TAKE UP TIDDLYWINKS!
The obscure, oft-ridiculed "parlor game" of tiddlywinks may be just thing to meet the diverse needs of today's diffident dabblers, destiny-driven doodlers and die-hard dare-devils.
This is an affordable yet amicable sport (whose equipment fits easily into a pocket, packsack or purse, unlike the cerebral game of chess).
It's easy to see why young and old alike enjoy this genteel game of skill, strategy, and digital dexterity, (as opposed to test cricket which requires a batty attitude and loose-fitting clothing not to mention odd things called stumps and wickets plus a little red ball with a cork based wrapped in twine and covered in leather).
BAKER BOP: HE'S GOT WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME A TERRIFIC TIDDLYWINKER! (Image Courtesy of Mark Vanolmen@flickr.com)
AN INTRODUCTION TO TIDDLYWINKS
Just in case you're an avid tracker of trivia tidbits, there are more than 152,000 pages devoted to the topic of "tiddlywinks" on the Internet!If you're bored with bowling, miserable at marbles, sapped of strength playing snooker, or a tad crotchety at the thought of another afternoon of croquet on the back nine, then tiddlywinks may be just be up your alley!
For those who want a bit of a mental floss workout, the companionship of fellow winkers, with a little physical skill thrown in (consisting of flipping some plastic discs into a wee pot), tiddlywinks is definitely the game for you!
Tiddley-Winks began as a popular Victorian English game for children, and in the mid-50's gained a new following among young adults in universities (particularly Cambridge and Harvard).
Besides oodles of jumping about and just-in-time jiggling of all sorts, tiddlywinks has its own set of rules, strategy and even titillating terminology including: Blitz, Bomb, Boondock, Cracker, Crud, Good Shot, Gromp, John Lennon Memorial Shot, Lunch, Penhaligon, Scrunge, Squider, Squop, and Wink among others.
"What do you do for exercise? she said...he responded with a gleam in his eye...'tiddlywinks'!"
A TREATISE ON TIDDLYWINKS?
Lilla Estelle Appleton, a century ago, submitted a dissertation to the faculty of the Graduate School of the Arts and Literature (University of Chicago) in candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, entitled "A Comparative study of the play activities of adult savages and civilized children - an investigation of the scientific basis of education".
She had this to say about the education of the day:
"For example, there are no highly specialized finger plays at all comparable, in delicacy of movement, to piano playing, or even to the simple modern games of "crockonole" or "tiddledywinks," plays in which the result sought is dependent upon the perfect control of the small muscles of the fingers, the rest of the body being comparatively quiescent."
The fact of the matter, education isn't much different today except that fingers come in handy for hitting the right keys on all manner of digital devices including computers, cell phones, iPods and interactive software games.
Tiddlywinks Titan of the Year!
TIDDLYWINK TIMES POLL
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HE'S GOT TALENT FOR TIDDLYWINKS! (Image courtesy of rach on the move@flick.com)
TIDDLYWINK TIMES
Well here's a little list of lovely things you always wanted to know about tiddlywinks, what else!
- TIDDLYWINK TREASURY
- Here's a site, sponsored by the North American Tiddlywinks Association that will introduce you to the history, rules and and strategy for the game of tiddlywinks.
- WIKIPEDIA ON WINKS
- All you ever wanted to know about tiddlywinks but didn't dare to ask!
- HARVARD HOPEFULS
- Yes, Harvard University has a championship tiddlywink team!
- CAMBRIDGE CRUNCHERS
- Besides pub crawls, cribbage and croquet, these British brainiacs do love their tiddlywink tournaments.
- TIDDLYWINK TOWN
- According to the wise man from World Wide Words site, there is an obscure hamlet known as called "Tiddlywink" in Wiltshire, England.
- TIDDLYWINKS & SCALLYWAGS
- Who knew that "Tiddlywinks" would become the name of british clothing designer for kids.
- IS TIDDLYWINKS A SERIOUS GAME?
- If you have to ask this question, then maybe you should visit this site!
- NOT ANOTHER TIDDLYWINKS FOR TOTS!
- Yabba dabba do ... it's another togs for tots shop named "Tiddlywinks + Ben's" (for boys and girls only).
- A TOYPOST TRADITION
- Here's the spot to pick up your tiddlywinks if you're ever visiting the "olde country"...England!
- HOW TO MAKE MONEY FROM TIDDLYWINKS
- Okay, so you can't earn big bucks as a professional baseball, basketball or football player, let alone a golfer. Frankly, set your sights a little lower...find out how to make moolah as a tiddlywink tournament player!
- ENGLISH TIDDLYWINK ASSOCIATION
- Where they invented tiddlywinks in the first place!
- TEST CRICKET IS NOT TIDDLYWINKS!
- Professional linguists and Aussie sports-lovers have something in common. They both agree that while both games start with the letter "T", this does not imply that "test cricket" is synonymous with "tough tiddlywinks"!
- TIDDLYWINKS IS A CHRISTMAS CRACKER
- Forget buying an expensive gift requiring batteries or something that is bozo-proof. Pick-up a great game that will probably last a lifetime, makes less noise, and won't break your bank account.
- CANUCKS GO FOR CROKINOLE
- Trust those Canucks to come up with their very own version of "Tiddlywinks". It's a unique blend of several older English, French, German and East Indian games using a board and discs which one tries to slip into a 20" hole in the center of the board.
