Ghost Leg - Process

Process

As an example, consider assigning roles in a play to actors.

  1. To start with, the two sets are enumerated horizontally across a board. The actors' names would go on top, and the roles on the bottom. Then, vertical lines are drawn connecting each actor with the role directly below it.
  2. The names of the actors and/or roles are then concealed so that people do not know which actor is on which line, or which role is on which line.
  3. Next, each actor adds a leg to the board. Each leg must connect two adjacent vertical lines, and must not touch any other horizontal line.
  4. Once this is done, a path is traced from top of each vertical line to the bottom. As you follow the line down, if you come across a leg, you must follow it to the adjacent vertical line on the left or right, then resume tracing down. You continue until you reach the bottom of a vertical line, and the top item you started from is now paired with the bottom item you ended on.

Another process involves creating the ladder beforehand, then concealing it. Then people take turns choosing a path to start from at the top. If no part of the amidakuji is concealed, then it is possible to fix the system so that you are guaranteed to get a certain pairing, thus defeating the idea of random chance.

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