Marriage or Divorce Heart String Puzzle

Challenge your significant other(s) to a rope puzzle that can define a couple's destiny together or apart!

So much pressure - right?

But really it's a fun to watch others try this seemingly simple brain teasing puzzle yet so difficult to solve - think hours and even days... unless they change their frame of thinking.

It's even more fun if you ask your "love challenge contestants" to verbalize their thought process as they try to solve this puzzle. You'll hear a lot of wait, wait ... this is impossible ... you need to cut the cord ... they will just go on and on.

So conjure up your inner Cupid Crafting skills to build this heart string puzzle and see if you will be a matchmaker or matchbreaker.

Materials

(1) 5" x 1" x 1" rectangular wood blank for the puzzle post

(1) 1.5" x 1" x 3/4" wood blank for the heart (or for ease you can use something like this pre-made heart)

(1) cord (I used a shoe string)

(2) beads for the end of the cord (or you could just knot the end)

Tools

Sand paper and your favorite wood finish (I used hemp oil)

Drill, Scroll or Coping Saw

Drill a 1/4" hole at the top end of your wood blank post approximately 3/4" for each end.

Next, drill a 5/8" hole thru the adjacent face of the post.

Finally, drill a 1/4" hole thru the side of you heart blank

You can vary these dimensions based on the size of your cord and heart. Key is the heart, when cut in half, has to be just a bit bigger than the side hole so it doesn't fit thru.

Pretty simple so far and good news you're 33% done.

Draw your favorite heart shape on your wood blank and create a zig-zag pattern that will look nice when apart. (Maybe try a puzzle shape.)

Next, cut out the heart using a scroll or coping saw and then sand to fine tune the shape.

After that, cut out your puzzle shape to create 2 half heart pieces.

Fold your cord in half and thread the loop thru the post center hole to create a cow hitch loop

Next, thread each end of your cord to the heart halves. TIP: Make sure you thread the cord thru the half heart correctly so when the hearts are together they create a perfect fit.

Lastly, thread the cord ends thru the wood post ends and either use a bead and CA glue or create a knot.

TIP: If you want to make the puzzle a bit easier for your "victims", you could glue the cord into the post holes since it removes that movement as a part of the puzzle.

Have fun challenging your significant other(s) or friends. But be careful since they may have seen this IBLE and can quickly solve it. So choose you destiny wisely.

(puzzle solution in next section)

The main trick in this brain teaser is to change your point of view. Instead of pushing the heart the the hole - which is impossible of course - you need to push the knot thru the hole.

Start by sliding a heart half thru the loop in the center of the post.

Then pull the 2 cords until the loop comes thru the center hole form the back to the front.

You should now see 2 cords like rabbit ears, so now slide your heart thru those loops

Now pull the 2 cords from the back of the post to expose the front loop again

Finally slide you heart half thru that loop and "mate it up with its mate"

Congrats you just got engaged or re-engaged.

Have fun and if you can share some of the comments you received.