What is the origin of kadywampus?(spelling may be incorrect)My father would use the word to describe something that was not positioned properly.

"Caddywompus" is spelled about two dozen ways, though in my answer I will stick with the most common spelling, "catawampus," for sanity's sake. You're also right about it meaning "askew" or "awry." according to the Word Detective

I am not too sure of the spelling either, but another use for the word according to my grandmother, God rest her, was for a dwelling or building on a diagonal direction across an intersection of two streets. One house on the northwest corner, and the other on the south east corner: one is catawampus from the other. I've heard it a nursing homes I visit in the same manner, so at least in the midwest, it must have been a familiar term among some of a generation or two past.

I would spell it cattywampus, but we always said kittycorner.

as noted by the Word Detective (see above link), we're talking about two unique American idioms, variously spelled, but we can differentiate them as catawampus and catercornered, and note that catercornered is sometimes given as a second definition for catawampus. (phew.) link and link

Whew--cattycornered definitions!

Josephine (catawampus) Friday (Hi, tsuwm--hope you don't mind!)

Whew is right!
I am certainly glad we solved that diagonal discussion.

Actually bobpa mentions something not positioned properly. I seem to be able to remember something along that line too. Sort of like "tilt" on pin ball: when using a level and the bubble does not line up it is cattywampus. HMMMMMMM!