закручивали

закручивали

"Закручивали" means "twisted" or "screwed" (past tense, plural).

Here, 'закручивали' means 'they were tightening' or 'they were screwing in' and describes an action of fastening.

Они закручивали болт с помощью гаечного ключа.

They were tightening the bolt using a wrench.

In this context, 'закручивали' refers to the action of twisting or curling hair.

В детстве мы часто закручивали волосы в кудри.

In childhood, we often curled our hair into curls.

Here, 'закручивали' metaphorically represents the act of complicating or intensifying the intrigue in a story.

Рассказ был захватывающим, как будто они специально закручивали интригу.

The story was captivating, as if they were deliberately creating intrigue.