Come in Spinner: A History of Two-Up and Its Language

by Bruce Moore

Two-up, a famous Australian soldiers’ gambling game, has given Australian English many unique words and phrases. The game is significant in Australia’s cultural history. This book is the essential guide to the language and history of the "national game".

Bruce Moore explains Two-up’s role in the development of the ANZAC legend and provides new evidence that aspects of the game and its terminology have their origins in Ireland. He shows us how the Australian concept of the "fair go" had its origins in Two-up, and how working-class tenacity saved the game from the efforts of authorities and wowsers to wipe it out.

The well-known phrase "come in spinner" is just one of the more than 140 Australian words and phrases that have their origin in the game of Two-up. This is the reader’s chance to learn about "alley loafers," "baldie’s," "bastards on bikes," "boxer’s," "butterflies," "cockatoos," "floaters," "grouter bettors," "headies," "kips," "nit-keepers," "nobs," "ringmasters," and "two-uppians".

176 pages, Paperback

Expected publication June 30, 2026

About the author

Bruce Moore is a regular weekly contributor to PureGrainAudio, and has been published in various national and international music magazines including HM Magazine, Thrash Magazine, Crave, Sick Drummer, and The Gauntlet. He also hosts Brutally Delicious, an online podcast cooking show with guest stars of heavy metal music industry personalities.