In the interest of differentiating ourselves from your parents (who no doubt said “because I said so, that’s why” as many times as our parents did during childhood), we like to share the reasons behind these types of decisions with our highly valued clients and hosts, because these decisions are always made in the interest of YOU HAVING A FANTASTIC PARTY AND YOUR GUESTS RAVING FOR YEARS TO COME. This is why we  like to explain the reasoning behind our decisions, so that you avoid some very awkward situations we’ve endured first hand… like the time we discovered our adult friends were all illiterate.

At Shot In The Dark Mysteries we are very involved with our mysteries. We heavily test our mystery formats, and throw live events, both private and public. During these parties, we get bright ideas, like having a TON of optional characters.

When we finally tested this (with 14 core suspects and 6 optional suspects) we noticed a SEVERE DECLINE in the quality of the mystery. So we tested again. And again. And each time we played with more than 2 optional suspects, we found that the mystery got “watered down”, so to speak.

See, the optional characters are meant as a “back-up” plan for hosts. If you have ONE or TWO people who can’t commit, the optional characters are there for you to use IN A PINCH. The optional characters don’t have any “HIDE” or secret information. No background. No motive. All they have is a character name, description and “SHARE” information that they can give others during the interactive interrogations. They’re one dimensional, and with a large number of  these one-dimensional characters, the quality of the mystery goes down.

Really, the purpose of optional characters is to help our hosts when one or two guests is flaky with their RSVP, or someone shows up unexpectedly. They are in no way designed to be a major part of the mystery.

Having said all that, we are committed to giving you the mystery party YOU want and need for your unique party. If you have a unique situation, need a different ratio of men to women or anything else, just CONTACT US (mysterymaiden@shotinthedarkmysteries.com or via the “live chat” function on the right side of our website)  – we have lots of solutions and we’re here to help!

And don’t forget to check out The Pirates Revenge Pirate-Themed  Murder Mystery Party Game with a version to suit your party, no matter the size!

 A

Acts of Pardon/Acts of Grace: A “pardon” for an ex-pirate that makes him a privateer

Ahoy: Hi there!

And ye may lay to that! You betcha!

Arrack: A strong drink made with fermented fruit or palm sap, rice, or molasses

Avast: Stop!

Aye: Yes

Aye aye! – Yes sir, right away!

 _________________________________________________________________

B

Bachelor’s Wife: a mistress

Beauty: A friendly term toward a woman, preceeded by “me”.

Begad: “By God”

Belay: To immediately cease or stop.

Bilged on her anchor: a ship pierced by her own anchor

Bilge rat: An insult or joke toward another pirate

Black spot: a mark of death

Booty: treasure

Bowspirit: the figure or icon on the bow of a ship

Brought a spring upon her cable: a ship coming about in a different direction

Bung hole: A hole in a wooden barrel, sealed with a cork.

Buccaneer: A pirate

 _________________________________________________________________

 C

Careen: to cause a vessel to keel over on its side

Cat o’ nine tails: a whip for flogging

Chain shot: cannon balls fastened together with chain

Chase guns: cannon on the bow of a ship

Clap in irons: to put someone in manacles, usually in the dungeon

Clap of Thunder: powerful drink

Come About: to change tack

Crack Jenny’s Tea Cup: To visit a house of ill repute

 _________________________________________________________________

D

Dance the Hempen Jig: To hang (a reference made to the fact the ropes were made out of hemp)

Davy Jones’ Locker: the bottom o’ the sea, where the souls of dead men lie

Doubloons: pieces of gold

Dungbie: The hiney or rear end.

 _________________________________________________________________

 E

Ensign: a flag

 _________________________________________________________________

F

Fiddlers Green: Pirate heaven

Fireship: a ship loaded with gunpowder and explosives, set on fire and sent to drift into enemy ports

Freebooter: a pirate

Furner: A pirate’s own ship, as opposed to one that was stolen during an attack

 _________________________________________________________________

G

Gentlemen o’ fortune: A nice term for a pirate

Go on the account: to leave on a pirate quest or cruise

Grog: Rum, water and lime juice

Ground: the bottom of the sea

 _________________________________________________________________

H

Heave to: Stop!

