ヒモトキ (Himotoki)

ヒモトキ (Himotoki) is a 2 player abstract game from Japan. Players thread a cord through holes in a board that stands between them, so that polygon shapes are formed on both sides. With only ever seeing one side, the first player to successfully declare that they have made exactly four polygons, combining the shapes made on both sides, is the winner.

The board is 21cms square, and shows a pentagon pattern on both sides, with a hole at each point and another hole in the centre. The players hold the board up between them, and take turns to thread the red cord back and forth between the holes. In doing so, the thread starts to outline small shapes, triangles and polygons, as it criss-crosses itself.

Players must use deduction and understand the patterns they can't see, so that when exactly four shapes are made, they can declare and win the game.

By passing the cord through the same hole twice or more, it might confuse the other player as to how the shapes are being formed.

If the players think that too many shapes have been made, they can declare and start over, with no winner that time.

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