Glossary of Terms
Ball at rest A ball in play that is stationary on the court. (Law 9.3)
Ball in hand A ball of the game that has been a ball in play but that the striker must place or may reposition on the court before the next stroke. A ball in hand is an outside agency. (Law 9.2)
Ball in play A ball of the game is a ball in play from the time it is placed on the court in the position from which it is played into the game until the end of the stroke in which it is pegged out, except for those periods when it is a ball in hand.
Baulk-lines Those portions of the yard-line that extend from the corner spots at corners I and III to their intersections with a line extended through the centres of hoops 5 and 6 are known as the A and B baulk-lines respectively. The ends of the baulk-lines may be marked on the court’s boundary but any raised markers used must not intrude or lean into the court. See Diagram 1.
Body References to touching or other contact with a player or a player's body include all items, other than the mallet or clips, worn or carried by the player at the start of the stroke, which are treated as part of the player's body. Similarly, references to a part of the body include any clothing, shoes or gloves covering it. Boundary The innermost edge of the marking or physical line used to define the perimeter of the court. The boundaries of a court are known as the north, south, east and west boundaries regardless of the geographical orientation of the court. See Diagram 1. (Law 4.3)
Cannon A croquet stroke in which the striker’s ball and the ball from which croquet is to be taken are part of a group of balls. (Law 18.4)
Continuation stroke A stroke that is played when the striker is entitled to continue the turn after playing a croquet stroke or scoring a hoop point for the striker’s ball, but is not required to take croquet immediately. (Law 19)
Corner flags Flags coloured blue, red, black and yellow mounted on posts about 12 inches (305 mm) high, optionally placed in corners I, II, III and IV respectively to define the corners. See Diagram 2. (Law 6.2)
Corner pegs White pegs, measuring about ¾ inch (19 mm) in diameter and about 3 inches (76 mm) in height above the ground, optionally placed on the boundary one yard (0.914 metres) from each corner (measured to the further side of the corner peg) to indicate the extent of the corner area. See Diagram 2. (Law 6.3)
Corner spot The point where two portions of the yard-line meet at right-angles. See Diagram 2.
Critical position A position in which a ball is at rest where a minor change in the position could materially affect future play. Examples include positions in or near hoops, wired positions, and positions on or near the yard-line or boundary.
Critical stroke Any stroke for which the striker's ball is in a critical position as far as the intended outcome of the stroke is concerned. (Laws 8.5, 36.2.2 and 36.2.3) 5 Croquet stroke A stroke that is played with the striker's ball in contact with another ball, except in circumstances where the striker's ball is in a lawful position in contact with a dead ball and the striker is required to play a continuation stroke.
Discovery An error or interference is discovered when the striker or an active referee announces it, the opponent forestalls play in respect of it, or it is uncovered during investigation of another claimed irregularity. Discovery before a stroke means discovery before the stroke is played.
Double-banked games When two games are played simultaneously on a court they use differently coloured sets of balls and are said to be double-banked. (Law 59) Error A mistake in play, made by the striker or a player acting as the striker, which may require rectification. The only errors are those defined by Laws 26 to 29 and, in alternate stroke doubles, Law 48.4.
Forestalling A player forestalls play to fulfil the player’s responsibilities for the conduct of the game by requesting the striker to cease play. (Law 23)
Group of balls Either a 3-ball group or a 4-ball group. A 3-ball group is formed by one ball being in contact with two other balls. A 4-ball group is formed by the fourth ball being in contact with a 3-ball group. (Law 18.4)
Hampered stroke A stroke in which the striker has to take special care because the swing of the mallet or the striker's normal stance is impeded by a hoop, the peg, or a ball not in contact with the striker’s ball nor intended to be roqueted by it. (Law 29.2.3)
Hoop in order The hoop in order for a ball is the hoop that the ball is required to score next in the sequence and direction shown in Diagram 1.
Hoop point A point which a ball scores by passing through its hoop in order as a consequence of one or more strokes. (Law 20)
Interference An irregularity in play other than an error, caused by a player or an outside agency, which may need to be remedied. Interferences are defined by Laws 31 to 38.
Jaws of a hoop The space enclosed by and including the inner surfaces of the uprights, the surface created by raising a straight edge touching both hoop uprights on the playing side of the hoop from the ground to the crown of the hoop and the equivalent surface on the non-playing side of the hoop. (Laws 16.3, 20 and 21)
Lift hoops The hoops which, when scored by a player in advanced or super-advanced play, entitle the player of the next turn to begin that turn by optionally lifting a ball of that player’s side and playing the first stroke of the turn as specified in the individual laws. (Laws 39, 40 and 52)
Limit of claims The point in time by which the discovery of an error or interference must occur if it is to be remedied.
Line of play The sequence of actions the striker adopts or attempts including, but not limited to: aiming to move a ball to a specific position on the court; choosing to play with a particular ball; making a particular leave; deciding how many points to score; quitting the court in the belief that the turn has ended; and, in handicap play, deciding whether to play a half-bisque or bisque under Law 42.7. It also includes the decision the opponent may be required to make on whether or not a fault should be rectified under Law 29.3.2.
