Detachable Cribbing Cuffs are a magical product designed to aid in cheating on written examinations. They appear as ordinary cuffs that can be attached to a student's robes. Concealed within each cuff is a small, retractable scroll of parchment upon which notes can be written. The design is intended to be discreet, allowing the user to hide illicit information in plain sight during a test.
The primary function of the Detachable Cribbing Cuffs is to provide a concealed method for accessing notes during an exam. The magical mechanism is simple and efficient:
This functionality makes the cuffs a powerful tool for cheating on school examinations such as O.W.L.s or N.E.W.T.s, as they can be operated quickly and subtly under a desk. They are part of a line of products from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes aimed at students looking to bend school rules.
The Detachable Cribbing Cuffs were invented by Fred Weasley and George Weasley as part of their burgeoning joke-shop enterprise. By the summer of 1996, the cuffs were a featured product at their highly successful shop at Number 93, Diagon Alley. During Harry Potter's visit to the shop with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Fred and George personally demonstrated the cuffs to a crowd of amused customers. This demonstration served to highlight the twins' ingenuity and the unique, rule-breaking nature of their merchandise.
The Detachable Cribbing Cuffs are a prime example of the merchandise sold at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Their existence serves several purposes in the narrative. They showcase the Weasley twins' exceptional talent for inventing clever and useful magical items, and they perfectly encapsulate their mischievous, anti-authoritarian spirit. The cuffs, along with items like Skiving Snackboxes, represent a form of lighthearted rebellion that provides a stark contrast to the growing darkness and seriousness of the Second Wizarding War. The success of such products underscores the twins' business acumen and their ability to bring laughter and levity to the wizarding world even in grim times.
The Detachable Cribbing Cuffs are mentioned in the novel Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince but do not appear in its film adaptation.