“Funny Fingers everywhere
Sticking out here and there
Match each finger one by one
Funny Finger is funny fun!”
In 1968, Ideal released Funny Finger, a novelty matching game for two to four players.
The object of the game was to score points by matching an opponents’ fingers.
GAMEPLAY
To start, each player takes a matching-coloured Finger Fence, Funny Hand scoreboard, and peg. After assembling the Finger Fence, players place it in front of them. There are nine numbered holes in each Finger Fence.
Funny Finger is played in rounds. To start a round, the first player chooses any fingers on one hand and pokes them through any of the available holes in the Finger Fence. Once their fingers are in place, the remaining players attempt to replicate the exact finger placement using their own Fence.
When a player believes they’ve matched the pattern exactly, they must say, “I’ve Got It!” At that point, they may no longer adjust their fingers. Once all players have made their guesses, finger placements are compared.
Any player who matches all fingers correctly moves their peg forward one space on their Funny Hand scoreboard. An incorrect match causes that player’s peg to move back one space. If none of the challengers successfully match the finger pattern, the original player moves their peg forward one space.
The first player to score 5 points on their scoreboard wins the game.
IN THE BOX
A complete game included four Finger Fences, four Funny Hand scoreboards, and four scoring pegs. Instructions were printed on an insert inside the box.
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
Though Funny Finger is out of print, vintage copies are still available on secondary auction sites.
Note: If you buy something using the eBay link in this story, we may earn a small commission. Thank you for supporting independent toy journalism!