[calmworm]

This special knot prevented the cable from transmitting a signal?

[MichaelDickens]

I'm not OP but presumably the knot made it so that the cable wasn't long enough to reach the computer.

[jellyfishbeaver]

Yep, exactly. You couldn't reach the computer unless you undid the knot.

[Sammi]

> and hide it in a closet

[exe34]

it's like a seal to show that they had disobeyed.

[unfunco]

It makes it shorter.

[analog31]

Obligatory reference

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordian_Knot