Know-how

What the world knows how to do, line by line: putting big things in small found things, keeping the lamp lit, making slop, mending, filing. Each technique needs others first, and is dated by the era it is first on record in, never by when anyone invented it.

44 rows: 4 proposed, 40 that only restate what the games and the codex already say. None of it is canon until it is approved: the codex filed what the games say into systems, and proposed the rest. Each row says which it is.

Containers

Putting large things into small found things, and keeping them there.

Found containers Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Jars, tins and a walnut, kept because something might fit in them.
Needs
Nothing first
Era
Before the wall
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household, The tin, The office supplies
On record in
The workshop, The sardine tin, The walnut, a history chapter
Tweezers and glue Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Tweezers, glue and an unreasonable amount of patience.
Needs
Nothing first
Era
Before the wall
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
The Slopwright, Sloperation
Sealing Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
A lid that stays on, so whatever is inside stays a sea.
Needs
Found containers
Era
Before the wall
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household, The tin, The office supplies
On record in
The sardine tin, The lid
A whole place in a small container Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
A sea in a sardine tin, an opera in a walnut. The earliest evidence is the tin.
Needs
Found containers, Tweezers and glue, Sealing
Era
Before the wall
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
The sardine-tin sea, The walnut theatre, a history chapter
Hinging Proposed — not canon until approved
Fitting hinges and latches to things that were never meant to open. Sometimes too many.
Needs
Tweezers and glue
Era
The wall
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
A well-kept secret, The unnecessary handle, The Slopwright’s sketchbook, an open question

Light

The lamp that’s always on, and every lesser light.

The lamp Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
A lamp that is always on. It has been on since before the workshop, which is not a technique so much as a habit.
Needs
Nothing first
Era
Before the wall
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household, The tin
On record in
The lamp, an open question
Sardine oil Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Best sardine oil, from the far end of the sea in the tin.
Needs
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The tin
Known by
The tin
On record in
Lamp oil, The sardine-tin sea
Wicks Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
A good wick, from a great curtain.
Needs
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The company
Known by
The company
On record in
Wick, The walnut theatre
Lamp glass Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
A chimney of clear glass, still in the plastic. The showroom has one on display.
Needs
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The stock
Known by
The stock
On record in
Lamp glass, The showroom
Relighting Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Putting the lamp that’s always on back on: oil, a wick and a glass, none of them from the workshop.
Needs
The lamp
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
Uses
sardine oil, wicks, lamp glass
On record in
The lamp goes out, Always On
Keeping a lighthouse Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
A torch in an anchovy tin, kept lit for a sea that is mostly oil.
Needs
The lamp, Found containers
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The tin
Known by
The tin
On record in
The lighthouse, Lumen
Candles Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
A thread through a lump of wax. Two at a time.
Needs
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
Make Do’s candle

Heat and metal

What the tealight stove can do under the bench.

A bench Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Four planks, square. Everything bigger is made on one.
Needs
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
Make Do’s bench, Make Do’s sticks, The Slopwright’s bench
Picks Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
A lolly pick digs tin; a tin pick digs brass; a brass pick digs clockwork.
Needs
A bench
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
Make Do’s pick1, Make Do’s pick2, Make Do’s pick3
The tealight stove Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Tin scrap round a candle. It melts while you are away.
Needs
Candles, A bench
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
Make Do’s stove
Melting Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Tin scrap into sheet, a shard into a pane, brass screws into a bar.
Needs
The tealight stove, Picks
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
Make Do’s tinsheet, Make Do’s pane, Make Do’s brassbar
Slop sealant Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Two slop and a wax make enough to seal a submarine, twice.
Needs
Making slop
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
Make Do’s sealant
A sardine-tin submarine Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
A tin hull, a porthole, a brass propeller, two buttons and slop to seal it. Small.
Needs
Melting, Slop sealant, Sealing, Clockwork
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
Make Do’s submarine, Sardine-tin submarine, Make Do

Slop

The material: made in batches, skimmed, piped and, eventually, directed.

Making slop Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Generic when nobody directs it. Made in batches, kept in vats.
Needs
Found containers
Era
The wall
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
Slop, Fresh slop, a history chapter
Skimming Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Somebody has to skim the vats under the workshop, with a ladle.
Needs
Making slop
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
Skim, The Skimmer
Plumbing Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Pipe, valves and crosses, laid faster than the slop can follow them.
Needs
Making slop
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
Pipe Down, Valve, Cross, The drain
Directing slop Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Making generic slop on purpose, then saying what you mean until it isn’t.
Needs
Making slop
Era
The classroom
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
Taught by
slop to style
On record in
a curriculum pathway, The Slop Curriculum
House styles Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
One look across many pieces, kept by rules and tools rather than vibes.
Needs
Directing slop
Era
The classroom
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
Taught by
slop at scale
On record in
a curriculum pathway
Games made with a machine Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
One verb, rails for the machine, and tests that play the game before anyone else does.
Needs
House styles
Era
The classroom
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
Taught by
slop that plays
On record in
a curriculum pathway, a history chapter
Sound from recipes Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
One sound per event, made from a recipe and checked with a meter, because the machine can’t hear it.
Needs
House styles
Era
The classroom
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
Taught by
slop that sounds
On record in
a curriculum pathway, a history chapter
Motion as data Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Keys, arcs and holds written down, so every frame can be checked.
Needs
House styles
Era
The classroom
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
Taught by
slop that moves
On record in
a curriculum pathway, a history chapter

The kitchen

Kettles, layers and tins. Mostly tea.

