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There are several different designs for puzzle rings, but there is
hope: one particular design overwhelmingly predominates all of the
others.  If your puzzle ring has four bands, then it is almost
certainly of the standard design.

1) Hold one band and shake.  The ring should fall into 1-2-1. That is,
one band around your finger, that with two bands threaded through it,
and then a second band hanging below.  You can then grab the bottom
band and bring it around, so you now have the ring as two sets of two
bands.  The two bands that are together are parallel [[[i.e., not linked]]]
but the two together are linked through the other pair [[which are also
not linked]].

2) When you look at the two sets of two bands, you'll notice that they
have different patterns.  One pair are 'V's.   That is, the bands look
like:

 -----      --------
          /
         /
        /

The other pair look like S's.  That is:

             /
            /  
 ------    /    --------
         /
        /


3)  the key thing in solving the ring is that you have to get the
'parity' of the two pairs of rings right.  Note that you can run one
ring "around" the other two so it comes up ''behind'' its partner.  This
is what I mean by parity: the ring will only go together if each of the
pairs is 'paired' properly.  You want the 'V' bands oriented so they
make a diamond.  That is, in one orientation, the two V bands will be
point-to-point and make sort-of an 'X'.  In the other, the two bands
will be like:
      /
     /  
    /    
    -----
   --------
    -----
   --------
        /
       /
      /

This is the right way.

4) Once you set the orientation of the V bands, pick up the two S bands
and let the V bands drop together [[being careful NOT to mess the
parity]].  Now you're holding the S bands with the V bands hanging
below.  Hold the S bands by the bottom [[[i.e., the 'non S' part]]], one
band in each hand.  The S-parts are now under the V-bands.  If it isn't
that way, rotate the V bands so the "V"s are at the very bottom, so the
place where the 'S' bands cross are just the straight band opposite the
'V's.

If you look carefully at the S-bands, you'll notice that one of the two
has a notch in the center on the inside of the band.  Hold that one by
the side opposite the S and let the rings drop back into the 1-2-1
configuration [[the S on the band you are holding will be under the two
V bands]].  Now pick up the other S band by the side opposite the S [[so
here, too, the 'S' part is inside the paired V bands]].  Bring that band
around to the top.  As you do so, give both S bands a quarter twist,
the 'S' parts will lie along the paired V bands [[instead of crossing
them at right angles]].  Try to nestle the band you're bringing up into
the first S band and form a ''figure''eight_ around the V bands.  If it
won't nestle [[it'll go easily (and almost magically====) when you get it
====
right]], then drop the band and bring it up around the ''other'' way.  One
of the two ways of bringing up the bottom S band will allow you to form
the figure eight.  It is going to look something like this:

        /    /
  ------    /  
  ------   /    --------
          /  ----------
         /  /

With the flat part of the bands of the V-bands threaded through the
two loops of the 'eight'.

5) If you've done this right, you can turn the ring over [[so that the
'S-bands' are actually in the orientation they would be if you were to
put the thing on your finger]] and the V-bands will be sticking up in
the air.  Now comes the simple (but almost magic) part: if you '''rotate'''
the v-bands, you can bring the "V" part '''through''' the twin loops so
that it lays in position.   Small diagram of one V-band in place:

          _
  X     //  /        Y
  ------ /  /  
  ----- /  /   --------
       /  /  ----------
  -----  /  / ----------
           Z

Can you see how the "V' crosses the loops of the '8' and how there is
just room for the other 'V' band to fit in [[[going from X to Z to Y]]]?

Then you do the same with the other V band and you're done.  Unless the
second V band doesn't fit, in which case it should have been the first
V band.  Undo both V bands and reverse the order of placement.  Now,
you should be done.

6) The point about the parity is that you have to get:
  1) the orientation of the 'S' bands right or they won't interlace to
     make the '8'
  2) the orientation of the 'V' bands right or they won't orient right
     to lace through the loops of the '8'
  3) the V bands laid in in the proper order.  One has to go in place
     and the other lays on top of it.  If you put them in in the wrong
     order, everything will look like it is going fine, but you won't
     be able to get the band to 'lay flat' against the other three
     bands -- it'll just stick out.


 '''DO'''NOT'''FORCE'''ANYTHING'''EVER'''.
If you bend a band, it can be virtually impossible to get the ring back together (even for someone who knows what they are doing), so be VERY gentle and don't bend or force anything.

Revision 3, 7 June 1994, BPC
--
Bernie Cosell                               bernie@fantasyfarm.com
Fantasy Farm Fibers, Pearisburg, VA         (703) 921-2358
    --->>>    Too many people; too few sheep    <<<---
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