Loopamania© – Solution by Peter Harrison

1. Lay out the puzzle on a flat surface so that the rings are furthest apart.
2. In the centre, the loops are entwined so that:
- The Black loop passes through the Orange loop and surrounds the Red loop;
- The Red loop passes through the Black loop and surrounds the Green loop;
- The Greenloop passes through the Red loop and surrounds the Blue loop;
- The Blue loop passes through the Green loop and surrounds the Orange loop;
- The Orange loop passes through the Blue loop and surrounds the Black loop.
- If any of the loops has a twist, remove it by turning over the appropriate ring.
3. Now bring the rings together so that a simple pile of 4 rings is produced where:
The Green Ring (the one attached to the Green loop) is over the Red Ring; The Blue Ring is over the Green Ring; The Orange Ring is over the Blue Ring.
4. Keeping these 4 rings together, pick up the Black Ring so that the other 4 dangle below it. Bring the Orange loop down to surround the 2 Red loops. The bottom of the Black loop (X) supports 2 Red loops. Separate the 2 Red loops and bring X (the lowest part of the Black loop) out between them, in the direction of the Blue loop. It is strongly suggested that you read this section several times over, satisfy yourself that every instruction is clear to you and has been carried out correctly. Then practise these moves several times before moving on.
5. Pass X up and over the Black ring. Notice that none of the Loops will pass over a Ring of another colour. E.g. The Black Loop will not pass over the Red Ring, but the Black Loop will pass over its own Black Ring. Practise and see!
6. Once over, pass X inside the Orange loop, under it through towards the outside, and then upwards, and then back over the Black Ring. (We’ll call this movement “INSIDE”.) Practise!
7. Pass X over and outside the Blue loop, then round under it through towards the inside, and then upwards, and then back over the Black Ring. (We’ll call this movement “OUTSIDE”.) Practise!
8. Then pass X ‘Outside’ the Orange loop and back over the Black Ring.
9. Next, pass X Outside the Green Loop (you’ll find it hiding round the Blue Loop in the middle of the cords. Pull the Green Loop up from the middle to make the move easier.) By now you will have Blue and Green Loops etc curling round the Black Loop. Pass X back over the Black Ring.
10. Then pass X inside the Orange and back over the Black Ring. Loops are getting tight!
11. Pass X inside Blue and back over Black.
12. X outside Orange – back over Black. Loops easier now.
13. X inside Red (hiding down in the middle – pull it up first). Red Ring can now be pulled down to separate the Red Loop from the mass of cords and will hang down on the Green loop. Pass X back over Black
14. X inside Orange – back over Black.
15. X outside Blue – back over Black.
16. X outside Orange – back over Black.
17. X inside Green (hiding down in the middle – pull it up first). Green Ring can now be pulled down to separate the Green Loop from the cords and will hang down on the Blue loop. Pass X back over Black
18. X inside Orange – back over Black.
19. X inside Blue – back over Black.
20. X inside Orange and all the Loops can all now be separated.
To reassemble: Loop Green Loop through Red Loop; Blue through Green; Orange through Blue; and Black through Orange. Then pass X over Black Ring. Now, starting at 7 above, carry out moves exactly as before, in the SAME order (surprisingly NOT in the reverse order) i.e. Pass X outside Blue and back over Black. Then 8, 9 etc. Except 13 where X must pass OUTSIDE not inside Red. Also step 20 is amended to: “X inside Orange and back over Black. Original array is restored.” Take extreme care on each move as tangles are very difficult to unscramble!