Hempen Halter: The hangman’s noose

Hogshead: a cask full of alcohol – rum, wine or beer usually

Hornswaggle: To cheat or defraud

 _________________________________________________________________

J

Jack: a flag or a sailor

Jack o’ Coins: the paymaster

Jolly Roger: the traditional skull and crossbones pirate flag

 _________________________________________________________________

K

Keelhaul: a punishment in which a pirate is tied to a rope and thrown overboard to be dragged along the bottom of the ship, which was covered in tough barnacles.

 _________________________________________________________________

L

Landlubber: A land-faring person

Lass: A polite term for a woman

Lassie-Lucy: A more polite term for a very attractive woman

League: three miles

Lily-livered: wuss

List: lean to one side

Loaded to the Gunwales: drunk

 _________________________________________________________________

M

Marooner: A pirate who has been marooned or a military deserter who is now a pirate.

Matey: A shipmate or a friend.

Me hearty: a friend or shipmate.

Messdeck lawyer: a know-it-all

Me: My

Motherload: the target treasure or a large amount of booty

 _________________________________________________________________

N

 Nipperkin: a tiny drink

 _________________________________________________________________

P

Parley: a discussion between enemies to discuss a truce or negotiate peace

Pieces o’ eight: silver pieces that can be cut into smaller pieces

Press Gang: pirates who recruit using violence and intimidation

Privateer: a pirate officially sanctioned by a national power

 _________________________________________________________________

Q

Quarter: 1) part of the side of the ship nearest the stern 2) mercy shown to an opponent

 _________________________________________________________________

 S

Salmagundi: a hodgepodge dish of pretty much anything the chef can throw in a pan

Savvy: understanding. As in “ye savvy?”

Saucy: Attractive, sexy

Scallywag: A scoundrel – either pirate or landlubber

Scurvy dog!: an insult

Scrumpet: A woman

Shiver me timbers!: Surprise

Show a Leg!: An order to wake up

Son of a Biscuit Eater: a bastard son of a sailor

Sprogs: a newer pirate – a rookie

Squiffy: an imbecile

Smartly: be quick about it

Strike: to lower or hit

Strike the Colors: to haul down a ship’s flag as a signal of surrender

Swaggy: a ship about to be attacked

Swashbucklin’: sword fighting

Sweet trade: the career of piracy

 _________________________________________________________________

T

Thar: There

_________________________________________________________________

W

Waister: an imbecile sailor

Walk the plank: a punishment that makes one a shark’s breakfast

Wench: a derogatory term for a woman

 _________________________________________________________________

 Y

Yo-ho-ho: laughter

_________________________________________________________________

When our guests are mingling, we want them to be able to be able to enjoy each other’s company with uncomplicated food. But some hosts still think that “uncomplicated” means cocktail weiners on toothpicks. No more! Scallops are a delicious addition to your buffet table that will please the palate and allow your guests to keep mingling.

These portions are for 12 full (uncut) scallops. Please adjust based on the number of guests attending your party.

12 large sea scallops

4 tbsp butter

2/3 cup of your favourite white wine

Dash of salt

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

- Cut the scallops in half to make them easier for your guests to eat without cutting

- Trip tough parts off the side of the scallops

- Place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt, paprika and cumin. Toss until scallops are covered.

- Melt butter over medium-to-high heat and then add scallops. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until they are grilled to your liking. Add wine and reduce heat for 5 minutes, or until scallops are moderately tough.

- Serve on your favourite plate or serving platter

- Enjoy rave compliments about what a brilliant host you are

1. Sparkling Apple Cider

Serve it in a wine glass or, even better, a champagne flute, for that extra touch of class.

