International Rules of Tiddlywinks • around 1960 to 1963

1. TIDDLYWINKS is a game for four players, those who play opposite each other being partners. The aim of the game is to flick the winks into the pot.
2. THE MAT should have a surface of a felt-like, non-pile structure, e.g. blanket, carpet, or rug, large enough to permit the winks to be placed 3 feet from the pot. Where possible, public tournaments should be played on a surface measuring, 2 yards by 1 yard.
3. THE POT should be 1½ in. high, with a top diameter of 1⅞ in. If ever a wink rests against the base rim of the pot, it is moved to lie flat on the carpet, just touching the pot. If a wink balances on the top rim of the pot, it is considered potted. Winks in the pot are ‘dead’ and are replaced if knocked out by another wink. If a player pots his opponent’s or his partner’s wink he does not have an additional shot.
4. THE COUNTERS. Each player plays with 6 counters, called “winks”:
   2 large ones, thickness ³⁄₃₂ in., diam. approx. ⅞ in.
   4 small ones, thickness ¹⁄₁₆ in., diam. approx. ⅝ in.
   A large counter (approx. 1½ in. diameter) is used to flick the winks into the pot, and is called a “squidger”.
5. THE SCORE.
   The first player to pot all his winks scores 4 points.
   The second player to pot all his winks scores 2 points.
   The third player to pot all his winks scores 1 point.
   The fourth player does not score.
   Partners add their scores together.
6. THE START. The winks are placed three feet from the pot and each player squidges any one of his winks towards the pot. These winks are brought back to the starting position and the player whose wink was nearest the pot has first squidge. Note : should there be a tie for “nearest the pot” on the initial squidge, those concerned have a resquidge.
7. PLAY proceeds in a clockwise direction. Each player may play only his winks and has one shot per turn, with an additional shot for every wink he pots in that turn.
8. BOUNDS. If, at any time, a player squidges his own wink off the mat, he misses his next turn before replacing the wink on the edge where it left. A wink may be counted as ‘off’ if the player deems it so near the edge of the mat as to be unplayable, and prefers to miss a turn.NOTE: If, during “desquopping” (see below) a player causes another player’s wink to leave the mat, neither player loses a turn.
9. “SQUOPPING.” (a) Any wink or winks, covered however slightly by another wink, may not be played. The act of covering another’s wink is called “squopping.”
   NOTE : A wink cannot be squopped until it has been brought into play by being squidged from its starting position.(b) In a pile of two or more winks, only the uncovered winks can be played and must be played in the following manner : the squidger must first come into contact only with the player’s uncovered wink and a short, continuous stroke must be made. (This shot is known as “desquopping” and may be sufficiently vigorous to free all or some of the squopped winks).
   
   (c) When all the remaining winks of one pair are squopped, the opposing pair counts its remaining free winks in play (i.e. ones that are not covering or covered) and has the same number of free turns. With the next shot, one wink of either of the squopped opponents must be freed. (If this shot does not free the opponent’s wink, the covering wink must be moved aside to allow the opponent to play).
   
   NOTE : When a squopped player’s wink has been freed after the completion of the free turns, or if it becomes freed during the free turns, the player must be allowed to have at least one turn before being squopped again.NOTE : If one member of a squopping pair has no playable winks the free turns are all taken by the other member. Otherwise the free turns are shared between the two players in normal rotation. If, during the course of the free turns, one of the pair pots all his free winks, he is obliged to play one of any covering winks he may have, and with this shot he must free at least one wink (not necessarily his opponents).(d) As soon as one of the four players has potted all his winks, SQUOPPING CEASES to have any effect and ail squopped winks are immediately uncovered, as are any which may become covered during the remainder of the game. This uncovering is done by moving the covering wink aside, always at the same distance from the pot, until it no longer covers any other wink.
10. DISTURBANCE OF WINKS. Any winks disturbed in an accidental manner, e.g. by the follow-through of a shot or by bodily contact, should be replaced in their former positions.If a wink in flight accidentally touches the body or clothing of any of the players, it is likewise replaced in its former position and the next player continues with his turn.If a player deliberately interferes with any wink or impedes his opponent, he and his partner shall be disqualified from this game and the opponents shall receive all 7 points.

MATCH PROCEDURE

(a) A Tiddlywinks Team normally consists of 4 pairs of players. In an inter-team match, each pair plays one game (or two games if time permits) against each pair of the opposing team, making 16 games (or 32) played in all. The winning team is the one which scores most points (i.e. not necessarily the one which wins most games).

(b) It is suggested that during full tournaments a time limit of about 25 mins, per game be imposed. If the game is undecided after this time, the method of adjudication to decide upon positions is as follows :-

2 points for each wink in the pot.

1 point for each wink in play not covered.

NOTE : This time-limit should not apply after desquopping (see 9(d)).

RECORD ATTEMPTS

1. Accuracy Record. 12 small winks are placed 3 feet from the pot, and the number of shots is counted which the player takes to pot all 12 winks. The winks may be played in any order.
2. Speed Record. 24 small winks are placed 1 foot 6 inches from the pot and must be potted in the shortest possible time.
3. Four Pot Relay. Four pots are placed on the mat at one foot intervals. There is one player for each pot, and each player may only aim into his own pot. 12 small winks are placed 1 foot 3 inches away from the first pot, and when the signal is given to start, the first player begins to pot his winks as quickly as possible. As soon as a wink is in the first pot, the second player takes it, places, it 1 foot from the second pot and plays in his turn. So on all down the line, right to the last pot, the aim being to get as many winks as possible into the last pot within a time limit of 3 minutes. As soon as the last wink is in the fourth pot, the first player starts again with another 12 winks.