Object: re-create the given knots.
 
You start with a small rubber ring (string, rope) on the left side of the board. By manipulating (e.g., pushing and pulling) it like a piece of elastic, you have to turn it into the knot given on the right board.
 
There are many ways to manipulate the rubber band. Part of the game is to find out what these are.
These manipulations all simulate the natural behaviour of a closed string; e.g., you cannot break it by moving it around, only lengthen, shorten and shape it.
 
Most manipulations are more or less straight forward. No help texts are given; explore!
 
We will only describe the least obvious manipulation here:
When a top-layer part A of the string crosses a straight piece B of string twice (twice on top or twice on the bottom), you can move one of the two intersections P and Q onto the other (where P, A, Q, B are ordered clockwise). This will cause parts A and B to swap layers at those intersections: If A was on top of B before, it will run underneath it afterwards and vice versa. Both manipulations are only admissible when all crossings that lie between P and Q are ones which run UNDERNEATH line B). Two similar manipulations are available if part A lies at the lowest level.
 
You win when the knots on both boards have the same shape and position.
This game is very well suited to just play around with strings and to explore. (The topic of knots and their classificaton is quite an interesting one, both in sailing and in mathematics).
 
Please note that there are SEVEN alternative piece sets available, with very different graphic effects. Try them out!
 
Variants 1-13: 'Unknotted knots' - knots that can be shaped from a simple O-ring.
Variants 14-16: 'Knotted knots' - knots that cannot be shaped from a simple O-ring.
Note: The knots in variants 9-11, which usually have loose ends, have their ends connected in this game.
The knots in variants 12 to 15 are some examples o knots I designed for wire-and-string puzzles; see my web page.
Variant 17: Freeplay on large board (sometimes creates a problem with 'too many moves generated').
 
This game works best with SMART MOVES turned OFF!
 
 
To my knowledge, this game is the first string-manipulation program ever written. Please email me if there are similar string-manipulation programs and I will include references in a future version (note that graphic-design programs can NOT manipulate strings).
 
More freeware as well as real puzzles and games at my homepage http://karl.kiwi.gen.nz.