"That's the oldest trick in the book!" How many times have you heard that....?

Question

....well I want to know, what really is the oldest trick in the book? And what's the book???

Answer 1

Oldest Trick in the Book is the infamous "Tapping on a person's left shoulder when you're standing on their right." This trick was first chronicled in cuneiform by the Ancient Sumerians, who lived on the windswept steppes of Mesopotamia. This chronicalisation also created "The Book" itself. (And I think we can take that with a pinch of salt!!).

Answer 2

The oldest trick in the book is $20.
The second oldest trick is $50.
Think about it.
tc

Answer 3

the oldest trick is saying "That's the oldest trick in the book!" The book is some off-brand, random joke book (or at least, that's how I think of it).

Answer 4

OK what it really means. It was an old adage among writers. Writers, especially mystery writers, use tricks, or proven methods of getting out of/into predictments. The oldest trick is one they used most often. Hence, the oldest trick in the book.

Answer 5

The oldest trick is a 95 year old John in the bordello appointment book.

Answer 6

The Oldest trick in the book is hitting on yer mom!

Answer 7

the oldest trick in the book is telling a girl"of course I'll marry you"

Answer 8

Scenario is usuallly hero held up by villain with gun moves his eyes to look behind him and widens his eyes. Villain says "Come off it that's the oldest trick in the book.". Then hero's sidekick whomps him over the head. This begs the question why the hero doesn't avoid looking at his friend and giving his approach away.

Answer 9

"The book" must mean "time." Don't know about the "oldest trick," though...

Answer 10

The oldest trick in the book is turning invisible. How you do it I dunno cause its a really old book and I lost it a ways back.