What is this little wooden game?

September 23, 2019 10:07 PM

I was going through a box of old stuff and found this small wooden slab with small holes in a row marked 1-9 (see pic). I have a vague memory of playing some kind of game on it, but can't remember what. The holes are about a quarter inch wide and I think they would accommodate some kind of pegs, although I seem to recall ball bearings. No markings or other game pieces/instructions found. Does this look familiar to anyone?
posted by mefireader to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (6 answers total)

I had one like that when I was a kid and it was a crude puzzle game. You stick golf tees or pencils or something in all but one of the holes, then you have to start removing them by jumping them like checkers. But a piece can only jump an adjacent one, and only if the hole on the other side is empty. You win if you get down to one piece remaining.

I don't remember how many holes it had, but that might be what your thing is.
posted by ctmf at 10:21 PM on September 23, 2019 [1 favorite]

I wanna say some kind of game with pegs where you try to hop over them. And with a little googling magic, I found this:

Eight Frogs on a Log
posted by bunbury at 10:24 PM on September 23, 2019 [1 favorite]

It's a Toads and Frogs game. This site says that "It was described in 'Puzzles Old and New' by Professor Hoffmann in 1893, where it goes by the name 'Right and Left Puzzle.' Other names are 'Jumping Frog Puzzle' and 'Jeu des Grenouilles.' "
posted by Knappster at 10:25 PM on September 23, 2019 [3 favorites]

Response by poster: I did find some games like those, but none of them have numbered holes.
posted by mefireader at 8:22 AM on September 24, 2019

Are you sure it's a game and not a counter for a card game like Euchre?
posted by bowmaniac at 8:58 AM on September 24, 2019 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I had that. It came with metal balls and 2 dice. It's a mini shut the box game.
posted by get off of my cloud at 3:33 PM on September 24, 2019