Chapter XIV: Part 14

The following clever Metagram is from the pages of the "Modern Sphinx," a book which contains upwards of a thousand different examples of the various kinds of riddles and puzzles in existence:--

There's a word, you'll agree, commencing with B }
That expresses a cool pleasant shade; } BOWER.
But remove letter B and substitute C, }
Apprehensively shrinking 'tis made; } COWER.
Take away letter C, replace it by D, }
It will name what's bestowed on a bride; } DOWER.
Now if D is erased and by G replaced, }
A Welsh word, meaning crooked, is spied; } GOWER.
Thus far very well, now substitute L, }
We are going down now you will say; } LOWER.
Letter L shall be gone, and M be put on, }
There's a man cutting grass to make hay; } MOWER.
But when M shall have fled put P there instead, }
It will name what is mentioned of steam; } POWER.
Pray just now P erase, put R in its place, }
There's a man gliding down with the stream; } ROWER.
But now take R away, put S there, we say, }
That a farmer at work then it names; } SOWER.
If for S you put T you surely will name }
A noted place close by the Thames. } TOWER.

The following is a good specimen metagram:--

Of letters four, I do denote
A man of wisdom great,
But cooks do often me devote
To share--alas!--a goose's fate;
But change my head, and then, instead,
Part of a book you'll find;
And if again I'm carefully read,
A youth who walks behind;
Change once again, and then you will
A furious passion see,
Which reason vainly tries to still,
Keep far removed from me;
Another change, and you will then
See I'm remuneration
Earned by all grades of working men
Throughout the British nation;
But change my head once more, and then
A prison I appear,
From which sweet sounds oft issue forth
That pleasant are to hear.

_Answer_: SAGE. PAGE. RAGE. WAGE. CAGE.

Below is a list of some words suitable for Metagrams, together with the various changes which each word allows:--

Bear, Tear, Lear, Gear, Wear, Hear, Pear, Year, Rear, Fear, Sear,
Dear, and Near.
Book, Cook, Hook, Look, Nook, Rook, Took.
Waste, Taste, Paste, Caste, Baste.
Bine, Fine, Kine, Dine, Line, Mine, Nine, Pine, Vine, Wine.
Bound, Found, Hound, Mound, Pound, Round, Sound, Wound.
Cork, Pork, Fork, York.
Dame, Fame, Game, Came, Lame, Name, Same, Tame.
Cake, Lake, Rake, Sake, Take, Wake.
Tent, Rent, Lent, Kent, Dent, Cent, Bent.
Vast, Mast, Last, Fast, Cast, Past.
Heather, Feather, Leather, Weather.
Palter, Falter, Salter, Halter.
Basket, Casket, Gasket.

WORD CAPPING.

Word puzzles under this name are to be found in some old riddle books, but such puzzles are now usually known, and have been here described under the more modern name of Metagrams. (_See_ previous page.)

PARAGRAMS.

The meaning of Paragram is a play upon words, otherwise a pun, a paragrammatist and a punster being convertible terms. The word Paragram may further be explained as a word or phrase which admits of a double meaning, the effectiveness of which consists in the incongruity and consequent humour caused by the word or phrase being used in totally different senses to that customarily attributed to it. Punning is only effective when impromptu, and can hardly be classed among the social round of word puzzles; but, on the other hand, Paragrams may be constructed which bring out the different meaning of the same word, giving rise to the exercise of ingenuity, and at the same time affording fun and amusement. The following illustrations will show in what the peculiarity of Paragrams consists, and how far superior as a puzzle Paragrams are to mere puns:--

I strengthen the weak, I cross the wide sea,
I frighten the thief, and I grow on a tree.

_Answer_: BARK.

I am a letter and a word,
I am a tree and Christian name;
And should you me in pieces cut
Yourself and act would be the same.
Weigh this with care, and then no doubt
You'll find its simple meaning out.

_Answer_: U. YOU. YEW. HUGH. HEW.

EXTRACTIONS.

