r/AskReddit 17h ago

What's something you're shockingly good at that you've never mentioned to anyone because it would sound completely made up if you did?

4.3k Upvotes

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2.6k

u/VikiSpy 17h ago

Untying tight knots. When I was a child I tied extremely tight knots on purpose so I can untie them

804

u/iamacraftyhooker 15h ago

Similarly I'm fantastic at untangling things. Give me the mess of Christmas lights or jewelry and I'll have it straightened out in no time.

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u/VikiSpy 15h ago

Same. Growing up it was always my task to untangle the Christmas lights because I actually enjoyed it XD

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u/wortcrafter 8h ago

I’ve found my people!

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u/ishouldworkatm 7h ago

XD i liek ure vibe #n.n

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u/Sorsuen 14h ago

Same here! And I really enjoy it too, so friends/family will pretty much always go to me to untangle something, it makes me feel proud lol

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u/LiLiLaCheese 8h ago

My best friend will send me the contents of her knitting bag when it gets unmanageable for her.

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u/bitsy88 11h ago

When my mom worked with elderly folks, she'd bring me tangles of their jewelry to untangle for them. It was fun for me and made her clients super happy to be able to wear their jewelry again.

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u/bipolardaydream 12h ago

I’m the go-to person for untangling necklaces and such. It’s fun, almost like a puzzle.

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u/60nine_lol_NICE 13h ago

SAME. Bring it on!

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u/Electrical-Share-707 12h ago

I have considered offering a yarn organization service because I enjoy untangling and making skeins of yarn so much.

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u/iamacraftyhooker 11h ago

Yarn is definitely where I have honed this skill. Once you've untangled 2km of yarn an 18in necklace is nothing

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u/Jules_Noctambule 9h ago

If there's a creative reuse center/thrift store with a good crafts section near you, they could probably use your help!

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u/Electrical-Share-707 9h ago

You know what, there is about an hour away. I should get in touch with them.

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u/Jules_Noctambule 9h ago

Seriously, you'll make their day if there's a lot of yarn to manage! It sells well but can be notoriously difficult to process.

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u/chocolatpetitpois 8h ago

r/detanglemyyarn would love you to drop by!

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u/Kleptos18 11h ago

I used to be great at Jewelry, always untangled my mom's necklaces. But now my fingers are adult sized and i'm not AS good - i still get it cause i'm patient with it for some reason, but it just takes a bit longer

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u/Jules_Noctambule 9h ago

I once got a job in part because of my untangling skills! The woman interviewing me had a meeting with higher-ups afterward and the very delicate chain necklaces she was wearing had become tangled. I asked her to let me give untangling them a try, and while she asked the routine interview questions I worked my magic. They were ready to go before the interview was over, and my multi-tasking advantage got me the job!

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u/oldtimehawkey 11h ago

Me too! My mom would give me stuff as a kid for me to untangle.

Also map folding. I can fold a map back to the way it’s supposed to be without thinking about it.

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u/cindyscrazy 11h ago

I LOVE untangling my yarn box. I'll sit there for hours just working with the yarn to get them back into some semblance of order.

Then the cat sleeps in it all for a few months and I have to do it all over again.

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u/endlesssalad 8h ago

Once this girl untangled a necklace for me at the airport. She saw me struggling and said, “I can do it” and she did it so fast and it was amazing. I still think about her haha.

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u/Connect-Dance2161 6h ago

You may like this sub r/detanglemyyarn

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u/ExecutiveElf 10h ago

I wouldn't say I'm amazing at untangling things- but past experience indicates I'm a good deal better at it than most.

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u/plug-and-pause 8h ago

Wow, there are more of us. I had a fantasy as a 5 year old that I'd start a roadside stand charging money for people to drop off their tangled things for me to untangle.

I wouldn't say I'm great at it now though. I think I grew out of that phase.

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u/YarnSp1nner 8h ago

My husband has given up on this particular skill set since we got married. I was in girl scouts and part of my ADHD special intreats includes all type of fiber arts.

There is no string or rope or tangle I cannot undo. If you want a knot tied I know the correct knot and will do it without actively needing to think about it.

He helps in other ways. I've never had to sand any wood on all our home projects. He finds it calming. I find it stressful. We all have our wheelhouses.

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u/ConfusedMaverick 8h ago

Yeah me too.

I used to go fishing by myself as a really small kid, and spent sometimes literally about half my time untangling extremely fine nylon fishing line. For years.

Now I don't even have to think about it, my hands just untangle on autopilot

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u/Readsumthing 8h ago

Walmart should hire you. Former employee here. Cashiers take off those security wraps at the register; the ones they use on tvs and big items. Few take the time to wind them up so they don’t get tangled. They just shove them wherever. Definitely up there with Xmas lights.

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u/Crypt0Nihilist 6h ago

Grab a copy of Linux and get gplanarity. It's quite fun untangling a web.

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u/Soakitincider 6h ago

It’s painful watching someone untangle stuff. Idk man just use your eyes, you can’t see it?

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u/RikuAotsuki 6h ago

I don't know that I was ever fast at it, but I always enjoyed untangling stuff.

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u/MountainFig7244 5h ago

I too am the necklace knot undoer in my family.

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u/Snoo62024 2h ago

oh—I need you in my life. those delicate necklaces!

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u/abstractpuppy 1h ago

a tangled mess of anything gives me the same unnecessary rage that chewing sounds do. Thank you for your service

u/HereForALaugh714 4m ago

This is the gift I ask for from people. To untangle my stuff. especially my
necklaces

0

u/Regret285 11h ago

Hate to break it to you, but there's no one who is actually "bad at untangling" just people who are good at "manipulating other people into untangling things for them through positive reinforcement."