Page 53 - Bob Holtzman "The Field Guide to Knots How to Identify.."

Untying Knots

The process of untying most knots is simple in theory: you identify the
working end, loosen whatever is holding it in place, and then thread the

working end through whatever else is holding it in place until it’s
completely free.

In practice, though, many knots are difficult to untie after they’ve been put to
use. Once tightened, they become like Chinese puzzles in which you can’t
loosen Part A until Part B is loose, but Part B is held tight by Part C, which is
held down by Part A. This isn’t accidental: it’s key to the tremendous security of
many knots.

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