verb

unravel

Translation

to unravel, to solve, to come apart

The sweater started to unravel.

They tried to unravel the complex mystery.

Her perfect life began to unravel.

((sth.)) unravels (sth.) comes apart or begins to fail The plot begins to unravel in the final chapter.

to unravel ((sth.)) to solve or explain (sth.) complex The detective unraveled the secret code.

Synonyms: disentangle, solve, fall apart; Antonyms: tangle, complicate, weave

From un- (reversal) + ravel (to tangle). Literally, to reverse a tangle.

Imagine pulling a single thread on a sweater and watching the whole thing 'un-ravel' or come apart. This applies to mysteries and plans too.