How to "start" a word

[Laurence Horn]

>We have a question over at Straight Dope
>http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=315563
>asking about the old story of the bet that someone could make up a
>word, and by the next day it would be all over town.  It supposedly
>invololved the word "quiz."

You mean it didn't originate on a turn at Scrabble?  I guess those
18th century cites in the OED for both the noun and verb meanings
render the bet and Scrabble origins dubious.

larry

>If anyone wishes to reply over there(you have to register), I'd
>appreciate it.  If you would rather, just put the answer here and
>I'll do it and give credit, as I usually do.
>
>Sam Clements