Where have my nipples gone?

I’ve just replaced two spokes on one of K’s wheels (and did one a few months back).  But theres no sign of the nipples.  I was expecting to have to spend an age trying to shake them out of the valve hole. Theres no way they could come out of the spoke holes – I’d have thought the rim would be like a kids rattle but there no sound.

If the spokes don’t extend through the screwdriver slot then the two slides can collapse and as they’re smaller, make their way out.

They’ll be wedged somewhere in the rim waiting for their moment to break free.  Could be next ride, could be a few rides down the line.  But they are waiting….

Could also be that.

Either wedged in the rim, stuck to the rim tape or they will be seeding a fresh sealant gremlin inside your tyre.

They’ll be wedged somewhere in the rim waiting for their moment to break free. Could be next ride, could be a few rides down the line. But they are waiting….

that was my thought when I taped the rim after the first spoke replacement but hasn’t yet emerged.

I retain the nipples by winding a spare spoke into the outer end to prevent this.

I think there are some different interpretations here, we need more info.

Where did the spoke break? Was there any nipple left on the spoke?

Spokes broke at thread, just beyond nipple I’d guess.  no nipple on the ones we found (Straight pull. – one had disappeared completely).