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        riddles >> medium >> Wirecuffs
        
(Message started by: william wu on Mar 9^th, 2003, 4:35am)

Title: Wirecuffs
Post by william wu on Mar 9^th, 2003, 4:35am

In a cliche effort to illustrate the importance of teamwork-oriented problem solving, the Boss has chained Dilbert to Carol The Secretary via wire wrapped around their wrists, as shown in the following snapshot:

http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~wwu/images/riddles/wirecuffs.gif

The goal is for Dilbert and Carol to unlink themselves from each other, without untying the knots at the wrists. Considering what a horrible woman Carol is, Dilbert wouldn't have it any other way. The wire is unbreakable, and as much as Dilbert would like to simply saw off Carol's limbs, such violent behavior is against company policy. How can Dilbert and Carol get away from each other?

Note 1: As with many of the puzzles on the site, I made up the silly story, but the trick behind it has been known to magicians and mathematicians for ages.

Note 2: Please let me know if you think this should be in a different section; it's hard for me to tell.

Note 3: Edited to correct a typo; thanks Icarus

Title: Re: Wirecuffs
Post by wolfgang on Mar 9^th, 2003, 7:48am

If I'm right, I think it's in the right place, or possibly easy. Whether I'm right depends on the answer to a question I'll hide to avoid spoiling. [hide]How tightly are wires bound to the wrists?[/hide]

Title: Re: Wirecuffs
Post by william wu on Mar 9^th, 2003, 8:12am

[hide] there's some room between the wrist and the rope; you've probably got the solution [/hide]

Title: Re: Wirecuffs
Post by aero_guy on Mar 9^th, 2003, 12:24pm

So the trick is that [hide]there is no real continuous loop, but rather a 'break' wherever wrist touches rope. If I am not mistaken you can still get out when one person is bound with rope and the other with handcuffs, but not if both are bound with handcuffs.[/hide]

Title: Re: Wirecuffs
Post by harpanet on Mar 10^th, 2003, 2:13pm

I remember this one from a conjuring book when i was young. It's interesting trying to visualise it - quite tricky. Then I tried it out with some twine (Carol was a chair leg :D). I don't know if i will be able to describe it adequately in words. but..

Carol (for it is she who is most keen to remove herself, Dilbert quite likes it, you know ;) )[hide]takes the wire of Dilbert's manacle where it crosses hers and tucks it through the loop enclosing one of her wrists (from back to front).
She then pulls through more wire so that she has enough slack to pull the wire over her hand, slide it down the back and back through the loop front to back. She can now make her escape.

If you imagine that one of the wrist loops of her manacle contained no wrist at all then separating the two manacles is very obvious. Now add the wrist back in. All that is happening is that she pushes the wire through the loop and pulls it straight back out again, with a little detour to get round the wrist and hand.[/hide]

Title: Re: Wirecuffs
Post by emanuele on Jul 24^th, 2003, 3:32pm

This riddle is also a very funny game I did for long time with my friends:
- take 1 boy and 1 girl (possibly not too brainquick...;) that do not know the game;
- bring them out of the room where are your guests;
- tell your guest that what the boy and girl will say is their dialogue during their frist marriage night...
- take in the boy and the girl and make them the wirecuffs riddle;
- take a note of what they say during the game, in order to eternate the most explosive phrases: (ex "put your hand here in, stupid!", "take your leg and let it pass into here!", "let's try again, perhaps with the teeth..." imagining that they are in their bedroom at their frist night after marriage);
- you and your guests will probably die laughing...
(Forgive me for my bad english! ;)
Bocca

Title: Re: Wirecuffs
Post by Snifit on Aug 15^th, 2003, 10:38pm

Couldn't one of them just untie the wire from the other person (or, if one of them was exceptionally dextrous, untie their own wire?).

Title: Re: Wirecuffs
Post by maryl on Aug 16^th, 2003, 12:35pm

If I'm reading this correctly, the goal is to unlink themselves from each other, not the wires.
So, let's says Carol is on the right overlapping the wires. What if they both squat down and Carol climbs over the loop, leaving their arms behind them and then turns herself around, wouldn't that release the tie? It takes teamwork afterall.

Title: Re: Wirecuffs
Post by Snifit on Aug 16^th, 2003, 12:49pm

If I understand what you're saying, I don't think that would work - it would only serve to reverse their positions.

Also, the riddle asks how Dilbert and Carol can "get away from eachother", so I think untying eachother is legal.

Title: Re: Wirecuffs
Post by william wu on Oct 22^nd, 2003, 1:39am

Added that the cuffs should not be untied.

Title: Re: Wirecuffs
Post by Noke Lieu on Mar 2^nd, 2004, 3:33pm

I frequently do this with classes of kids- its a beauty. I use soft rope though, rather than wire...

reminds me of many variants... my favourite is: tie an overhand knot (or trefoil) in the rope, put the handcuffs on. Then get the knot out.

So you can still do it even if the wooden chair stands you up...

go on, step away from the computer. Get some string. Try it yourself. ;)