Close, But No Cigar
Have you
ever tried really hard at something, almost succeeded, and still come up just a little short?
That’s when someone might say, "Close, but no cigar."
Today, we use this phrase to mean "You were almost right, but not quite." It’s often said kindly, sometimes playfully, and usually with a little understanding that effort was still involved.
So where did it come from?
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, cigars were often used as prizes at carnivals, fairs, and boardwalk games. If you managed to knock down enough bottles, ring the bell, or land the perfect throw, you might win a cigar. But those games were tricky and many people came very close without quite winning.
If you missed by just a bit, you didn’t get the prize.
You were close, but no cigar.
Over time,
the phrase stuck and made its way into everyday conversation. It became a lighthearted way to acknowledge effort, even when the final result didn’t quite happen.
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Here's what just one GON reader had to say...
"Hi Maria, In reference to your February 16th issue, I also grew up in New Jersey
and worked in New York, in the retail industry. Seems like a different life from the one I live now. As a mother, grandmother and retired nurse! Was that really me!? Back all those years ago?"-- Mary
