hanging a picture on a wall

How do you hang a picture from two nails (with a piece of string) in such a way that removing any of the nails will cause the picture to fall down?

Tie a knot in the string. Clamp the knot between 2 nails.

Knock one nail into the wall, the other into the picture frame. Loop the string around them.

Knock 2 nails into the wall, level, just about as wide apart as the picture width. Balance the picture on the nails. Throw the string away.

Originally posted by Duncan Clarke
Knock 2 nails into the wall, level, just about as wide apart as the picture width. Balance the picture on the nails. Throw the string away.

That's good but the picture would not be "hanging".

1. "Hang" picture on taut string between two nails.

2. Put the nails in the wall level and 2x cm apart where x is distance to floor.
Hang string over both nails, removal of one will cause picture to hit floor.

These are all arguable solutions. But what if the nails are already in the wall, high enough; the string is short enough and already attached to the picture; and in general all is prepared for a completely normal hanging of a picture?

Originally posted by WanderingKing
These are all arguable solutions. But what if the nails are already in the wall, high enough; the string is short enough and already attached to the picture; and in general all is prepared for a completely normal hanging of a picture?

In which case, why bother with a difficult and pointless solution. Loop the string over both nails. Then if one falls out, then the picture will still be hanging. After all, what is the point of the string and nails, of not to hang the picture?

Originally posted by Duncan Clarke
In which case, why bother with a difficult and pointless solution. Loop the string over both nails. Then if one falls out, then the picture will still be hanging. After all, what is the point of the string and nails, of not to hang the picture?

There is no point, there are just stipulations. And a beautiful solution to be discovered.

Originally posted by WanderingKing
There is no point, there are just stipulations. And a beautiful solution to be discovered.

A "beautiful solution" .. so it isn't a trick.
Topology?
Somehow make both nails "outside" the loop of string.
Cant fathom it at the moment ... where's ball of string!?

Originally posted by WanderingKing
How do you hang a picture from two nails (with a piece of string) in such a way that removing any of the nails will cause the picture to fall down?

Consider this: We have twoo loops at the picture frame which are large enough to let a knot through.

Now thread the string through both loops. make a knot on nail 1 and make a seond knot around nail two.

What do you mean by the string being "already attached to the picture"?

In what manner?

My solution would be similar to ponderable's (I think?):

Tie the string in a loop, thread the loop through a hole or under a hook on the picture frame, and put the two ends of the loop around each of the nails.

Originally posted by forkedknight
What do you mean by the string being "already attached to the picture"?

In what manner?

My solution would be similar to ponderable's (I think?):

Tie the string in a loop, thread the loop through a hole or under a hook on the picture frame, and put the two ends of the loop around each of the nails.

The arrangement is similar to mine indeed.

And I have missed the "already attached" part 🙁

I'm sorry I'm not making it very clear. I've been trying to get around the fact that I don't know a certain word in English and have failed. I think I know how to say it now. There are two holes , one in each of the upper corners of the rectangular picture frame. The two ends of the string are tied firmly to the holes is such a way that the string and the upper side of the frame form a loop. There are no knots in the string except for the ones that tie it to the frame. These knots are taboo -- you cannot touch them. The whole contraption lies on a table in such a way that there are no self-crossings of the string. Your task is to pick it up and hang it The two nails are already in the wall, at the same night, within a reasonable distance from each other.

I really like the last two solutions!

The nails are at the same hight, not at the same night. 🙂 Sorry, that was autocorrect.

Originally posted by WanderingKing
The nails are at the same hight, not at the same night. 🙂 Sorry, that was autocorrect.

height would probably have stood 😉