All Tied Up: A First Look At Modern Yo-Yo and Knot Theory

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Hamblin, Benjamin, Calo, Victor M.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Hamblin, Benjamin
Calo, Victor M.
author_facet Hamblin, Benjamin
Calo, Victor M.
contents Modern Yo-Yo play has developed into a sophisticated international subculture, featuring elite competition and intricate tricks. Despite this, no systematic knot-theoretic treatment has yet been applied to the numerous string configurations realised in contemporary Yo-Yo play. This paper takes initial steps in addressing this gap, recalling fundamental results from knot theory and embeddings to develop a methodology for classifying string arrangements, known as `mounts', in both beginner and advanced single Yo-Yo play. We classify a range of mounts according to the knots they form under appropriate post-processing procedures and identify Yo-Yo maneuvers that correspond to Reidemeister moves. Furthermore, we analyse the impact of certain mounts on the writhe of their diagrammatic projections and introduce operations to facilitate discussion of composite mounts. This work seeks to initiate a dialogue between Yo-Yo practitioners and knot theorists, fostering further advancements in high-level Yo-Yo play and enabling novel physical realisations of knots, links, braids, surgeries, and other topological transformations.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_14462
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle All Tied Up: A First Look At Modern Yo-Yo and Knot Theory
Hamblin, Benjamin
Calo, Victor M.
Geometric Topology
General Topology
Modern Yo-Yo play has developed into a sophisticated international subculture, featuring elite competition and intricate tricks. Despite this, no systematic knot-theoretic treatment has yet been applied to the numerous string configurations realised in contemporary Yo-Yo play. This paper takes initial steps in addressing this gap, recalling fundamental results from knot theory and embeddings to develop a methodology for classifying string arrangements, known as `mounts', in both beginner and advanced single Yo-Yo play. We classify a range of mounts according to the knots they form under appropriate post-processing procedures and identify Yo-Yo maneuvers that correspond to Reidemeister moves. Furthermore, we analyse the impact of certain mounts on the writhe of their diagrammatic projections and introduce operations to facilitate discussion of composite mounts. This work seeks to initiate a dialogue between Yo-Yo practitioners and knot theorists, fostering further advancements in high-level Yo-Yo play and enabling novel physical realisations of knots, links, braids, surgeries, and other topological transformations.
title All Tied Up: A First Look At Modern Yo-Yo and Knot Theory
topic Geometric Topology
General Topology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.14462