Suzanne Evans, age 11, of Glendale, Ariz., for her question:

WHEN WAS JACKS FIRST PLAYED?

In ancient times children played a game that is very much like our present game of jacks. The old game was called jackstones, and it was played with little stones that had been whitewashed on a sandy beach, instead of with metal or plastic jacks that each have six little knobs sticking out from their centers.

Sometimes small knucklebones from sheep that had been picked clean and smooth were used instead of the beach stones.

The old game was played by tossing five jackstones into the air and then catching them in different ways. One extra jackstone was used as a ball.

Today's game of jacks has many variations. The jacks may be tossed in the air and caught on the back of the hand, or they may be tossed on a table or floor and then picked up as the ball is bounced.

The old name of jackstones is still used sometimes, and so is the name knucklebones. In one part of England the game is called hucklebones. Others call the game checkstones, chuckstones or chuckie stones.