2. Apricoto Mint Julep

It sounds delicious because it is! Apricot, lime juice and honey or sweetener. Add a touch of club soda for some delightful bubbles!

3. Cinnamon Cranberry Refresher

Cinnamon tea, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, honey or sugar and some club soda (optional). Add a cinnamon stick for a yummy visual.

4. Italian Soda

Italian sodas are dangerously easy to make, and so refreshing! Take a trip to Starbucks and get a bottle of syrup, in pretty much any flavour. Add ice and sparkling water to a few squirts of syrup and voila! Depending on the flavour, garnish as you see fit. Add fresh mint to most to liven it up even more, and to really impress, serve in a tall frosted cocktail glass.

5. Yellow Bellied Sap Sucker

If for no other reason, serve this drink to start a fun conversation amongst your guests! Plus, it calls for Angostura Bitters, which we love in any drink, anytime, anywhere!

Equal parts tonic water and lime juice, 3-5 drops of bitters, depending on the glass size. Garnish with orange wedge, peel or zest!

Of course, virgin versions of the traditional cocktails will also work, but use these five easy non-alcoholic drink ideas at your next party to give your non-drinker guests a little bit extra, and throw the party that everyone will rave about for years to come!

It’s Friday the 13th, a date that carries massive superstition across the globe. The basis of these superstitions vary as widely as the superstitions themselves, and the date is now synonymous with bad luck and slasher films. Hell, there’s even an official “phobia” name for it: friggatriskaidekaphobia (yes, we can pronounce that. No, not five times quickly). But one event seems to rise above the rest as the true beginning of the curse of Friday the 13th, and the reason we as a society view it as a day of bad luck.

The story of Friday the 13th involves money, blood and the church, as well as The Knight’s Templar, those bad-ass superhero bankers from the 1100-1300s. They were originally brought together to protect traveling Christians, but it just so happened that as they traveled from place to place, they ended up sorta kinda starting the first ever banking and chequing system (except, of course, that one guy from The Last Crusade who pissed off the wrong person and ended up in that cave in Petra guarding the Holy Grail for a millennium. Makes you wonder whose daughter HE macked up).

Dude, SOOOO not worth it.

So, just like money-grubbing modern day banks, the Templars quickly made a lot of money. A LOT. Enter France’s King Philip IV, who was the equivalent of The Knight’s Templar’s employer. Only he didn’t pay them. Ever. They worked on a sort of “I’ll pay you after I fund all the battles I’m going to make you fight” system.

“Are we done yet? Good, because this huge spiky crown is making my eyebrows look like a mustache.” “No it isn’t sir, that’s just how you look.”

Then one day, King Philip realized how much money The Templars had amassed. Having spent all his own money on the aforementioned battles, King Philip had a brilliant idea. Why not, he thought under the weight of his GIGANTIC crown (seriously, that thing is HUGE!) wipe out my enormous debt AND amass an outrageous fortune all at the same time? All it would take is a country-wide massacre!

In modern times, this would be the equivalent of mass corporate layoffs. Only, instead of giving you a severance package, they accuse you of heresy, torture you to get a confession and then burn you alive.

He could not do this and get away with it without the backing of the church, so he told Pope Clement V that the Templars practiced all this stuff that would piss God right off. You name it, they were said to have done it. Outraged, the Vatican gave the slaughter the green light.

Good job, Phil. Way to rat out those heretics.

But King Philip couldn’t kill them one at a time. It had to be all at once or he’d get an ass-kicking by a bunch of guys with some serious fighting skills. If it were modern day, organizing this type of coordinated killing would be easy.

In 1307 however, this proved a little trickier. So, the king sent a bunch of scrolls to his men a month in advance with strict instructions not to open them until the morning of Friday, October 13th.

So, the Templars were rounded up and either killed or put on “trial” to confess to all those chumped-up anti-God things they were supposed to have done. Only, the prosecution’s crown witness, Templar Grand Master Jacques De Molay, rescinded his confession and told everyone around the Notre Dame Cathedral that they were all innocent, confessions had been forced and that Philip IV had a bed wetting problem.