- TIDDLYWINKS GOLF
- For those who are tired of walking for miles and hitting a little white ball goodness knows where, there is a wonderful alternative that exercises the fingers but not the toes -- Tiddlywinks Golf!
- LOVELY LITTLE LEXICON OF TIDDLYWINKS
- Who knew there were so many flipping words in the game of Tiddlywinks!
TIDDLYWINK TIDBITS
"Tiddlywink Tidbits" provides all manner of interesting things to consider when musing or mulling over whether to play a game that most people couldn't give two hoots about in the great scheme of things.1. Since "curling" is now an officially recognized sport in the Olympic Games, why have they granted "tiddlywinks" the status of at least a "demonstration sport"?
2. What sort of togs are best suited for a game of "tiddlwinks"? Sweatpants and t-shirts, a spandex body suit, or a skimpy pair of shorts and a tank-top?
3. Why isn't there an official Oddball Sports League (OSL) that welcomes weird sports enthusiasts such as broomball players, paintball enthusiasts, lawn mower racers, log-rollers and "tiddlywinkers"?
LET THE TIDDLYWINK TOURNAMENT BEGIN!
TIDDLYWINKS -- STAGING A CHRISTMAS COMEBACK!
While hi-tech toys and grand gizmos may be making the rounds this holiday season, the humble game of "Tiddlywinks" is staging nothing short of a comeback!Among other things, it's an affordable stocking stuffer that doesn't require batteries to operate, nor is it hard to break. And if that doesn't convince you...it's easy on the ears!
While it was a popular game to play in the Victorian era, needing only the ability to flip counters into a receptacle, it was patented by British inventor and publisher, Joseph Fincher of London in 1889 as "Tiddledy Winks".
TIDDLYWINKS & TREASURES SHOPPE
Channel Craft TTW Tiddly Winks in a Classic Toy Tin
Everything you need to get started...Wonder Winker!
Amazon Price: $11.65 (as of 02/10/2010) 
The Games We Played: The Golden Age of Board & Table Games
A popular pub and parlour game, tiddlywinks makes its mark.
Amazon Price: $21.33 (as of 02/10/2010)
Tiddlywinks
You'll simply floor everyone with your terrific technique!
Amazon Price: (as of 02/10/2010)
The Toy and Game Inventor's Handbook
For those who adore the origin of games!
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 02/10/2010)
BATTY BOOKMARKS FOR THE TIDDLYWINK-CHALLENGED
TIRED OF TIDDLYWINKS...THEN TUNE INTO THE FOLLOWING!
- ALL YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE QUIPPING QUEEN
- So, who is this quirky "Quipping Queen" anyway?
- DROLL DICTIONARIES
- If you adore trolling through trivia, you'll love this lens!
- BEST BOOKS NEVER WRITTEN
- Those who are bored with books will love this lens...books that don't exist!
- GREAT BIG GIGGLE GUIDE
- Where you can tickle yourself pink...instead of playing tiddlywinks!
- BS & BALDERDASH
- The perfect place to go when you're feeling betwixt and between or just plain blue!
- THE LEPRECHAUN
- For those who prefer toadstools and tinker bells to tiddlywinks thank you.
- FUNNY PLACE NAMES
- You mean there really is a place called "Twatt" and "Tiddleywink" in England?
- LITTLE LOO LIBRARY
- Where else would you read a breathtaking book about tiddlywink trivia for pete's sake?
- ODD JOB CLUB
- Do you have an opening for a tiddlywink tournament organizer perchance?
- YEAR OF THE PIG - 2007
- So you hate tiddlywinks...wanna try mud-wrestling or how about singing 'This little piggy went to market..."?
- CHURCH OF CHORTLE
- So, if you don't worship at the Temple of Tiddlywinks...you must be a modest member of the meek shall inherit the earth brigade or a sometime visitor to the Church of 80% Sincerity?
- MORE MISSIVES FROM THE MONARCH MAVEN
- Tired of twiddling your thumbs, then let your fingers do the walking over to this bodacious blog!
- TOP 10 TOYS OF YESTERYEAR
- Yup, "tiddlywinks" is in the top ten games played by people at the turn of the twentieth century.
Even menacing munchkins love it!
THE WELL-DRESSED WINKERS WARDROBE
TIDDLYWINKERS TALK SHOP
Are you a titan of the tiddlywink world...or merely an observer?
submit
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Reply
- Timothy Timothy Sep 22, 2009 @ 5:31 pm
- Does ANYONE remember a tiddly wink based-game (though it was NOT made by the 'tiddly wink' people, called "Snap Baseball?
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Reply
- Hey_Coach Hey_Coach Apr 24, 2008 @ 10:43 pm
- This is great...I'd almost forgotten about these.
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- Evelyn_Saenz Evelyn_Saenz Dec 16, 2007 @ 10:46 am
- Love your lens and love playing Tiddleywinks. I lensrolled you to Fun Educational Games.
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Reply
- bdkz bdkz Aug 1, 2007 @ 11:09 am
- Great lens, I love games!
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Reply
- genglo genglo Jul 9, 2007 @ 10:11 am
- Oh yes! I love it!
by quippingqueen
People who play tiddlywinks laugh a lot and live longer, so what are you waiting for?
The Quipping Queen and Empress of Eccentricity
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