You know those puzzles which are basically two thick twisted rods that look impossible to pull apart. Here is a video,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5R2GksBqmc
There is a solution where you can pull them apart smoothly, without force. Can you approach the solution to these puzzles mathematically. Is there any theorems/methods you can apply when solving these to help? What field of mathematics explains these puzzles and their solutions? If you can please recommend a book, ressource, lecture notes or course which can teach these fundamentals, or even specifically which goes into the math behind these puzzles. They provide endless hopeless fun!:). Right now I basically approach these by trial and error but i'm hoping I can apply more methodical thinking here. My mind is blank when I get to these lol.