We may have made that last part up.

The Grand Master lived up to his uber-cool name in the end. The last thing he did before King Philip IV and Pope Clement V burned him at the stake was curse them both, telling them that by the end of the year, only six weeks away, The King and The Pope would both be dead.

Guess what – they totally died. Both of them. Grand Master indeed.

So, instead of being afraid of Friday the 13th or expecting “bad luck”, we recommend you withdraw your savings and shove it all inside your mattress. After all, the obvious moral of this tale is not that Friday the 13th is cursed, but the establishment of banking just may be.

Jazz FM is Canada’s only premiere Jazz station, and has a huge involvement in the Jazz community, both by promoting Jazz artists and Jazz music as a whole. Unlike most radio stations though, Jazz FM is listener-sponsored, meaning that they rely on donations from listeners to operate and have survived, and thrived, since 1996 without any government support. Jazz FM runs a number of programs dedicated to aiding Jazz artists, including internships, scholarships, workshops and more. But not only that, they give Jazz fans the chance to experience the music in a variety of ways, including Jazz Safaris and Jazz Lives.

Throughout the spring campaign our mysteries will be given away as part of prize incentives for pledges. Mystery certificates, as well as one grand-prize Custom Mystery will be given away during the pledge drive. We’re stoked to be part of such a fantastic organization, and offer our support in such a unique way.

But we wanted to take it a bit further, so we’re offering Jazz FM donors an exclusive discount on our mystery parties. Using the Jazz FM essential password of the month, donors can receive a 25% discount on the mystery party of their choice, all you have to do is enter the password at checkout.

So, browse, pick your favourite, enter the Jazz e ssential password you receive via email each month and enjoy a special discount. It’s our way of saying thank you for donating to such a fantastic station, organization and, of course, for choosing to spice up your next party with a mystery your guests will never forget!

Choose your perfect mystery party now!

While the purpose of Earth Hour is to benefit the environment and bring awareness to our individual consumption, this question is a valuable side effect. Participating in Earth Hour gives us the chance to reconnect and get back to basics. Here are our top 25 things to do during Earth Hour 2011. Let us know what you’re planning for Earth Hour Activities on our Facebook page (why not do it during Earth Hour from your Smartphone?) at:

http://www.facebook.com/shotinthedarkmysteries

1. Shot In The Dark Mysteries’ Earth Hour Mini-Mystery – $19.97, 1 hour to play, 5 people

Okay, come on! You couldn’t expect us to post a blog about Earth Day without tooting our own horn a bit here. Shot In The Dark Mysteries is VERY environmentally conscious, and in 2010 we launched a game designed to be played in the dark for Earth Hour, called (not surprisingly) The Earth Hour Murder. Play it in about an hour with a minimum of 5 people – with NO MAXIMUM! Grab a flashlight, light some candles and pull out your magnifying glass and get ready to solve a mystery in an hour! While it is a “murder” mystery, it’s “Clean” (no references to drugs or sex), so the kids can play at the adults’ discretion.

A game designed with Earth Hour and Earth Day in mind - playable in the dark!

2. Fondue. Yum.

3. Hand-wash your delicates. Oh please, we know they’ve been piling up. Have you – oh my, you’ve been sneaking them in with the rest of the laundry haven’t you, you bad girl.

4. Grab your significant other and spend the hour in bed. Or living room, kitchen or laundry room, if you’re into that type of thing.

5. Walk your Dog (or, if you’re really brave, your cat!)

6. Roast Marshmallows by candlelight. Use chop sticks as roasting sticks, but keep your fire extinguisher nearby, just in case.

7. Play a board game, like Scrabble. The winner gets bragging rights for a full year until the rematch.

8. Tweet or Facebook with other Earth Hour participants on your smartphone. Make some new friends, get some new followers and get in on the buzz.

