Don’t be a Cheechako!

I hope everyone had a good weekend, in particular my friends to the south who celebrated Independence Day weekend.

I haven’t done this in quite some time, but folks seem to enjoy it, so today I’m bringing out another word trivia. Now, these are not just any words, they are connected with my upcoming book. They stretch back to the days of the Klondike.

Please, if you can, practice ‘googlestraint’ and I’ll give you the answers in my next blog. Have fun!

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Duffer:

A:  a slow-witted man

B:  the front bumper of a dog sled

C: a con man who is terrible at his trade

D: combining brass filings with gold dust to fool the weigh scales

Bunco:

A: a card game that evolved from Poker during the Klondike

B: a gold claim with very few, if any, yields

C: anything phony or deceptive

D: a low-class drinking establishment

Barabas:

A: Indigenous homes along the lower Yukon River built half underground, inhabited in winter.

B: in reference to the Biblical figure who was released instead of Jesus. A scoundrel who escapes justice.

C: a claim jumper

D: the buckle used to connect the suspenders to a pair of Mackinaw hip-waders

Kanin:

A: the canvas baffle on a rocker box (rocker boxes were used to separate gold from sediment)

B: the pivot pin on a weigh scale

C: an ornately decorated dugout canoe

D: the small overhang usually found on the false front of a business

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markbierman

Born and raised on a farm near Brockville, Ontario, Mark Bierman's childhood consisted of chores, riding horses, snowmobile races across open fields, fishing trips to a local lake, and many other outdoor adventures. He was also an avid reader of both fiction and non. Transitioning towards adulthood also meant moving from the farm and into large urban areas that introduced this country boy to life in the big cities. After a short stint as a private investigator, he moved into the role of Correctional Officer, working at both Millhaven Institution and Kingston Penitentiary, until it closed.

34 thoughts on “Don’t be a Cheechako!”

  2. Hi Mark, I now see how going in reverse chronological order is not fair. I should play the lottery in this way, too. I also had “Duffer” and “Duffing” confused. A fun post!🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  10. This is fun! I thought i knew some of these words, but on a few (like duffer) my answer isn’t even in your multiple choice! (I don’t golf, but I thought a duffer was someone who misses the ball.) ;-0 I look forward to seeing the answers next post.

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    1. Duffing IS a golf term, it’s when the club hits the ground before hitting the ball, so you’re correct on that one, just not in this case. 🙂 Thanks for playing!

      Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks for playing, Wendi. The nineteenth century had some pretty articulate ways of describing things. I’ll post my answers on the next blog, including the meaning of cheechako.:)

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