The solution is to swing one of the ropes like a pendulum and grab the other while waiting for it to swing back. The momentum of the rope that was swung will bring it close enough to the participant who is now holding the other rope.

The two string problem solution

There are two strings hanging from the ceiling that are sufficiently far apart so that a subject can't hold onto both at the same time. Chairs and pliers are available to the subject.

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Fixation on a familiar function of an object. It can prevent people from finding a solution. The candle problem and two string problem are canonical examples.

Functional fixedness

Goldstein, E. B. (2014). Cognitive psychology: Connecting mind, research and everyday experience. Nelson Education.


Cognitive psychology: Connecting mind, research and everyday experience

The two string problem

The candle problem presents participants with a set of items, typically a candle, a book of matches, and a box of thumbtacks. The objective is to affix the candle to a wall in such a way that it will not drip wax onto the floor or table below.

The Candle Problem Setup

Duncker's candle problem is a classic experiment used to demonstrate functional fixedness. In this task, participants receive a candle, a book of matches, and a box of thumbtacks, and are asked to attach the candle to a wall without allowing wax to drip onto the floor. To solve the problem, one must overcome the tendency to view the box solely as a container for thumbtacks, and instead empty it, tack it to the wall to serve as a shelf, and stand the candle inside.

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