Melissa Snow, age 9, of Denton, Texas, for her question:

WHERE DID WE FIND THE GAME OF QUOITS?

Quoits is a game of tossing a metal ring, called a quoit, over a peg. The game was played as early as the 1300s in England where it most likely developed from the game of horseshoe pitching.

Horseshoe pitching originated in Roman army camps about A.D. 100. The Romans introduced the game of horseshoe pitching into England, and the English brought it. to America. They brought quoits to America, too.

Any number may play quoits at one time. Championship rules call for two pegs that stand one inch above the ground and 18 yards apart. The quoits have a rim two inches wide, with a four inch hole in the center.

Rubber, rope or wooden quoits are often used for indoor games. Each player stands beside one peg and throws two quoits at the other peg. A ringer is a quoit that encircles the peg, and counts three points. A leaner or hobber is a quoit that leans against the peg, and counts two. If there is no ringer or leaner, the quoit closest to the peg counts one point.

A game of quoits usually ends when one player has 21 points.