The Rope Puzzle

An Exercise in Teamwork, Patience & Creative Thinking

 
The 'Rope Hand-cuff Puzzle' is a superb example of problem solving through collaboration and creative thinking.  As you'll see in the video, it makes for a lively Tuesday meeting!  We've used this 'team puzzle' in conjunction with the roll out of our new agent development initiatives.  (In the video, you notice our "Six Weeks To Success" program on the screen.  This was rolled out in October 2004)
  The Set-Up
Two 'Volunteers'; each with a piece of rope with a loop tied in both ends.  The rope should be reasonably long, so that the person wearing it can easily step over it if they want.
 
Each person puts their hands through the loop on the end of the rope, however they first 'link' the ropes as shown in the diagram. 

The Rope Puzzle Rules
Once the ropes are on their wrists they cannot be removed.
The challenge is to separate yourselves without removing the ropes.
Do not break, cut, saw through, bite through or in any other way damage the rope.
Damaging each other is probably a bad idea too.
It CAN be done!
   

Tom Walters and Kate Murphy begin thinking through the rope puzzle.

 
Nicci Brown and Shaun Zaudtke attempt several different solutions, only to hit a dead end.  Did they eventually solve it?  (Click Here or on any of the photo's to start the streaming video.)
   
The Solution
Give up?     e-mail me and I'll reply back with the solution.