Encyclopaedia Morningtonia: Snood

Snoods usually come in symmetrical pairs. Their primary purpose is to act as an indicator of the net direction that will be taken by a token cascade if one is triggered. Failing to check the snoods before triggering a token cascade is a mistake novices often make. Astute players can also use the snoods to gauge the net line velocity of the game (that is, the average of the line velocities of all players). Correct use of the snoods requires a significant level of expertise, and their existence is often glossed over in basic Mornington Crescent primers; authors at this level generally prefer to concentrate on correct use of diagonals and a more simplistic interpretation of the effects of line velocity. Regrettably, the directionality of token cascades is often ignored entirely at this level.

It is possible to set up the map with asymmetric snoods. This applies a significant helical stress to the entire map, affecting almost all aspects of the game.