As its name implies, this novel and interesting logogram is formed by extracting from sentences the letters of a word which has been chosen as the key to the word puzzle. Its method of construction may be thus simply explained. A certain word is to be selected, and from the letters only which compose that word, but repeated as often as found necessary, an expression of an idea or ideas is to be evolved in one or more sentences. The peculiarity of "Extractions," wherein they differ from other logograms, will be found in the ingenuity and skill necessary to be displayed in the choice of a suitable word, and more particularly in the composition of the diction, in which the letters of that word shall appear.

The following illustration shows how a sentence may be constructed, solely with the letters which make up the name of an English county:--

1. A great nation is sometimes the gainer in not resorting
to arms against its enemies tho' their aim is to mar its
interest.--Nottinghamshire.

The puzzle is, of course, to discover the name of the county.

This puzzle may be modified by infusing a clue to its solution in the insertion of words _underlined_, which are made up of letters not all comprised in the key word, thus affording a ready means of discovering the letters which are to be discarded in the search, and it answers also another good purpose in affording the riddler more scope in composing his sentences.

Amongst the many illustrations of this style of presentment which have come under our notice we have selected the following amusing one as an example:--

2. Once in a museum at Milan _with my_ uncle Ormond _and_ cousins
Malcolm, Samuel, Simeon, Susan, Anne, Emma, _and_ Ellen, I _saw_ in
succession, a lion, a mule, an ass, a mole, a seal, a mouse, _and_ some
_other_ animals; also, a small case _of_ snails _which I could_ smell
_with my_ nose.--_The_ same noon, _we had_ a nice social meal _at_ an
Inn, a clean menial _serving_ us _with_ essence _of_ Cocoa, luscious
melons, salmon, soles, ale, _and_ moselle; _and we had_ a musician _to_
amuse us.--The letters comprising the words not printed in italics are
to be found in a single word. What is it? _Answer._--"Miscellaneous."

TRANSPOSITIONS.

Transpositions differ from Anagrams only in the fact that the letters from the word or words selected are not formed into a sentence or other words. For example:--

_A Book and its Author._--Trdhsedstotevlfwinalohrchtiyehocfutoeeeeo by Eascepink tap.--which being interpreted reads, What led to the Discovery of the Source of the Nile, by Captain Speke.

_An Author and his Works._

Accdeehiklnrss Charles Dickens.
Abccehiikllnnosy Nicholas Nickleby.
Arabbdegurny Barnaby Rudge.
Acdddeefiilopprv David Copperfield.
Acceehiikppprstwk The Pickwick Papers.
Cdehhiiloooprssttuy The Old Curiosity Shop.

A more interesting form of this puzzle is now shown, in the shape of well-known proverbs changed into other sentences.

_A rolling stone gathers no moss._
Strong lion's share almost gone.
_Time and tide wait for no man._
I don't admit women are faint.
_Birds of a feather flock together._
It rocks, the broad flag of the free.

But as these proverbs are changed into sentences, they come more properly under the heading of Anagrams. They are given here, however, as in some circles they will be more familiarly known as Transpositions rather than as Anagrams.

DEFINITIONS.

The proposition to define "Definitions" becomes in itself almost a play upon words, but we may explain that though "Definitions" cannot properly be classed under riddles or word puzzles, yet they are so much akin to them that they claim a place here, with "Fireside Fun," and will be found useful as a means of providing amusement. This game will necessitate the use of a table, paper, and pencil or pen and ink. One of the company proposes a word for definition, and it is for the rest of the company to write down their idea of the same in a terse, epigrammatic, poetic, or humorous manner.

A few specimens will illustrate our meaning. Let us suppose the word _Hypocrite_ to have been chosen, and the following definitions of the word to have been given in: the definitions should then be read aloud by some one of the company selected for the purpose.

"He who strives to seem and not to be; to whom reputation is
everything, character nothing."

"A social spoon of polished gilt, in whom it is only possible to
discern distorted reflections of the truth."

"One who wears virtue's livery for the sake of her wages, without any
intention of doing her work."

