How do you get the ring off the wire puzzle called "Horseshoes" or "Handcuffs"?

geometry/topology/horseshoes New

New entry, edited from material collected for the archive and not yet in a released version.

Problem

How do you get the ring off the wire puzzle called "Horseshoes" or
"Handcuffs"?

I was just wondering if anyone knows the solution for getting the ring
off of the wire puzzle that is entitled "Horseshoes" or "Handcuffs".
The puzzle consists of two horseshoes tied together with a ring around
the middle where the horseshoes are tied.  The ring is too small to
slip off.  How do you get the ring off of the puzzle?

-- Stacey Wood <woodkof@mail.agt.net>

Show solution

Rotate one of the horseshoes 1/2 turn.  This should leave the chains in
an "X" form.  Fold the puzzle so the horseshoes are side by side.  At
this point, you should have the horseshoes pointing up, the ring in the
plane of the horseshoes and the chains crossing through the rings.
Slide one horseshoe to the right.  The left wing of this shoe and the
right wing of the other one will be approaching each other.  The ring
will slip over both of these and can then be slid off the puzzle
easily.

-- Thomas Brooks <thomas.brooks.0241959@nt.com>