9. Fingerpaint in the dark. If  you have kids, do it on canvas, then set up an art wall the following day, when you can see your level.

10. Have a front or backyard catch-up session with the neighbours you haven’t seen all winter. Supply beer to ensure excellent neighbourhood relations for the rest of the summer.

11. Balance your budget. Ugh. Or…

12. Have a bad-poetry contest. The worst Haiku is off dishes duty for a week.

13. Take random moonlight pictures with your phone. Sup them up with a cool smartphone app, like Instagram and share with the world.

14. Dance around with glow sticks and marvel at how trippy they are (drugs optional)

15. Tell a story from your past that no one else knows. Keep it PG if kids are around!

16. Prepare and eat a raw food dinner with items purchased from an organics store that deals in local produce. Keep track of the foods you enjoy and implement them into your regular meals.

17. Build a fort with the couch cushions and then read a classic by candlelight. You’ve been looking for an excuse to reconnect with Mr. Darcy – or that cute Tin Man that was so smitten with Dorothy.

18. Find a place where the moonlight is strong and see who can make the best shadow puppets.

19. Pull out your telescope or binoculars and search for the constellations. Get a star map from the bookstore or online, or make up your own.

20. Go to bed early. Come on, you know you deserve it.

21. Catch up on housework. See how weird cleaning the bathroom in the dark is (but stay clear of the comode, cuz – yuck.)

22. Learn a new language via podcast on your smartphone (look for Coffee Break Spanish, French and Italian, they’re the best).

23. Hold a wine tasting. Keep track of your faves and serve them the next time you have company.

24. Join an e-waste recycling drive for charity, or a similar initiative in your community.

25. Make a shopping list days before and challenge yourself to get everything you need during Earth Hour from participating businesses (ladies, shoes ARE arguably a necessity if the shoe store turns down the lights!).

Stop looking at my butt, a#*hole!

But in the midst of our cinnamon-heart-induced sugar highs, what most people fail to realize is that February 14th is a holiday that marks a death – the death of Valentine.

Around 278 AD, Valentine lived as a priest in Rome. One of the major parts of his job description was to marry people.

Enter Claudius the Cruel, aptly named because he liked war, and he liked winning in war even more.

Who was crueler, Claudius II or his esthetician?

One day Claudius realized no one wanted to join his army. People were saying “his wars are kinda dumb. Why would I want to leave my wife and loved ones to die by having a long stake shoved all the way from my ass up to my ears?” (not an actual quote)

"Emperor's Army?! Crap, I thought it was the line-up at Starbucks!!"

As with most villains, the problem was clearly NOT with Claudius, but with marriage and love. And so, Claudius the Cruel banned marriage and engagements.

But Valentine was a romantic at heart who clearly voted for the other guy, and he continued to marry lovers in secret.

When Claudius found out, he was seriously peeved off, and decided to behead Valentine – on February 14th.

But Valentine’s brass echoes through eternity, not because of the card and chocolate sales on the day that carries his name, and not even because he was named a saint after they chopped off his head. The true size of Valentine’s… NERVE… was the love note he left behind for his jailer’s daughter, who he had been hitting on from behind the prison bars. He signed it, “From Your Valentine”. A romantic gesture, sure, but also a bit of an “eff you” for the wanks who jailed him in the first place.

If Valentine wasn't a priest without the benefits of modern dentistry, we believe he would have looked just like Johnny Depp's Don Juan de Marco.

So, this Valentine’s Day, as you’re buying flowers and candy, think of the man who married couples in secret and then macked up the jailer’s daughter, and let that inspire you to buy your significant other a gift that matches Valentine’s style.

How to play a murder mystery game at a party

There has been a murder or a theft! (*gasp*!) But we all know that – that’s the reason we’re getting together, after all. The suspects, anywhere between 5 and 20, will quickly make themselves known. Perhaps you’re a suspect yourself, but you may just be an ‘investigator’ or ‘sleuth’, questioning the suspects, gathering intel and piecing together the puzzle in order to correctly cast your accusation at the end.

