Revised September 2023
These tables summarise the relationships between the 2,400 methods appearing in the Central Council publication Treble Dodging Minor Methods (3rd edition, 2008) in a way that simplifies learning them by the work above and below the treble. They were prepared by the Methods Committee and are based on the original 4-way tables invented by the late John Segar, Jun.
There are three tables, which are distinguished by the place notation when the treble dodges in 3-4. The notation for this section of the lead is given in the top left-hand corner of each table.
Within each table, all methods in the same row have the same work below the treble, and all methods in the same column have the same work above the treble. The place notation for the work above is given at the head of each column and the notation for the work below is given at the start of each row.
The first two tables are divided into quadrants by double lines. In each case the upper left quadrant contains Treble Bob methods, the lower right quadrant Surprise methods and the other two quadrants Delight methods. The smaller third table contains only Surprise methods.
The methods have also been arranged so that the reverse of any method in row R and column C of the first table is to be found in row C and column R of the second table and vice-versa. The reverse of any method in row R and column C of the third table is to be found in row C and column R of the same table. The methods on the leading diagonal (i.e. in row D and column D) of the third table are the double methods. The column number is given at the foot of each column and the row number at the end of each row.
For example, Minehead Surprise is to be found in row 16 and column 38 of the first table, while its reverse (Tokyo Surprise) is to be found in row 38 and column 16 of the second table.
To construct the full place notation of a given method, go to the top of the column where its name appears and note the lead-end place (2nd’s, 4th’s or 6th’s). The notation given above this (once only for each of the possible lead-end places) defines the first 5 rows of the lead. The notation with the treble in 3-4 is found from the top left corner of the table. The notation given at the start of the row where the method name appears defines the remaining 4 rows of the half-lead and the half-lead place.
For example, consider the method Oxford Delight. The name Oxford appears twice in the first table. However, the upper left quadrant contains Treble Bob methods, so the method we want is the one in the upper right quadrant (row 1, column 25), which contains Delight methods. Going to the head of the column we find that the method has a 2nd’s place lead-end, and above this the notation -36-1456 for the first 5 rows of the lead. The next part of the place notation (-12-) is found from the top left corner of the table, and the remainder (16-34-56) by going to the start of the row. The full notation is therefore -36-1456-12-16-34-56 le 12.
To find if a method has been rung, first find the correct table using the notation with the treble in 3-4; then find which column the method belongs in from the first 4 elements of the notation plus the lead-end place; and finally find the row it belongs in from the final 5 elements of the notation.
For example, consider the notation -34-16-12-16-34-56 le 16. The first 4 elements of the notation (-34-16) plus the lead-end place (6th’s) define the column, the next 3 elements (-12-) define the table; and the final 5 elements (16-34-56) define the row. Using the first table we find the name London Scholar’s Pleasure in row 1 and column 3. The name appears in the upper left quadrant of the table, so it is a Treble Bob method. As it appears in the same row as Oxford Delight, it has the same work below the treble.
If the square contains a blank, the place notation represents either a method with fewer than 5 leads in the plain course or more than 2 consecutive blows across the lead-end.
If the square contains an italic number (identifying it in Treble Dodging Minor Methods), the method has not yet been rung and named. To name a method, it is necessary to ring a true and complete 720, either individually or as part of a peal or quarter peal, or to ring the method as part of a peal of spliced. It is not sufficient to ring the method in a 720 or quarter peal of spliced. The name chosen should be reported to The Ringing World as soon as possible, giving the number.
HTML Version by Roger Bailey. July 2001. Maintained by Tony Smith.