Scissors

Puzzles and Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $351$

The Entangled Scissors

Here is an old puzzle that many readers, who have forgotten to put on the string, will be glad to see again.

If you start on the loop at the bottom, the string can readily be got into position.

The puzzle is, of course, to let someone hold the two ends of the string until you disengage the scissors.

A good length of string should be used to give you free play.

Sources

• 1932: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Puzzles and Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Unclassified Problems: $351$. -- The Entangled Scissors
• 1968: Henry Ernest Dudeney: 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Unclassified Puzzles: $532$. The Entangled Scissors