If you’re merely attending as an investigator, this sleuthing is the extent of your role. In preparation for the big event we recommend screening old episodes of Murder She Wrote and Agatha Christie movies. Plan out some questions in advance, like ‘where were you at the time of the murder?’ ‘can anyone verify your whereabouts?’ or ‘did you have anything against the deceased?’. From there as you ask the suspects questions, their answers will lead you to more questions. Regardless of your current experience or comfort level, you will quickly find yourself cross-interrogating suspects to identify holes in their stories.

*Mystery Party Tip* Always verify alibis!

Are you playing a suspect?

If you are attending the party as a suspect, your role is slightly more complicated – but not by much. Either before the party or as you arrive you’ll receive an information booklet, either printed or via a .PDF file on email.

This guide will tell you about your character and motives, instructions for how to play and more. All the information you will need at the party will be in your guide.

As the party begins you will be questioned by others. You will answer these questions based on the information in your guide. Feel free to bring your guide to the party to refer to. You don’t have to memorize your information – unless you want to, of course! While answering questions you will also be interrogating others.

Guess what! If you’re the killer, you won’t know it. There are a number of reasons for this that are explained further in your guide. Trust us, it’s waaaaaaay better this way.

Regardless if whether your playing a suspect or attending a mystery party as a sleuth or investigator, you’re going to gave a fantastic time, and you’ll be talking about this event for years to come. Just remember to relax and enjoy it! Have fun!

And don’t forget to check out A Flapper Murder at the 1920′s Speakeasy Theme Murder Mystery Party Game!

A

Ab-so-lute-ly: Affirmative – Definitely

All wet: Wrong

And How!: I strongly agree!

Ankle: To walk or to leave

Applesauce: A mild curse, like “darn” (also, “Horsefeathers!”)

Attaboy!: Well done! (also, Attagirl!)

_________________________________________________________________

B

Baby: Sweetheart, honey, lover

Baby Brand: Heavily built man

Baby Vamp: A pretty or popular female, student.

Balled up: Messed up, a mistake

Baloney: Nonsense!

Bearcat: A hot-blooded, vivacious or fiery girl

Beat it: Get lost (also, Scram)

Beat One’s Gums: Idle talk, someone “beats one’s gums” when they’re all talk, no action

Bee’s Knee’s: It’s the best (also, The Cat’s Pyjamas, Elephant’s Eyebrows, gnat’s whistle, eel’s hips, etc.)

Beef: A problem, as in “What’s your beef?”

Beeswax: Business, as in “Mind your own beeswax.”

Bell Bottom: A sailor

Bent: Drunk

Berries: Perfect or Money

Bible Belt: Area in the South and Midwest where Fundamentalism flourishes

Big Shot/Big Cheese: Important person

Big Six: A Strong Man

Bimbo: A Tough Guy

Bird: General term for a man or woman

Blind Date: A date with someone you’ve never met

Blotto: Drunk

Blow: (1) a wild party (2) to leave (as in, “Let’s make like the wind and blow)

Bluenose: An excessively puritanical person, a prude

Bootleg: Illeagal liquor

Breezer: A topless automobile

Bronx Cheer: A loud spluttering noise made with the lips, used to indicate disapproval.

Bubs: Breasts

Bug-Eyed Betty: An unattractive girl

Bull: (1) a law-enforcement official (2) nonesense (3) to talk idly, to exaggerate

Bull Session: A male talkfest, gossip, stories of sexual exploits

Bump Off: to kill

Bum’s Rush: Thrown out of an establishment

Bunny: A term of endearment applied to the lost, disoriented. Often coupled with “poor little.”

Bushwa: A euphemism for “bullshit”

Butt me: Give me a smoke

_________________________________________________________________

C

Caper: A criminal act or robbery

Carry a Torch: To have a crush on someone

Cash: A kiss

Cash or Check?: Do you kiss now or later?

