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Two shipmates, Scally and Wag, had been up to mischief hacking the ship’s pirateware. Captain Scurvy decided to give them a chance of freedom before making them walk the plank. Scally was put into a small boat tethered to the port side of the ship and Wag was in a boat to the starboard side. Over the deck of the ship lay six ropes each with one end dangling above Scally’s boat and the other end dangling above Wag’s.
Scurvy ordered the shipmates to tie the ends of the ropes together in pairs. Neither could see what the other was doing so did not know how the other had paired up the ropes. If, after the tying, the six ropes formed one large loop the shipmates would walk free. What is the probability of this happening?
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