The Mishna and Gemoro discuss that the Kohen was not allowed to put out a thumb during the Payas. (The reasons I have seen are that either the thumb can be stretched far from the other fingers, or that the thumb can be quickly put in and out at the last moment).
The Mishna/Gemoro only seem to be discussing one hand. Someone asked in our shiur (by R.Simcha Bamberger): Couldn't a Kohen put in one finger from each hand. These fingers could obviously be moved further away than other fingers, and could also be put in and out very quickly. (Maybe the Kohanim had to put one hand behind their back or something similar?)
It appears that we do not suspect that a Kohen will extend an additional hand, for, should he do so his attempt at deceipt would be clear to everyone. The thumb, on the other hand, could be extended and made to look like it was someone else's finger without being noticed.
M. Kornfeld
I don't know if this is relevant to the list, but the Israeli army uses the
payiss method when choosing volunteers. Or at least that's what they did
when I did boot camp 18 years ago: we'd all line up and when noone wanted
to volunteer for something (who ever did volunteer
So we can even be melamed zchuss the Israeli army's officers/commanders,
even if _they_ don't know where their strange methods came from
Kol Tuv,
Chaim