This is no trivial pastime for bored toddlers. This is a serious, tactical contest of skill and precision, played by some of the Professors from our finest universities.

Now, for those of you unfamiliar with the finer points of tiddlywinks— it’s not just a case of flicking a tiny disc into a pot and calling it a day. No, no, no. This is a game of strategy, mind games, and relentless psychological warfare. Players have six plastic winks, a larger disc known as a squidger, and a mat. The goal? Outwit and outplay your opponent in a carefully choreographed display of flicking prowess.

And in the world of tiddlywinks, one man reigns supreme: Professor Patrick Barrie from Cambridge University. This titan of the tabletop has just reclaimed his throne as the best player on the planet, dispatching his closest rival, Matthew Rose, in the 77th World Singles contest.

Modern tiddlywinks for those wondering, was formally established in 1955 by the Cambridge University Tiddlywinks Club. Most players come from academia, meaning this is quite possibly the only sport where competitors take breaks to solve complex mathematical equations for fun.