I try to recover childhood muscle memory, to play some students at a Victorian parlour game. | ▶️ Next episode on Nebula right now: | 🗺️ England series map:
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Written and presented by
Tom Scott
Producers
for Penny4
Cambria Bailey-Jones
Guy Larsen
Studio Associate Producer
Heloise Lowenthal
Studio Director of Photography
Jamie MacLeod
Studio Gaffer
Frank Hammond
Head of Post
for Breadbox Studios
Mandy Celine
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Isla McTear
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Jamie MacLeod
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Alex “J’Rassic” Bate
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Dan Pugsley
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Maggy Apodaca
Subtitles by So Speedy
With thanks to the Historic County Borders Project
Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images
Executive Producer
Tom Scott
© Pad 26 Limited MMXXVI
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Yes, when I was a couple of decades younger, this is exactly the sort of thing I'd get involved in. Also, the next episode's on Nebula right now! https://nebula.tv/videos/tomscott-when-i-blow-this-whistle-a-swimming-pool-appears
What a wasted opportunity. This video could have been released as an April Fools prank, and it would have worked perfectly. 😂
so is this episode 1 of "1 ranked game a year to keep my ranking" if so see you in August!!
I remember that in my day the tiddlywinks society squash was known for its good cocktails.
"Tiddlywinks," "squidgers," "skwop"… I feel like this video is going to confirm all the stereotypes Americans have about British English.
This might be my favourite video of the series so far because it actually made me really sad that this isn't a bigger thing and/or super accessible around the world because of the limited number of competetive-grade sets left.
The "History sighs, repeats itself" t-shirt 😂 i love it
I do love the 360 Degree Camer setup
18:59 Why would you not ask why it's called the John Lennon Memorial Shot? At the very least you could've asked after the tournament. I'm guessing it's either a dark joke, or John Lennon possibly played the game or referenced it at some point.
Weirdly, I would love to watch a scene-for-scene remake of The Hustler from 1961 with Tiddlywinks replacing Billiards.
The reason no one makes tiddlywinks like they used to is because tiddlywinks used to contain lead. There is no safe amount of lead not even a milligram
Years ago, as a high school senior, I applied to MIT. As part of that application, I had to do an interview with an alum. And as part of that conversation, I learned that Tiddlywinks is the kind of nerdy hobby that MIT students indulge in, in their free time.
This entire thing feels like the script was written by someone from anywhere else in the world trying to make fun of British words
I am now oh so very curious why it's called the John Lennon memorial shot
When the game was invented in 1889, there was no plastic. What were the winks made of at that time?
In the grand lexicon of British words too whimsically twee to possibly be real, "tiddlywinks" has got to be one of the silliest.
I'm a little disappointed these guys aren't from Trinity College and thus members of the Trinity Tiddlers team
Tiddlywinks, not tidderlywinks. This was hard to watch given that tidderlywinks was said aporoximately 648,748 times.
I can't believe you didn't name Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan and Peter Sellars' subversive radio show! (Everybody's favourite Gary Brannan must have been so disappointed in you…)
“Tiddlywinks” how is the UK a real place 🤣
Surprised a fun and interesting game to play. I would've loved to try it but it seems so under the radar. Not to mention the proper equipement to play it are so rare.
I've loved watching the tiddlywinks community from a distance, I especially love sharing the wikipedia page clearly written by a passionate fan who can't help but get editorial, with phrases such as "tiddlywinks goes purely beyond the cerebral nature of games such as chess" or "Tiddlywinks is sometimes considered a simple-minded, frivolous children's game, rather than a sophisticated strategic game."
I did not ask why 😂
genuinely cool looking game.
Is tiddlywinks still the only quarter-blue sport?
❤❤
How as no one updated Tom's Wikipedia page with his most impressive accomplishment yet?
Huh, I didn't expect Tom Scott in a "People make Games" video 🙂
I think you can find time to play it once a year, stay on that list Tom 😀
I hear words, but my brain refuses to recognise them as real words
"History sighs, repeats itself" is an amazing shirt
22:17 is that a pun?
What i love most about this game i've never heard about before is the terminology of everything; "Tiddlywinks", "squop", "squidger", "scrunge", "tiddlies", etc. Such a amusing naming convention!
There's something very satisfying about watching a bunch of Geeks geek out about a niche thing that they love.
It can last longer if you keep playing
the accent of blue shirt is so posh I can't
I'm here watching the video, waiting for someone to mention a John Lennon Memorial Shot… 😅
When I was growing up, most kids had some stray tiddlywinks, but nobody seemed to know how to play it. Hadn't thought of trying it on a softer table surface.. That might help deflect the "game over, all winks missing" scenario.
Fun Fact: If you miss the John Lennon Memorial Shot, is called a "Paul McCartney".
20:11 I don't understand. These look like very basic plastic disks. How is it possible that no one manufacturers these? How hard or expensive can it actually be to manufacture a couple thousand solid bits of plastic?
20:09 -So, no one’s manufacturing these anymore? -No.
-Huh. -This lot, when were this lot bought?
-In the 1980s. -In the 80s, yeah.
-Wow.
-From a company in Italy that doesn’t exist anymore.
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Sounds like something some small Japanese company would take over and produce: ultra-high quality winks for aficionados around the globe.
Well at least it's easier to understand than Magic: The Gathering.
I'm definitely starting a work Tiddly Winks league at work!
I did not think The Goon Show would show up in this video. Spectacular.
Reminds me of the game of POGs. I guess they got the idea of the game from this. Instead of squidgers you have slammers.
Tom, you must defend your title!
Well ya know Tom, winning by default is still winning!
18:58 “I asked [Patrick Barrie] about … his favourite Tiddlywink term, of which there is a great number to be found on the CUTwC website. John Mapley created it when he found himself on the top of a pile of winks. Not only was he able to send the opponent’s wink far out of play, a ‘boondock’, but he also managed to squop another wink at the same time. He was asked what he wanted to name his new shot, and because John Lennon’s assassination occurred just days earlier, he settled on ‘The John Lennon Memorial Shot’. It becomes a Paul McCartney if you miss.”