The Line
Squirrel Surprise Minor is a ‘non standard’ surprise method. This is because it includes 5-6 places other than at the half lead.
It also includes other odd places which mean portions of the method are ‘wrong’…. so the dodges or place transitions, are at handstroke not backstroke.
This makes it a trickier method to ring…
The place bell order is 2 3 6 5 4.
The 'Wrong' Bits!
The ‘wrong’ parts of Squirel are highlighted in red.
This portion spans the lead end, which will make it potentially confusing as it will not be quite as expected.
A place is inserted after the treble is passed in 2-3 or after the 3-4 dodge… (ringed in red)
A point is added to the back bells after the trebles 3-4 dodge point (ringed in red).
The opposite is added at the end of the wrong portion (top of the diagram)… before dodging with the treble 4-3 or passing in 3-2.
This means the remainder – everything with or below the treble (front work) is ‘right’ and normal. ‘
Front Work
The front work is very simple… dodge, lead, double dodge… or vice versa.
You will do this 4 times in total (2 times each way around).
The single dodge, may be with the treble, or alternatively at the half lead and you will then pass the treble in 2-3 adjacent to the double dodge…
Middle Work
Middle work is in 2 parts.
The part around the lead end is ‘wrong’
The lead-end middle work consists of thirds and double dodge ‘wrong’ or vice versa, with the lead end coming after the first dodge.
The lead-end middle work is at the end/beginning of 2nd/3rd and 5th/4th place bells.
The part around the half lead is ‘right’.
The the half lead middle work is dome entirely by the pivot (6th place) bell. It consists of making fourths to get ‘right’, dodging with the treble and then making places until the treble returns, before making fourths again to become ‘wrong’.
Back Work
The back-work is also in 2 parts…. both include ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ (red highlight) portions…
The shorter portions (blue/dark green lines) consists of a dodge with the treble, lie, 5ths and point 6ths (to go ‘wrong’)… or vice versa.
This interlocks with the other bell at the back (green or orange lines)… It lies ‘right’, then point 5ths to go ‘wrong’, followed by the crankshaft figure.
The two bells with the crankshaft figure interlock together (See ding right)… across the change from 4th-6th place bell or 6th-5th place bells.
2nd and 4th place bells...
These two play bells are a mirror images of each other… so 4th place bell does the same work in reverse order.
2nd place bell
starts a front work block with the treble (single and double dodge).
Hunt to the back and dodge with the treble again.
Following this make places and the add a point 6ths to put yourself ‘wrong’.
Hunt down to a ‘wrong’ double dodge in 3-4, becoming 3rds place bell after 0.5 dodges.
4th place bell
does 1.5 wrong dodges and then wrong hunts to point 6ths to come ‘right’.
It makes 5-6 places and the then dodges with the treble
It hunts to a fron work block, ending with the treble…
3rd and 5th place bells...
These two are also a mirror image of each other… so 5th place bell does the same work in reverse order.
3rds place bell…
starts by completing the last blow of a ‘wrong’ double dodge and then making thirds to get back ‘right’.
Passes the treble is 3-2 and does a front work block (double and single dodge)
Hunts to the back and lies (passing the treble in 4-5).
Point 5ths to go back ‘wrong’ and then make ‘wrong’ crankshaft places… becoming 6th place bell one blow before completing them.
5th place bell…
starts with a blow in 5ths halfway through the ‘wrong’ crankshafts.
Point 5ths to get ‘right’ then lie and hunt to the front.
Front work block tarting with a half lead single dodge…
After the double dodge, pass the treble in 2-3 and make thirds to become ‘wrong’ again.
Start the wrong double dodge in 3-4. Become 4th place bell after 3 blows.
6th place bell...
6th place bell is the pivot bell, so is symmetrical top to bottom… It is therefore (by far) the easiest to learn.
It starts with the final blow of the ‘wrong’ crankshaft places.
Make 4ths to get back ‘right’ before dodging with the treble in 4-3.
Make 3-4 places until the treble returns for another 3-4 dodge (5 in total) while all 4 other bells pass through your places)
Again make 4ths to go back ‘wrong’ and hunt out to the ‘wrong’ crankshafts figure, becoming 5ths place bell after 3 blows.
Bobs...
The Bobs are standard fourths place…
The Bob is made at the end of 2nds place bell – make ‘cat’s ears’ from the back… becoming 4th instead of 3rd place bell.
4ths place bell will be dodging with the treble and runs out to become 3rds place bell, which immediately makes a point in 4ths (the final blow of the wrong double dodge) and then makes thirds to get right and comes back to the front.
5th place bells will make thirds at the beginning of the wrong lead end double dodge, but will then run in after the first blow (point 4ths) which puts it right again and become 2nds place bell.
6th place bell will be unaffected and becomes 5th place bell as usual.
3rd place bell will be unaffected and becomes 6th place bell as usual.
At a single (not shown)
4th place bell will be unaffected and become 2nd place as normal.
5th place bell will do an opposite set of ‘cat’s ears’ (thirds, point 4th, thirds, point 4th, thirds) becoming 3rd place bell half way way.