"One who assumes what he has not; a showman who by a startling outside
picture screens the barrenness of the entertainment within."

"Like a sugar-coated pill, he seeks to hide his true character under an
artificial coating."

Again, as a contrast, take _Hero_ as the selected word to be defined--

"One whose law is love; whose master, duty; whose armour, courage,
faith, and hope; and who seeks not glory."

"A victor over Self--the hardest and the noblest conquest of all, but
one for which the world has no laurel wreath."

"A nobleman of Nature, who has seized his opportunities and displayed
the attributes of his race."

"The true hero is the champion of truth, the servant of right, the
ruler of himself, and the sworn foe of all that is ignoble."

"He who for others sacrifices Self."

"He who fears nothing but his own disgrace."

"He who is stronger than his fellows, and makes his fellows stronger by
his strength."

_A Coward._

"One who does both good and evil at the bidding of fear."

"He who puts honour in peril, to take himself out of peril."

"One who has stopped the ear of manliness with the cotton-wool of Self."

_Pleasure._

"The emotion we feel after doing a great and noble action."

"The jollification overnight, leaving a headache for the morrow."

"A Will o' the wisp, ever pursued but never overtaken."

"A false coin, passed off as happiness."

"The leader of folly."

"The sure accompaniment of wisdom."

Many of the above definitions will be recognised as well-known quotations.

Other subjects may be started, such as:--_Progress--Rivalry--Nonsense-- Nothing--Thanks--Regards--Vanity--Ridiculous,_ and the game may be varied by combining several of these, and forming sentences in which each word shall have its due place, as "_Vanity_ is a disease which preys upon all the good qualities in the human system, reduces them to an aspect _ridiculous_ in the extreme, and precludes all ideas of mental _progress_," or, "_Nothing_ gives _pleasure_ in successful _rivalry_, if the victory is not honestly won."

INVERSIONS.

Change of order, a turning backward, is the dictionary meaning of this term, and clearly explains the method by which this simple puzzle is constructed.

"Inversions" belong to the same genus as the Logogram, which has been fully described, but have their own peculiarities, as the following examples will plainly show:--

Two letters which express a superfluity,
Inverted name a famous Eastern County.
_Answer_: XS (Excess). SX (Essex).

Invert a title common in Spain,
A mark of recognition you obtain.
_Answer_: Don, Nod.

Invert a colour, quiet, staid,
A term for Poet you have made.
_Answer_: Drab, Bard.

Invert a sliding box in case or table,
You'll find a recompense--it is no fable.
_Answer_: Drawer, Reward.

A portion if 'tis backwards read,
Will prove to be a snare instead.
_Answer_: Part, Trap.

HIDDEN WORDS.

This puzzle is very similar in principle to many of the other word puzzles previously described; but in that it has peculiarities and merits of its own, we give it a place by itself. It is like in many respects to the old-fashioned word puzzle known as "Discoveries," indeed, "Hidden Words" is a modification of and an improvement upon "Discoveries." In the older and now almost obsolete puzzle, it was the practice for the riddler to propound some sentence in which certain words might be made by piecing together here and there certain letters or combinations of letters formed in the sentence, and which letters, when duly pieced together, would give the designation of some person or persons, place or places, or other object. The following is an illustration of the puzzle in question, and for the better information of the reader the letters to be discovered have been printed in italics; in the actual puzzle, however, it is to be understood that the letters to be discovered are not to be marked in any manner different from the remainder of the text.

_Example_: Find the name of a great warrior, and a battle he fought, in the following sentence:--

You are looking quite _well_ s_in_ce you came from Bri_g_h_ton_; no
doubt the fresh air and sea _water_ were very beneficia_l_ t_o_ y_o_u.

_Answer_: Wellington, Waterloo.

In the modification of this puzzle, which we here treat under the title of "Hidden Words," the practice is to so construct the sentence from which the hidden word is to be picked out, that all the letters forming the word shall be found consecutively and in their proper order. Greater care has, consequently, to be exercised by the proposer of the riddle, while, at the same time, the difficulty of guessing the answer remains sufficient to make the task worth attempting. The few illustrations following will be useful as examples of the nature of the puzzle. The letters out of which the hidden word is composed are printed in italics, to make the object of the puzzle clear to all:--

I at once rowe_d over_ to the opposite side of the river.

The hidden word is the name of a seaport town in England, a fashionable
sea-side resort, and a military depôt.

_Answer_: Dover.

Fe_ar no_thing from me, I have no wish to harm you.

Hidden word is the name of a river in Italy.

_Answer_: Arno.

Hu_sh, Ann, on_ly you need go.

The name of one of the largest and most historically celebrated rivers
in the British Isles.

_Answer_: Shannon.

Is i_t ham, es_pecially cooked for me?

Another large and famous British river.

_Answer_: Thames.

I thought it was cap_ital, y_our rendering of the character of Iago.

The name of a country of Europe.

_Answer_: Italy.

_Will I am_use the remaining guests?

A Christian name.

_Answer_: William.

In the construction of a riddle, acrostic, word-puzzle, or enig_ma;
caul, ay_green, and words like these, and which are but rarely
employed, are useful for mystification.

The name of a celebrated essayist and historian.

_Answer_: Macaulay.

The puzzle of "Hidden Words" is sometimes described under the names of "Hidden Cities," "Hidden Rivers," "Hidden Poets," "Hidden Countries, Battles, Events," and the like.

NUMBERED CHARADES.

The "Numbered Charade" is a species of conundrum, simple in its construction, but possessing enough point to rivet the attention of all the company as to its probable meaning. It possesses, too, a distinguishing characteristic over other riddles, in the contagious influence it exercises upon all seeking its solution. The riddler's quick wit, set to work to solve a good Charade, may possibly fail in that attempt; but assuredly the task itself will suggest ideas of words and their arrangement which he may, in his turn, announce to the social circle, and thus "keep the ball rolling." This accounts for the great favour in which Charades are held as a popular source of amusement.

A Charade is an enigmatical composition which describes an object; the name of this object should be composed of two or more syllables, each syllable having a separate and different meaning. In announcing the Charade, which may be written in prose or verse, it must be divided into my _first_ (first syllable); my _second_ (second syllable); my _third_ (if there are more syllables than two); and my _whole_, which should signify the name of the object of the puzzle. With this explanation we shall present to our readers a selection of examples, old and new.

A poetic Charade, by Winthrop Mackworth Praed, has much merit, and is noted for the length of time it remained undiscovered. Miss Mitford, in her "Literary Recollections," confesses her inability to solve it, which was shared by all to whom she had propounded it.

"Sir Hilary charged at Agincourt;
Sooth! 'twas an awful day!
And though, in that old age of sport,
The ruffers of the Camp and Court
Had little time to pray,
'Tis said that Sir Hilary muttered there
Two syllables by word of prayer.
My _first_, to all the brave and proud,
Who see to-morrow's sun.
My _next_, with her cold and quiet cloud,
To those who find their dewy shroud
Before the day be done.
And both together, to all bright eyes,
That weep when a warrior dies."

The answer is supposed to be GOOD NIGHT; _good_ for those who survived;
_night_, "with her cold and quiet cloud," falling on the dead; and a
good-night to the fair dames who wept for them.

The following amusing four lines of doggerel verse were composed by Mr. Mark Lemon. They fulfill all the requirements of the Charade, and will be appreciated as a slight souvenir of that master of humour, who so long edited the pages of _Punch_:--

Old Charlie Browne, who a big rogue was reckon'd,
Was brought up at my _first_ for making my _second_.
He was fined, and because he no money would pay,
Had to work with my _whole_ on the Queen's highway.

_Answer_: Barrow (Bar-Row).

The eminent statesman, George Canning, is responsible for our next.

Though weak to a proverb my _first_ has been reckoned,
The game is so constantly made of my _second_;
Yet, to hosts without number, my _whole_ bade defiance,
And the world stood amazed at the beauteous alliance.