Boiling a kettle Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
A kettle, and a cup of tea that is slightly too hot, which is correct.
Needs
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household, The tin, The company, Staff only, The four coworkers
On record in
Kettle, The break room, Always On’s tea
Brewing coffee Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Steam, grounds and opinions about milk.
Needs
Boiling a kettle
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The four coworkers
Known by
The four coworkers
On record in
Brewster, Coffee machine
Setting in layers Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
A jelly, a layer at a time. Tiered, if somebody is showing off.
Needs
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
Stack, The Centrepiece
Tinning Proposed — not canon until approved
Soup into a tin, to be warmed by hand later. Every tin in the oil cellar is empty.
Needs
Sealing, Boiling a kettle
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
Always On’s soup, The oil cellar
Toasting Proposed — not canon until approved
Two slices in, two slices out. Once, two slices of cloud.
Needs
Nothing first
Era
The wall
On record in
Light breakfast, Haunted toast and the aye-aye

Mending

Routine maintenance of the sky, the sea and the weather.

Mending Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Repairing the sky while everyone sleeps; ironing the creases out of the sea before the tide comes in.
Needs
Tweezers and glue
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
The Night Mender, Pressing Matters, Make Do’s thread, an open question
Picking weather Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Collecting tomorrow’s weather before it ripens, and keeping it in things never meant to hold it.
Needs
Found containers
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
The Idea Harvester, Kept weather, an open question

Paper

Filed, stamped or stapled, in that order.

Filing Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Folders, drawers and a rolodex that files things into your deck whether you like it or not.
Needs
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The office supplies
Known by
The household, The office supplies
On record in
A folder, Filing cabinet, Rolodex
Copying Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Copy, toner, warm up, print, jam. In that order.
Needs
Filing
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The office supplies
Known by
The office supplies
On record in
The photocopier, an open question
Franking Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Frank, stamp, meter, post. The post goes, eventually.
Needs
Copying
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The office supplies
Known by
The office supplies
On record in
The franking machine, The office supplies
Laminating Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Seals a whole cluster at once. Foil shrugs it off.
Needs
Filing, Sealing
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The office supplies
Known by
The office supplies
On record in
Laminator
Folding Proposed — not canon until approved
Last year’s invoices, folded until they fly.
Needs
Filing
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The office supplies
Known by
The office supplies
On record in
Paper wasp, Paper moth, Paper moths in the archive

The web

Homepages, catalogues and a door for machines.

Homepages Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
A little house on the web, with a guestbook inside and a counter on the door.
Needs
Nothing first
Era
The filing
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household, The tin, Staff only, The office supplies, The four coworkers, The draughts
On record in
A homepage, a history chapter
Cataloguing Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Filing a whole world, each entry checked against the games that invented it.
Needs
Filing
Era
The filing
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
a history chapter, The codex
A door for machines Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
A small read-only door where other machines can look. It can look; it can’t touch.
Needs
Nothing first
Era
The classroom
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
a history chapter, a history chapter
Names and books Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Two words and a number for anyone who asks, and books the server checks itself.
Needs
Homepages, Cataloguing
Era
The counter
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
Names on the network, The books, a history chapter

Small machines

Cogs, notes and steady hands.

Clockwork Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
A cog, dug from the clockwork layer, and a clock that is right, eventually.
Needs
Melting
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Known by
The household
On record in
Make Do’s cog, Make Do’s propeller, The alarm clock
Writing songs as notes Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Notes on paper, holes in a roll: a tune anyone can play back the same way.
Needs
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The company
Known by
The household, The company
On record in
Sheet music, The piano roll, The Big Number (aria), a history chapter

Know-how

Containers

Found containers Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Tweezers and glue Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Sealing Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

A whole place in a small container Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Hinging Proposed — not canon until approved

Light

The lamp Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Sardine oil Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Wicks Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Lamp glass Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Relighting Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Keeping a lighthouse Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Candles Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Heat and metal

A bench Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Picks Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

The tealight stove Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Melting Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Slop sealant Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

A sardine-tin submarine Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Slop

Making slop Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Skimming Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Plumbing Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Directing slop Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

House styles Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Games made with a machine Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Sound from recipes Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Motion as data Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

The kitchen

Boiling a kettle Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Brewing coffee Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Setting in layers Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Tinning Proposed — not canon until approved

Toasting Proposed — not canon until approved

Mending

Mending Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Picking weather Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Paper

Filing Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Copying Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Franking Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Laminating Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Folding Proposed — not canon until approved

The web

Homepages Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Cataloguing Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

A door for machines Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Names and books Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Small machines

Clockwork Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Writing songs as notes Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest