The first step is to connect the strands using the project guidelines, as shown (dotted lines are the solution, solid lines were given):
Each feeder has a unique set of direction letters (N,E,S,W for North, East, South, West), each corresponding to the turns one makes while connecting one basket strand (not including the starting direction). Matching up words to strands gives:
- Red: S, E → BASMATI RICE
- Orange: N, E → FLYING ACE
- Yellow: E, S, E, N → FLUORESCENT
- Green: W, N → WINDMILL
- Blue: E, N, E, N , E, N → ENTERTAINMENT
- Purple: E, S → FROUZIEST
The added strands have the following lengths:
- Red: 7
- Orange: 17.5
- Yellow: 17
- Green: 3.5
- Blue: 14
- Purple: 7
The flavortext then clues to "pull the added threads tight," ignoring obstacles, yielding:
These strands have the following lengths:
- Red: 5
- Orange: 12.5
- Yellow: 10
- Green: 2.5
- Blue: 10
- Purple: 5
The difference in path lengths (the "amount saved by pulling the added threads tight") are:
- Red: 2
- Orange: 5
- Yellow: 7
- Green: 1
- Blue: 4
- Purple: 2
Indexing into the matching feeders in rainbow order gives:
| Color | Feeder | Number | Extracted Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red | BASMATI RICE | 2 | A |
| Orange | FLYING ACE | 5 | N |
| Yellow | FLUORESCENT | 7 | S |
| Green | WINDMILL | 1 | W |
| Blue | ENTERTAINMENT | 4 | E |
| Purple | FROUZIEST | 2 | R |
This gives our answer, ANSWER.