_Answer_: Waterloo (Water-Loo).

Archbishop Whately thus tersely arranges our next:--

My _first_ is equality, my _second_, inferiority; my _whole_,
superiority.

_Answer_: Peerless (Peer-Less).

Charles James Fox, amidst all the cares and anxieties surrounding a great Parliamentary leader, found time to indulge his vein of pleasant humour in this fascinating pastime. The following was his composition:--

My _first_ is expressive of no disrespect,
But I never call you by it when you are by;
If my _second_ you still are resolved to reject,
As dead as my _whole_ I shall presently lie.

_Answer_: Herring (Her-Ring).

The following miscellaneous charades will further explain the great variety of these puzzles, may in themselves afford amusement, and will be useful as models on which other charades may be formed. If, unlike the preceding, they can claim no particular literary merit, it is to be hoped that, as helping forward "Fireside Fun," they will be none the less welcome.

Ride on, ride on, thou traveller bold,
And cast thy looks on _first_;
See how the tempest clouds do lower,
That soon in storm shall burst.
Ride on, ride on, thy _second_ leads
Across the lonely heath,
Where gibbets tell of darksome deeds,
And culprits swing beneath.
Ride on, ride on, my _third_ thou art
An honest one and true;
Beware! a _third_ is lurking near,
Who would his hands imbrue.
Ride on, ride on, ride for thy life,
Spur on thy faithful steed,
For now my _whole_ thy second bars,
Nerved for his lawless deed.

_Answer_: Highwayman.

Safe on my fair one's arm my _first_ may rest,
And raise no tumult in a lover's breast.
My _second_ does the want of legs supply,
To those that neither creep, nor walk, nor fly.
My _whole_'s a rival to the fairest toast,
And when it's most admired, it suffers most.

_Answer_: Muffin (Muff-Fin).

My _first_ is near the dear bright sea,
The green waves oft it lave;
It glitters in the sunshine,
Lies in the deep dark cave.
My _second_ is quite endless,
Like the love of which it tells,
A bright idealisation
Of Love's eternal spells.
My _third_, alas! to say the truth,
Suggests a vacant sty.
My _whole_, a royal residence;
Now, prithee, tell me why.

_Answer_: Sandringham (Sand-Ring-Ham).

My _whole_ is the very reverse of my _second_;
My _first_ for refreshment is used;
And those who have wasted their gifts in my _whole_,
The talents they have, have abused.

_Answer_: Inaction (Inn-Action).

My _first_'s the gift of Mother Eve;
My _next_'s as old as Adam.
Joined, if my meaning you perceive,
Your humble servant, Madame.

_Answer_: Woman (Woe-Man).

I sent my _second_ to my _first_, but many a _whole_ passed before I
saw him again.

_Answer_: Season (Sea-Son).

I put up my _second_ round my legs, swept up my _first_, and put my
feet on my _whole_.

_Answer_: Hearthrug (Hearth-Rug).

My _first_ should be my _second_, but I would not be my _whole_.

_Answer_: Beardless (Beard-Less).

My _first_ monopolises Dublin's busy highways; my _second_ is Love's
favourite epithet; my _whole_ in drawing-rooms is always found.

_Answer_: Carpet (Car-Pet).

Britannia rules my _first_ by means of my _second_, in spite of every
caprice of my _whole_.

_Answer_: Seasons (Sea-Sons).

My _first_ I hope you are, my _second_ I see you are, and my _whole_ I
know you are.

_Answer_: Welcome (Well-Come).

My _whole_ is under my _second_, and surrounds my _first_.

_Answer_: Waistcoat (Waist-Coat).

My _first_ gave us early support; my _second_ is with virtues endowed;
and my _whole_ is to be found near a farmhouse.

_Answer_: Milkmaid (Milk-Maid).

LETTER OR FIGURE CHARADES.

