Tying the Impossible Knot
| Tying the Impossible Knot | |
| Number | 478 |
| Broadcast Date | February 22, 2016 |
| Episode Length | 3:21 |
| Hosts | Brian Brushwood |
Summary
It's not possible to make an overhand knot while continuing to hold on to both ends of rope, but Brian seems to be able to.
Setup
Brian hands out a set of ropes and explains how an overhand knot is fundamentally impossible to tie without letting go of at least one end of the rope. He then proceeds to do just that.
Method
Except he doesn't. All of the instructions Brian gives in the setup are correct, although there is a crucial move during the toss forward where he actually lets go of the rope and grabs back onto it without being noticed. This operates on the classic principle of big motion covers the small motion. Brian also explains how helping somebody do it themselves by grabbing the ends of the rope for them also breaks the link in a way that isn't necessarily obvious at first glance.
Full Episode
Full Credits
| HOST: | Brian Brushwood |
|---|---|
| GUESTS: | |
| CAMERA OPERATOR: | Brandt Hughes (studio footage) |
| SOUND ENGINEER: | Brandt Hughes (studio footage) |
| EDITOR / POST PRODUCTION: | Brandt Hughes |
| SOURCE EPISODE: | Scam School 158: The Impossible Knot |
Links
| Preceded by: "Snap Wrenches in Half and the Invulnerable Handshake!" |
Tying the Impossible Knot |
Followed by: "Only Geniuses Can Tell These Gods Apart" |