Was there any better feeling as a child than finishing a connect-the-dots puzzle to see the picture you’d created? Here are our picks for history’s Top 5 Dots…

Dippin’ Dots

The flash-frozen ice cream snack turns 35 this year. Because they are created with liquid nitrogen at a super-low temperature, you can’t find them in the freezer aisle. More likely at a ballpark, arena, mall kiosk or vending machine.

Fictional Dots

The all-time greats include Dot Freeland (Frank L. Baum’s follow-up to Dorothy), Dot Warner (the lone female Animaniac), Dot from A Bug’s Life and Little Dot (the dot-obsessed Harvey Comics character).

Non-Fictional Dots

Dr. Dot Richardson (two-time Olympic gold medal shortstop), Dot Wilkinson (member of both the Bowling and Softball Halls of Fame), Dot Lemon (pioneering aviatrix) and Dot Farley (star of dozens of Mack Sennett film comedies).

DOTS Candy

The gum drop you never bought at the movies or wanted at Halloween, but somehow couldn’t resist—at the peril of crowns and fillings. Well, someone’s eating them; last year Tootsie Roll Industries pumped out 4 billion of them.

The Dots in Ellipsis

One of the great forms of punctuation, which says so much by not saying anything. Among the masters of the ellipsis was San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen.

Honorable Mention

The Zen Dots font, the award-winning Dots video game, the Dots in Morse Code, Lego Dots, the Department of Transportation and slick-fielding Kearny, NJ, native Dots Miller of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Photo Credits:

Dot and Tot • Geo. M. Hill

Dot Warner • The WB

Little Dot • Harvey Entertainment Group

Dot Richardson • Liberty Univ. Athletics

Dot Wilkinson • Softball History USA

Dot Lemon • Upper Case

Dot Farley • Univ. Of Washington