Diagram No. 2.—In this, the second, diagram it will be seen that the two centre side hoops are done away with, and that one is placed in the centre of the game instead: but although in the play we now require one hoop less than in the former diagram, yet the player will have to pass through the same number of hoops as before, since he travels twice through the hoop in the centre—once on his way to the turning-post, and once on his return. This position is necessarily not so simple as the last one, for now all chance of going through the three side hoops in one turn is done away with, and few players will be able to make the passage in less than three turns.
Diagram No. 3
Diagram No. 3.—In this the same number of hoops is used as in the first diagram, but the hoops numbered respectively 4 and 9, instead of being placed parallel to the others, are now at right-angles to them: thus, in playing from 3 to 4, one has to keep to the right of the second ring, and then to pass through it from the outside of the game—a much more difficult arrangement than either of the other positions we have described. As the player’s knowledge of Croquet increases, many other positions will suggest themselves; but those we have printed are the simplest, and are the diagrams in general use at the present time.
Diagram No. 4
Diagram No. 4.—In this diagram the cage is introduced; otherwise it is nearly the same as [Diagram No. 2].