Cat’s Meow: Something splendid or stylish; similar to bee’s knees

Cat’s Pajamas: Same as cat’s meow

Chassis: The female body

Cheaters: Eyeglasses

Check: Kiss me later

Ciggy: Cigarette

Clam: One dollar

Copacetic: Wonderful, fine, all right (as in, “Everything is copacetic.”)

Crush: An infatuation

_________________________________________________________________

D

Daddy: A young woman’s wealthy boyfriend or lover (Sugar Daddy)

Daddy-O: A term of address, as in “Hey there, Daddy-O!”

Dame: A female

Dapper: A Flapper’s dad

Darb: A great person or thing

Dead Soldier: an empty beer bottle

Deb: A debutant

Dewdropper: A young man who sleeps all day and doesn’t have a job

Dick: A private investigator

Dogs: Feet

Doll: An attractive woman

Dolled up: Dressed up

Don’t know from nothing: Doesn’t have any information

Don’t take any wooden dimes: Don’t do anything stupid

Dope: Drugs

Double-Cross: To cheat, stab in the back

Dough: Money

Drugstore Cowboy: A guy that hangs around on a street corner trying to pick up girls

Dry up: Shut up, get lost

Ducky: Very good

Dumb Dora: A dumb woman

_________________________________________________________________

E

Earful: Enough

Edge: A buzz. i.e. “I’ve got an edge.”

Egg: A person who lives the big life

Ethel: An effeminate man

_________________________________________________________________

F

Fag: A smoke

Fall Guy: Victim of a frame

Fella: A man

Fire Extinguisher: A Chaperone

Fish: A first timer in prison

Flat Tire: A bore

Flivver: a Model T; after 1928, also any broken down automobile.

Fly Boy: A glamorous term for an aviator

Four-Flusher: A person who feigns wealth while mooching off others

Frame: To give false evidence , to set up someone

Fried: Drunk

_________________________________________________________________

G

Gams: Legs

Gay: Happy or lively

Get-up: An outfit

Get a Wiggle On: Get a move on, get going

Get in a Lather: Get worked up, angry

Giggle Water: Booze

Gin Mill: A seller of hard liquor; a speakeasy

Glad Rags: “Going out on the town” clothes

Gold-Digger: A woman who pursues men for their money

Goods, the: (1) the right material, or a person who has it (2) the truth, as in, “Get the goods” on someone

Goof: (1) a stupid or bumbling person, (2) a boyfriend, flapper

Goofy: In love

Grummy: Depressed

Grungy: Envious

_________________________________________________________________

H

Hair of the dog: A shot of booze, especially the day after a booze-up

Half Seas Over: Drunk, also “half under”

Handcuff: An engagement ring or wedding band

Hard-boiled: Tough or a tough guy

Hayburner: (1) a gas guzzling automobile (2) a losing horse

Heavy Sugar: A lot of money

Heebie-Jeebies: “The shakes,” named after a hit song

High Hat: A snob or to snub someone

Hip to the Jive: Trendy

Hit on all Sixes: To perform 100 per cent; as “hitting on all six cyclinders”

Hooch: Bootleg liquor

Hood: Hoodlum

Hooey: Nonsense

Hoofer: Dancer

Hop: (1) opiate or marijuana (2) a teen party

Hopped Up: Under the influence of drugs

Horsefeathers: An unoffensive expletive, like “darn”

Hot Dawg!: Great!

Hotsy – Totsy: Pleasing

_________________________________________________________________

I

“I have to go see a man about a dog”: “I’ve got to leave now,” often meaning to go buy whiskey

Iron: A motorcycle

It: Sex appeal

Insured: Engaged

_________________________________________________________________

J

Jack: Money

Jake: Great, ie. “Everything’s Jake.”

