Origin and history of stix

commercial and advertising shortened spelling of sticks (see stick (n.)), attested in newspaper display advertisements for food stores by 1934 (pretzel stix). Potato stix is by 1939; as part of a product name it is in Kindle Stix, used for starting fires, by 1944. It also was the name of an adhesive for dentures, advertised from 1946, and in 1944 it is advertised as a household cement (perhaps not the same product). Krab Stix is attested by 1982. A grocery store in 1950 advertised Pikl Stix.

Thanx for thanks is by 1894. Trix for tricks is attested from 1920 (in combination with six), as the name of a brand of cereal by 1930; in Australia it was the name of a detergent (by 1956). Pix for pic(ture)s is by 1930. Snax for snacks is by 1942. Stax for stacks (of music records) is attested by 1956 (Stax of Wax). Sox for socks is by 1905 in commercial jargon. The famous "Variety" headline "Sticks Nix Hick Pix" is from 1935.

ADVICE NEEDED

Dear Dorothy Bix:

     We're just two hix,

Alone here in the city ;

     We're in a fix—

     A hopeless mix,

So on us please take pity.

     It's not gold brix—

     Ah naw, ah nix—

We're not that simple yet—

     But we are hix,

     Just from the stix,

And a gal was our ill bet.

     Her name was Trix,

     And oh, Miss Bix,

We'd learned to call her "Honey"—

     She ups and pix

     Our coin and "tix"—

And say, that ain't so funny.

     So please, Miss Bix,

     Advise two hix,

How Landlady's wrath to stay,

     For she's a vix—

     Her tongue just clix,

And it's two weeks 'til our pay.

[Kansas City Journal, Jan. 2, 1930]

For earlier substitution of -x- for -cks- compare surnames Dixon, Hixon, Nixon, etc., forms attested from 15c.