A square is drawn having nine smaller squares or houses within it. Two persons play. They alternately make the one a square and the other a cross in any one of the houses. He that first gets three in a line wins the game.—Peacock’s _Manley and Corringham Glossary_. Brogden (_Provincial Words, Lincolnshire_) calls it Tit-tat-toe, also Lowsley (_Berkshire Glossary_). Northall says called Tick-tack-toe in Warwickshire and Staffordshire; the rhyme is “Tick-tack-toe, I’ve caught you.” This game is called “Noughts and Crosses,” in London, probably from those marks being used in the game. See “Kit-Cat-Cannio,” “Noughts and Crosses.” Tiring Irons. An old game with iron rods and rings.—Holland’s _Cheshire Glossary_. Tisty Tosty See “Shuttlefeather,” “Teesty Tosty.” Titter-totter The game of see-saw.—Halliwell’s _Dictionary_. Tit-tat-toe. A game played by school children on slates. A round is drawn, which is divided into as many divisions as is thought necessary, sixteen being generally the least. These divisions are each numbered, the centre containing a higher figure than any in the divisions, usually 25, 50, or 100. Several children can play. They each have a place or square allotted to them on the slate in which to record the numbers they obtain. A space is allotted to “Old Nick” or the “Old Man.” The players alternately take a pencil in their right hand (holding it point downwards on 1, and tapping on each number with it), and shutting their eyes move round and round the diagram saying— “Tit, tat, toe, my first go, Three jolly butcher boys all in a row Stick one up, stick one down, Stick one in the old man’s ground.” stopping and keeping the pencil in an upright position when the last word is said. The player then opens his eyes, and registers in his square the number at which the pencil stopped. This number is then scratched through on the diagram, to signify that it is taken, the other players proceed in the same manner as the first; then the first one begins again. This is continued till all the numbers are scratched out, or till one of the players puts his pencil into the centre, and thus wins the game. If all the figures are taken before the centre is touched, the game goes to the “Old man” or “Old Nick.” Also, if one player puts his pencil in a division already taken, he records nothing and loses that turn; this is also the case if, after the verse is repeated, the pencil is found to be on a division or boundary line or outside the round.—London (A. B. Gomme). [Illustration] I was taught by a maid servant to play this game on the ground. This girl drew the round and divisions and figures on the gravel path or mould in the garden, and sharpened a piece of stick at one end for the pointer. She did not know the game as one played on slates, but always played it on the ground in this way.