My guess: all the strings are weakly attached to the hook either with a knot that unties itself when you pull one end or with other means, so that any 3 you pull, given that you pull them hard, will just detach from the hook. The last one doesn't get pulled hard so the weak "un-knot" doesn't untie and it looks like the line is the only one that was tied all along.
Pretty much. There are things called "quick release knots" and as the name suggest, release when pulled on one end. A lot of these are used in magic tricks, one of them is the vanishing slip knot that seemingly disappears in front of your eyes. The fact that he hides the knots behinds his hand is very suspicious and strengthens my believe this is how the trick works. Unless I'm completely mistaken and this is a different method it's a quite disappointing illusion that has more in common with your common magician than mentalism and psychology. My guess this is a variant of the Highwayman's Hitch knot. It's very entertaining one way or another and he sells the backstory well.
I’m loving this my man!
My guess: all the strings are weakly attached to the hook either with a knot that unties itself when you pull one end or with other means, so that any 3 you pull, given that you pull them hard, will just detach from the hook. The last one doesn't get pulled hard so the weak "un-knot" doesn't untie and it looks like the line is the only one that was tied all along.
Pretty much. There are things called "quick release knots" and as the name suggest, release when pulled on one end. A lot of these are used in magic tricks, one of them is the vanishing slip knot that seemingly disappears in front of your eyes. The fact that he hides the knots behinds his hand is very suspicious and strengthens my believe this is how the trick works. Unless I'm completely mistaken and this is a different method it's a quite disappointing illusion that has more in common with your common magician than mentalism and psychology. My guess this is a variant of the Highwayman's Hitch knot.
It's very entertaining one way or another and he sells the backstory well.