Why Is Almost Winning 'CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR'?

About this video

Carnival games once paid out cigars, not teddy bears. Miss by an inch and the barker's taunt followed you down the midway — into the language. In this video: • When fairground prizes were for grown men • The barkers' cry that became a phrase • Rigged games and near-misses by design • From American midways to everyday English #english #idioms #etymology #language #esl

From the video

Close But No Cigar
Close But No Cigar
Absurdity Preserved
Absurdity Preserved
The Origin Story
The Origin Story
The Fairground Economy
The Fairground Economy
Adult Prizes Only
Adult Prizes Only
The Standard Payout
The Standard Payout
The Repeat-Play Engine
The Repeat-Play Engine
Selling the Next Try
Selling the Next Try
The Taunt That Sold
The Taunt That Sold
Same Script, Every Game
Same Script, Every Game
The Two-Part Hook
The Two-Part Hook
The Valuable Prize
The Valuable Prize

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Why Is Almost Winning 'CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR'?