So, a few days ago I noted a Rock-Paper-Scissors alternative allegedly called Earwig-Human-Elephant and played in "non-English speaking countries." Turns out it's Earwig-Man-Elephant and unclear if it's played anywhere other than Indonesia. But: while Man squishes Earwig and Elephant squishes Man, Earwig defeats Elephant by crawling through his brain. How much more awesome is that than "paper covers rock"! Still no word, however, on how the handsign for "earwig" is made.
Kieran made reference to a little known variant called Economist-Sociologist-Philosopher, believed to have been invented by members of the Merton family. I'm presuming the order of play is Economist beats Sociologist beats Philosopher beats Economist, although if you play the game at a public university one can also play "Hostile Legislator" and automatically win, while the same goes for private university and "Barking Mad Prospective Donor." I'm curious about all of the corresponding handsigns for this game.
9 comments:
My kids always thought the paper covers rock thing was dumb too. They came home with (I don't know who invented it) something far superior: Dynamite blows up rock; Rock breaks scissors; Scissors clips the fuse on the dynamite. Hand sign for dynamite is the thumbs up sign.
Variant names from Usenet:
Japan - Jan-Ken-Pon, Ishi-Ken, Choki-Pa-Gu, or Jan-Ken
China - Chai-Ken
Philippines - Diyak-en-Poi, or Jack-and-Poi
Indonesia - Hic-Haec-Hoc
South London - Ching-Chang-Cholly
Enfield - Chu-Chin-Chow
Croydon - Ick-Ack-Ock
Lambeth - Eee-Pas-Vous
Brixton - Stink-Stank-Stoller
Yugoslavia - Zimi-Zami-Zum
Florida - Injun-Joe (??)
Variant objects:
Japan/China: Scissors Rock Cloth
Vietnam: Hammer Scissors Paper;
Hammer Nail Paper;
Well Scissors Leaf
Malaysian: Rock Paper Bird
Indonesia: Elephant Flea Mouse;
Earwig Man Elephant;
Ant Man Elephant
The Spock game is awesome, except I've never been able to do the Spock thing with my hands.
In further demonstration of my moronhood, I lost a game of rock paper scissors tonight despite the person I was playing with giving a clear inadvertent indication they were going to do paper.
another chinese variant, besides rock-scissors-cloth, is tiger-stick-chicken, where chicken defeats stick by pecking on it. this variant is usually played as a drinking game, so instead of using hand figures, people knock each other's chopstick for rhythm and voice the word: 1-2-chicken/tiger!
You are trying to diminish my victory by claiming that it was a victory over a moron! However, that you lost last night was not a further demonstration of your moronhood (you are not a moron!), but rather a further demonstration of my prowess.
How perfect that the first commercial of the Superbowl (that I saw, anyhow), was about Rock-Paper-Scissors, and how the paper beats rock thing is lame.
I thought of you, Jeremy.
Philosophers only think they beat economists.
Yeah, I thought the Superbowl Ad suggested that, once again, my blog was strangely in tune with the Zeitgeist.
A variant frequently used by ultimate frisbee aficianado's is Bear-Ninja-Cowboy. The game is played duel style, where you start back to back, take three steps, and then spin around in the appropriate posture.
Bear beats Ninja, Cowboy beats bear, and Ninja beats Cowboy--because as we all know Ninja's can dodge bullets.
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