In the sport of curling, a wick (or wick and roll) occurs when a moving stone grazes the edge of a stationary stone and changes direction.
While it often happens by accident, skilled players use it as a deliberate strategy to maneuver around guards or reposition stones in the house.
How a Wick Works
- The Contact: Your delivered stone hits only a small piece of a stationary stone rather than hitting it “thick” (dead center).
- The Deflection: The moving stone bounces off at an angle, similar to a bank shot in billiards.
- The Roll: After the hit, the moving stone continues to travel toward a new target area.
Why Players Use It
| Goal | Result |
| Bypassing Guards | You “wick” off a front stone to curve behind it into a hidden position. |
| Better Placement | You use a stationary stone to slow your momentum and stay in the scoring circle. |
| Dislodging Opponents | You hit a stone at an angle to knock an opponent’s rock out of play. |
The “Thin” Wick
Curling commentators often call a very slight graze a “thin wick.” If the moving stone barely touches the other rock, it maintains most of its speed while shifting its path just enough to reach a difficult spot.