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

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.

Slacken the string throughout so as to bring the scissors near the hand of the person holding the end.

Then work the loop shown at the bottom of the diagram backwards along the double cord.

Make the loop follow the double cord throughout, in and out through the fingerholes, until it is completely free of the scissors.

Then pass the loop right round the points of the scissors and follow the double cord backwards.

The string will then, if you have done this right, detach itself from the scissors.