In this description of Charade a word is selected and so arranged that other words may be formed with the different letters. The same letters may be repeated; but care should be taken that every letter forming the Charade word be employed. Thus, the word "Telegraph" being chosen, may be arranged in the following manner, and the Charade be propounded as follows:--

I am a word of nine letters: ^a my 1, 2, 7 is a Chinese plant; ^b my
5, 6, 7, 1, 2 is a fireside requisite; ^c my 5, 6, 2, 7, 1 signifies
vast; ^d my 5, 6, 7, 8, 4 is the name of a luscious fruit; ^e my 9, 4,
7, 1 signifies warmth; ^f my 8, 4, 7, 6 is the name of a fruit; ^g my
1, 4, 7, 6 signifies to rend; ^h my 6, 4, 7, 8 must be done with corn
previously to gathering it in; ^i my 5, 7, 1, 9, 2, 6 is to collect; ^j
my 8, 2, 4, 3 is to pare; ^k my 7, 3, 2 is the name of a malt liquor;
^l my 9, 7, 3, 4 means hearty; ^m my 7, 8, 4 is an animal; ^n my 9, 4,
7, 3 is to cure; ^o my 3, 4, 7, 8 is to jump; ^p my 3, 4, 5 is the name
of a human limb; ^q my 2, 4, 3 the name of a fish; ^r my 1, 6, 7, 8 is
the name of an article used to catch vermin; ^s my 8, 4, 7, 3 is to
ring; and ^t my whole is a marvellous invention.

_Answer_: ^a Tea; ^b grate; ^c great; ^d grape; ^e heat; ^f pear; ^g
tear; ^h reap; ^i gather; ^j peel; ^k ale; ^l hale; ^m ape; ^n heal; ^o
leap; ^p leg; ^q eel; ^r trap; ^s peal; ^t TELEGRAPH.

One other example of Letter Charades is given, in order to show the vast number of words that can be produced from the letters of one single word:--

I am a word of eight letters: ^a my 4, 3, 5, 6, 8 is significant of
eminence; ^b my 7, 5, 6, 8 is tidy; ^c my 3, 6, 4, 1 are untidy; ^d it
is necessary to frequently practise my 5, 6, 8; ^e my 7, 5, 6, 3 is
not distant; ^f my 1, 5, 6, 8 is a place of rest; ^g my 1, 5, 3, 4, 2
is the name of a woollen article; ^h my 4, 2, 6, 3 is accoutrements;
^i my 4, 6, 8, 5 is an entrance; ^j my 1, 5, 8 is to fix in position;
^k my 1, 2, 3, 5 is dry and withered; ^l my 1, 2, 6 is where ^m my 8,
6, 3, 1 live, and ^n where bad boys are 1, 5, 7, 8; ^o we don't like
to 1, 2, 5 the man call for the ^p 3, 2, 7, 8 and ^q 3, 6, 8, 5, 1; ^r
my 7, 5, 8 is used by fishers; ^s my 8, 5, 7 is a number; ^t my 7, 5,
1, 8 is built in spring; ^u my 3, 2, 1, 8 is needful; ^v my 3, 6, 8 is
vermin; ^w my 6, 7, 8 is an insect; ^x my 7, 6, 4 is a useful animal;
^y my 5, 6, 3 is part of the human body; ^z my 8, 5, 6, 3, 1 is a sign
of sorrow; ^aa my 1, 2, 6, 3 is to burn, and ^bb my whole is an officer
of the army.

Answer: ^a Great; ^b neat; ^c rags; ^d eat; ^e near; ^f seat; ^g serge;
^h gear; ^i gate; ^i set; ^k sere; ^l sea; ^m tars; ^n sent; ^o see; ^p
rent; ^q rates; ^r net; ^s ten; ^t nest; ^u rest; ^v rat; ^w ant; ^x
nag; ^y ear; ^z tears; ^aa sear; ^bb SERGEANT.

VERBAL CHARADES.