Live and dead balls All balls other than the striker’s ball are live at the start of each turn. A live ball may be roqueted and have croquet taken from it. A live ball becomes dead when 6 croquet is taken from it and, within that turn, becomes live again when the striker’s ball scores a hoop point. (Law 9.5)
Loose impediments Small items such as worm casts, leaves, nuts, refuse and similar material lying on the surface of the court. (Law 34.6.2)
Misplaced ball A ball of the game that is not in its lawful position on the court, except when it is a ball in hand or has been temporarily moved to avoid interference in accordance with Law 28.2.2.
Non-playing side of the hoop The side opposite to the playing side of the hoop in order for a ball. See Diagram 3.
Outside agency Any agency that may not lawfully affect play, apart from weather or the consequences of weather or, except in exceptional circumstances dealt with under the overriding law, loose impediments on the court. Examples include: animals; spectators; a referee; the players or equipment from another game; a ball in hand; a ball that is not a ball in play; a clip not attached to a hoop or the peg; the peg extension when not attached to the peg; and other stray objects. (Law 34.6.1)
Partner In ordinary doubles, the player of the side in play who is not the striker for the current turn. In alternate stroke doubles, the player of the side in play who is not the striker for the current stroke.
Partner ball The ball of the striker’s side that is not the striker’s ball for the current turn.
Peel To score a hoop point for any ball other than the striker’s ball as a consequence of a stroke. (Law 5.3.4) Playing side of the hoop The side of the hoop in order for a ball from which the ball runs the hoop to score the hoop point. See Diagram 3.
Playing characteristics (of a mallet) The mallet’s effectiveness in playing different types of strokes. (Law 5.5.3)
Questionable stroke A stroke concerning which either the striker or the opponent suspects that its fairness or effect may be doubtful. Examples include, without limitation: a stroke in which a fault might be committed; an attempted roquet of a ball in a hoop; a distant peg-out; and any stroke that might cause a ball to leave the court when the striker is unable to ensure its accurate placement on the yard-line in a critical or potentially critical position. (Law 55.4)
Rectification The actions necessary to correct an error. Rectification involves replacing balls affected by strokes in error and the cancellation of points scored. (Law 25.3)
Redress The actions necessary to correct an interference under Laws 31 to 33.
Redress is generally followed by a replay. (Laws 16.2.4, 30.3 and 31 to 33)
Replay A period of play involving one or more strokes as part of the remedy for an interference. Depending on the circumstances, in a replay the striker may be required to repeat the same stroke(s) with the same objectives as in the original play, to follow a different line of play from that taken originally, or to have a free choice of the stroke or strokes to play and their objectives. (Laws 31 to 35 and 38.2)
Roquet A contact between the striker’s ball and a live ball during a stroke, except when the striker’s ball has hit a different live ball earlier in the stroke. A roquet normally entitles the striker to extend the turn by taking croquet from the ball roqueted. (Laws 17 and 21)
Rover ball A ball that has scored all of its hoop points. (Law 2.5)
Single-ball stroke A stroke at the start of which the striker’s ball is not in contact with another ball. (Laws 2.6.2 and 29.2.3.2) 7
Special damage Damage to the surface of the court other than the normal hazards of an indifferent court. Examples of special damage are: a hole on a corner spot; an unrepaired or imperfectly repaired divot, hoop hole or peg hole; a protruding tree root; and a sprinkler head. A depression due to wear in a hoop is not special damage. (Law 37.3)
State of the game Factual information about the game that includes, but is not limited to: which ball the striker has chosen as the striker’s ball; the correct positions of the balls or clips; the colour of a ball or clip; whether an error or interference has been committed; which player is responsible for the position of a ball; whether a ball has been roqueted or hit or has moved; whether a ball has scored a hoop point or is clear of a given side of a hoop; whether there is an entitlement to a lift, contact or free placement; and the amount of time or number of bisques remaining. (Law 54)
Striker The player of the current turn, or of the current stroke in alternate stroke doubles. Striker’s ball The ball the striker chooses to play, or is required to play in accordance with these laws, during the current turn.
Striking period The period during which a fault under Law 29.1 may be committed. (Law 8)
Stroke The striker’s attempt to hit a ball at rest with a mallet as part of a turn, or a declaration by the striker, made verbally or by gesture, that the ball will be left where it lies. A stroke includes any resulting movement of balls in play. (Law 8)
Strokes in error The stroke in which an error is committed and any subsequent strokes played before the error is discovered or its limit of claims is reached, whichever occurs first.
Taking croquet The striker takes croquet by playing a croquet stroke. The ball from which croquet is taken is known as the croqueted ball. (Law 18)
Wrong ball A wrong ball is played when the striker plays the first stroke of a turn with a ball in play that is not permitted to be the striker’s ball for that turn, or a subsequent stroke with a ball in play that is not the striker’s ball for the turn. (Laws 12 and 27)
Yard-line The unmarked line within the court one yard (0.914 metres) from and parallel to the nearest boundary. See Diagram 1.
Yard-line area The space between the boundary and the yard-line. Yard-line ball A ball at rest on the yard-line. (Law 15)
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