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This item was submitted by Bill Spry to the People's War team in Wales and is added to the site with his permission.

Cardinal Puff is a drinking game very popular in the Army. It was featured in an episode of Dad鈥檚 Army when Capt. Mainwaring got extremely drunk. The applicant (or victim) would be seated at a table with a pint of beer in front of him. He would then say 鈥淚 drink to the health of Cardinal Puff for the first time鈥�. He would take a sip of beer and then start a strict sequence of movements of finger tapping, leg tapping, etc., each movement performed must once.

If he did this successfully he would say 鈥淚 drink to the health of Cardinal Puff for the second time鈥�. He would then perform the same sequence but each movement done twice. This procedure was watched very closely by the other members of the mess. The slightest mistake was greeted with howls of derision. The applicant had to quickly drink the rest of his beer and start again with a fresh pint.

This could continue with third and fourth times, etc. The number of successful sequences determined your rank in the society.

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