A Verbal Charade is a word made up of letters, one of which is contained in each of different specified words. The following example will clearly set forth the peculiarity of this Charade. In the example, the letters forming the Charade word are printed in italics:--

My first is in la_m_b, but is not in sheep;
My second in sh_a_llow, but is not in deep;
My third is in ra_t_, but not in a mouse;
My fourth is in v_i_lla, but not in a house;
My fifth is in _l_ove, but is not in hate;
My sixth in a _d_oor, but not in a gate;
My seventh's in pl_a_nt, but not in a tree,
And now my all a Christian name you'll see.

_Answer_: MATILDA.

Of "Verbal Charades," the above specimen will be sufficient. Puzzles of this nature are evidently easily made, and from the construction of them by using suitably contrasted words as in the above example, considerable fun and amusement may be derived.

ACROSTICS.

An "Acrostic" is a composition in verse, in which the initial letter of each line, taken in order, forms the name of a person, or of some motto which is the subject of the composition. In the expression of good wishes to friends and relatives, on birthdays and other festive occasions, or in the more ardent outpourings addressed to a loved one, the "Acrostic" finds an appropriate place; but in this collection of word puzzles we prefer to deal with that form of "Acrostic" which presents opportunities for the exercise of skill and ingenuity to the riddler. This will be found in the "Double Acrostic," and other forms to be mentioned.

The Double Acrostic may be written either in prose or verse, the condition being, that the initials and finals of the words to be guessed make two names or two words of definite and different meanings.

The Prose Double Acrostic is the more simple form, and our first example will be that known as

_The "Windsor" Double Acrostic_, written by Queen Victoria for the amusement of her children. It may interest riddlers to know that Her Majesty and the late Prince Consort found much pleasure, and were exceedingly clever in the construction of this kind of riddle:--

1. A city in Italy. 2. A river in Germany. 3. A city in the United
States. 4. A town in North America. 5. A town in Holland. 6. The
Turkish name for Constantinople. 7. A town in Bothnia. 8. A city in
Greece. 9. A circle on the globe.

Read the _initials_ downwards, and they form a town in the North of
England: the _finals_ read upwards indicates what that town is famed
for.

1. N a p l e S
2. E l b E
3. W a s h i n g t o N
4. C i n c i n n a t I
5. A m s t e r d a M
6. S t a m b o u L
7. T o r n e A
8. L e p a n t O
9. E c l i p t i C

The _answer_ is--"Newcastle," "Coal Mines."

When verse is employed, it is usual to convey the sense of the whole in a couplet, preceding the description of the syllables, thus:--

'Tis murmured in the last adieu,
When looks are sad, and words are few.
1. The pleasure of a lawyer's life,
In deeds and wills the cause of strife.
2. Fill to the brim my drinking-horn
With this, and drink to Barleycorn.
3. With glass and song until the dawn of day
The roysterer stays with me, beguiling time away.
4. My fourth and last you'll find to be
The title of a nobleman of high degree.

_Answer_: Fare Well. ^1 FlaW, ^2 AlE, ^3 ReveL, ^4 EarL.

An ingenious riddler has devised the following fantastic conceit upon this form of riddle, in which the letters beginning the lines spell a word, while the letters ending the lines form another word of exactly opposite meaning; and in doing this he has cleverly contrived to make this striking contrast the subject of his composition:--

U nite and untie are the same--so say yoU.
N ot in wedlock, I ween, has this unity beeN;
I n the drama of marriage each wandering _goûT_
T o a new face would fly--all except you and I;
E ach seeking to alter the _spell_ in their scenE.

A few examples of the simple prose Double Acrostics may prove serviceable in initiating our readers into the mysteries of this word puzzle, and to this end the following are selected:--

1. A defamatory satire. 2. A town in Portugal. 3. A word poetically
endowed "with its thousand ears." 4. A wood nymph. 5. Severe pain in
the inward parts. 6. Name of a political party in the State. 7. A
creeper. 8. A mask. 9. A title.

The initials and finals form the names and titles of two of Britain's
heroes, both of whom derived fame from exploits achieved in India.