Jalopy: A dumpy old automobil

Jane: A female

Java: Coffee

Joe: Coffee

Joe Brooks: A well dressed man

John: A toilet

Joint: Establishment

Juice Joint: A speakeasy

_________________________________________________________________

K

Kale: Money

Keen: Appealing

Killjoy: A solemn person

Kisser: Mouth

Knock Up: To make a woman pregnant

Know One’s Onions: To know one’s business or what one is talking about

_________________________________________________________________

L

Left holding the bag: To be blamed for something

Let George Do It: A work evading phrase

Level with Me: Be honest

Line: A false story, as in “to feed one a line.”

Live Wire: A lively person

Lollygagger: (1) a young man who enjoys making out (2) an idle person

_________________________________________________________________

M

Mazuma: Money

Middle Aisle: To marry

Milquetoast: A timid person

Mind your Potatoes: Mind your own business

Moonshine: Homemade whiskey

Moll: A gangster’s girl

Mrs. Grundy: A priggish or extremely tight-laced person

_________________________________________________________________

N

Neck: Kissing with passion

Nifty: Excellent, great

Nookie: Sex

Not so good!: I personally disapprove

“Now you’re on the trolley!”: Now you’ve got it, now you’re right

Nobody Home: Describes some one who is dumb

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O

Oh yeah!: I doubt it!

Old boy: A male term of address, used with other males

On a Toot: A drinking binge

On the Lam: Fleeing from authorities

On the level: Legitimate, honest

On the up and up: On the level

Orchid: An expensive item

Ossified: Drunk

Owl: A person who’s out late, a night owl

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P

Pet: Making out

Petting Pantry: Movie theater

Piffle: Baloney

Piker: A coward

Pill: (1) A teacher (2) an unlikable person

Pinch: To arrest or to steal

Pinko: A liberal

Pipe down: Stop talking

Pos-i-lute-ly: Affirmative, also “pos-i-tive-ly”

Punch the Bag: Small Talk

Pushover: A person easily persuaded

Putting on the Ritz: After the Ritz Hotel in Paris; doing something in high style

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Q

Quiff: A slut

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R

Rag-a-muffin: A dirty or disheveled individual

Ratz: How disappointing or “darn!”

Razz: To make fun of

Real McCoy: The genuine article

Reuben: A country bumpkin

Ritzy: Elegant

Rub: A dance party

Rubes: Money or dollars

Rummy: A drunken bum

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S

Sap: A fool, an idiot

Says You: Disbelief

Scram: Ask someone to leave immediately

Sheba: One’s girlfriend

Sheik: One’s boyfriend

Shiv: A knife

Simolean: A dollar

Sinker: A doughnut

Sitting pretty: In a prime position

Skirt: A female

Smarty: A flapper

Smoke-Eater: A smoker

So’s Your Old Man: A reply of irritation, like “Yo Mama” in the 90′s

Speakeasy: A bar selling illegal liquor

Spiffy: An elegant appearance

Spill: To talk

Spifflicated: Drunk

Spoon: To neck, or at least talk of love

Stilts: Legs

Struggle Buggy: The backseat of a car

Stuck On: Having a crush on

Sugar Daddy: Older boyfriend who showers girlfriend with gifts in exchange for sex

Swanky: (1) good (2) elegant

Swell: (1) good (2) high class

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T

Take Someone for a Ride: To take someone to a deserted location and murder them

Tasty: Appealing

Tell it to Sweeney: Tell it to someone who is gullable

Tight: Attractive

Tin Pan Alley: The music industry in New York, located between 48th and 52nd street

Tomato: A “ripe” female

Torpedo: A hired thug or hitman

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U

Upchuck: To vomit, yak, spew, especially after consuming too much giggle juice

Upstage: Snobby

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V

Vamp: (1) An aggressive flirt (2) to seduce

Voot: Money

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W

Wet Blanket: A killjoy

What’s Eating You?: What’s wrong?

Whoopee: Wild fun

Woof! Woof!: Ridicule

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Y

You slay me!: That’s funny!

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Z

Zozzled: Drunk