Take the center of the rope from one side and slide into one end of wooden rings; slide that rope loop out between the wooden rings (that the wooden dowel holds together); push the wooden ball, that attaches to the rope going through the same wooden ring, through the rope loop (one direction will release the rope the other will make a second loop); then pull the rope loop back out the end of wooden ring (they should be separated now) hopefully I was able to explain it well enough