They Invented What? (No. 232)

U.S. Patent No. 7,104,865: Apparatus for cat’s cradle game.

JW Note:  This TIW? should be filed under “Creepy Kid’s Toys”.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-play cat’s cradle toy that permits a single user as a first player to manipulate a string loop, comprising: a base; a first arm supported in a first position relative to the base; a second arm moveably supported relative to the base; a set of digits supported by each of the first and second arms; a resiliently-biased, manual actuator positioned along the base and physically coupled to the second arm to effect movement of the second arm toward the first position in response to pressure on the actuator, the manual actuator resiliently returning to a rest position in response to the restoring force of the bias; and a surface of at least a portion of the digits in the set of digits being configured to resist release of the string loop as the second arm is moved away from the first position in order to bring the string loop into a taut condition, wherein the first and second arms are surrogates for a second player; and wherein the base, arms, actuator and surface cooperate as a device to permit the single user to self-play cat’s cradle.