After painstakingly cracking the clam, we find a mysterious black thread running along the inside of the top case.

There's no mention in the service manual, but we're betting we just stumbled onto the easy way to get the LCD out—without the pain or the staking.

The thread is routed in a channel beneath the display adhesive—pulling along the side ought to slice right through and free the panel, like cutting clay off a block.

We can't say for sure if this works without taking apart another XPS 13, but signs point to an awesome repair Easter egg.