Well, that was a bit of fun. The word was particularly tough to define (and guess) because it seemingly has no basis. (see below for citations) Before we get to the results, I am going to tackle the commentary, for reasons which I’m sure are or will become evident.

The first order of business would be tiddlywinks! As Curuinor pointed out (at least he got something right), the proper terminology for a tiddlywinks counter is… a wink. Here is the official usegroup FAQ for those that care. (see Subject: 5. What do all these silly words mean?) In the interests of full disclosure, I did find one resource that gives tiddly, and more to the point tiddledy, as obsolete terms for the playing piece.* (Of more interest (to me) is that the “shooter” is called a “squidger”. Now that would have made a fine hogwash® word.)

After receiving Aramis’ definition (l), I also got the following from olly: small plastic discs used as an instrument for flicking other small plastic discs into a cup; and this from ASp: Playing pieces used in the children's board game Tiddledywinks (she’s pretty sure that’s what they were called, but then she (like me) is old); and of course Milo’s entry is also related, albeit different(!).

*Even so, definition l) loses out due to its faux etymology.

[I must insert here an aside to Jackie: could you explain to me how you envision playing tiddlywinks with dice?? I think it would take more than a genius! (In fairness though, the Yahtze people did come out with a dice version of Texas Hold‘em.)]

Now, as to the results, you will see that there was really no contest in the voting as tsuwm (four(4) votes) snapped out of a long losing streak with his finely crafted d). Honorable mention to TEd and Aramis, each of whom garnered two votes. And shanks, with inestimable reasoning, broke up the hogmaster’s shutout (but I probably should shoulder some of the blame myself for ongoing commentary). I'd also like to give BranShea a nod -- I think she's got the hang of the game now, and she collected 1+ votes.

Finally, the voting results:

a) the small caps which lower over the upright columns supporting harp lamp shade holders. [Sparteye]

b) a quick snort at the time the sun goes over the yardarm. "Care for a little tiddledies?" [TEd] olly, musick

c) intricate scrollwork and rosettes added in the latter stages of building of gothic cathedrals for the purpose of fine-tuning the acoustics. [Faldage] pennyless

d) knick-knacks, gewgaws, gimcracks; oddments [tsuwm] BranShea, Faldage, Sparteye, Curuinor :-Þ

e) [from Eastern Papua New Guinean Pidgin English] obnoxious child [olly] etaoin

f) [Scots] Haggis droppings [ASp] (tsuwm voted for this via PM)

g) a fun Mensa game much like tiddlywinks but played with dice. [Milo] Jackie

h) glossy fringes and tassels [BranShea] ÅΓα╥┐↕§

i) like Puck, a spirit of mischief (originally Lancastrian dialect). [shanks] TEd

j) [Old Norse] a practitioner of sleight-of-hand. [musick]

k) healthiness lasting into old age, from dialectal 'tid', meaning 'fresh' or 'tender', and OE 'eald', or oldness. [Curuinor]

l) [<ME tydle + dye] chips used in a game that evolved into (modern form) 'tiddlywinks' [Aramis] ASp , themilum

m) soft flexible ice or chunks of floating ice (origin unknown) [UAD] shanks



oh, the Unidentified Authorizing Dictionary was, as previously noted, Merriam-Webster’s Third New International Dictionary – Unabridged

Here are some citations for you.


the hogmaster™