1. Naturally, the stronger and harder the conker, the more chance of success.

2. Michael had time to put Conker out before running in to wash his hands and slick his hair back wetly.

3. Apparently, this made the conker more malleable, allowing it to absorb the impact of my prize pickled nut.

4. The winner is obviously the player with the intact conker.

5. In autumn, youngsters will be urged to collect conkers, ash keys and acorns to grow next year's seedlings.

6. Standing still was important for if the conker was swaying about, the striker had a free go.

7. Players take it in turns to do this until one conker is so damaged that it is dislodged from its string.

8. Because the best conkers are always at the top of the tree.

9. He said: "There are schools that have banned conkers and snowballs, and now Valentine's Cards.

10. Horse chestnut The medicinal qualities of their conkers, leaves and bark soothe varicose veins.

11. Britain's horse chestnut trees, providers of conkers for generations of schoolboys,(/conkers.html) are dying in their thousands in the worst case of tree blight since Dutch elm disease 30 years ago.

12. There are schools that have banned conkers and snowballs and now Valentine's cards.

13. The medicinal qualities of their conkers , leaves and bark soothe varicose veins.

14. From my childhood I remember being told that the way to improve your conkers was to pickle them in vinegar.

15. That's what my dreams showed - that underneath my standard teenage exterior I was conkers, stark staring.

16. Two junior particle physicists were dismissed today after using the Large Hadron Collider to smash conkers into each other at near-light speed.

17. Contestants should deliver their fatal blows to shatter opponents conkers, and the winner goes to the one who shatters the most.