Thanks, tsuwm! But you're just too quick! I just clicked over with the paste of this Word Detetctive piece meself! Well, now all I have left to do is add that I really like that Huddlelump (pronounced "hoodleloomp" in der Deutsch), so I think I'm stickin' with that one!

Oh, and the Word Detective heading which I really like and which (ahem) you omitted:

Noodlums on a Rampage.

Herr Faldage, have you ever seen any indication of Huddlelump as being the origin of hoodlum?