hot cockles

American  

noun

1. a children's game in which a blindfolded player is hit by one of the other players and then tries to guess which one did the hitting.

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hot cockles British  

noun

1. (functioning as singular) (formerly) a children's game in which one blindfolded player has to guess which other player has hit him

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Etymology

Origin of hot cockles

First recorded in 1540–50

Example Sentences

It's an unoriginal set-up with a predictable narrative arc, but the sparky, snappy yapping between the two leads delivers consistent laughs and inevitable hot cockles.

From The Guardian

The games of hot cockles and ...

From Project Gutenberg

Amongst them I may name “The Virgin and Child, with St. John and the Lamb”; three girls playing a game then called “hot cockles”; “A youth riding on a white horse”; “Child seated amongst vines and grapes”; “The Virgin and St. Joseph proceeding to their marriage at the Temple”; two minstrels, such as usually accompany wedding parties; “The martyrdom of St. Sebastian;” “The Israelites preparing to leave Egypt”; “The Prophet Habakkuk awakened by the Angel”; “Three cupids with musical instruments.”

From Project Gutenberg

My father, to do him justice as a true protestant, "an honest man who eat no fish," had not accustomed me to days of abstinence; but, as I had had no play all the morning, I found the boiled eggs and hot cockles very satisfactory, as well as amusing by their novelty.

From Project Gutenberg

On the right a group are playing "hot cockles."

From Project Gutenberg