1. L i b e L
2. O p o r t O
3. R u m o u R
4. D r y a D
5. C o l i C
6. L i b e r a L
7. I v Y
8. V i z a r D
9. E s q u i r E

_Answer_: Lord Clive, Lord Clyde.

1. A city of Lombardy. 2. Signifying unfinished. 3. A famous loch in
Scotland. 4. An empire of Europe. 5. What unmarried ladies long for. 6.
Signifying uncovered.

The initials read downwards and the finals upwards, will reveal two
celebrated poets.

1. M i l a N
2. I n c o m p l e t E
3. L o m o n D
4. T u r k e Y
5. O f f e R
6. N a k e D

_Answer_: Milton, Dryden.

1. By Apollo was my first made. 2. A shoemaker's tool. 3. An Italian
patriot. 4. A tropical fruit.

The initials and finals read downwards give the name of a graceful
writer of essays, and the _nom de plume_ by which he was first known to
fame.

1. L y r E
2. A w L
3. M a z z i n I
4. B a n a n A

_Answer_: Lamb, Elia.

1. A writer of a book prophetic. 2. Singular, but not otherwise odd.
3. A joke that does not always end in mirth. 4. A mother-in-law deeply
loved by her son's widow. 5. A law, hostile to woman's rights. 6. The
name of an ancient German emperor and modern king of Greece. 7. A rare
old man.

The initials and finals give the name of a scholar of profound
learning, and the work by which he is best known.

1. J o e L
2. O n E
3. H o a X
4. N a o m I
5. S a l i C
6. O t h O
7. N o n a g e n a r i a N

_Answer_: Johnson, Lexicon.

ENIGMAS.

The Enigma hints the thing it would convey,
In terms quite various--opposite, some say,
The secret it reveals, but not so clear as day;
For in dark and mazy paths it ever loves to stray.

This jingle of four lines will convey to the reader some idea of the peculiarities of this word puzzle. We may, however, add, that the modern enigma may be based upon a single object, word, or even a letter of the alphabet; and, like the conundrum, may be made to turn on the rare and unusual use of the word employed.

The most celebrated enigma, perhaps, is one formed on the letter H. It has for years been attributed to, and is included in the works of, Lord Byron, from a copy of which we extract it; but the belief is now prevalent that it was written by Miss Katherine Fanshawe.

"'Twas whisper'd in heaven, 'twas mutter'd in hell,
And echo caught faintly the sound as it fell;
On the confines of earth 'twas permitted to rest,
And the depths of the ocean its presence confess'd.
'Twill be found in the sphere when 'tis riven asunder,
'Tis seen in the lightning, and heard in the thunder;
'Twas allotted to man from his earliest breath,
It assists at his birth, and attends at his death;
Presides o'er his happiness, honour, and health,
Is the prop of his house, and the end of his wealth.
In the heap of the miser 'tis hoarded with care,
But is sure to be lost in his prodigal heir.
It begins every hope, every birth it must bound,
It prays with the hermit; with monarchs is crowned;
Without it the soldier and seaman may roam,
But woe to the wretch that expels it from home.
In the whispers of conscience 'tis sure to be heard,
Nor e'en in the whirlwind of passion is drowned;
'Twill soften the heart, though deaf to the ear,
'Twill make it acutely and constantly hear;
But in short, let it rest--like a beautiful flower,
Oh, breathe on it softly, it dies in an hour."

Lord Byron did, however, compose an Enigma on the letter I, which is equally clever, but perhaps not so well known:--

"I am not in youth, nor in manhood, nor age,
But in infancy ever am known;
I'm a stranger alike to the fool and the sage;
And though I'm distinguished in history's page,
I always am greatest alone.
I am not in earth, nor the sun, nor the moon;
You may search all the sky--I'm not there.
In the morning and evening--though not in the noon--
You may plainly perceive me; for, like a balloon,
I am midway suspended in air.
Though disease may possess me, and sickness and pain,
I'm never in sorrow nor gloom.
Though in wit and in wisdom I equally reign,
I'm the heart of all sin, and have long lived in vain,
Yet I ne'er shall be found in the tomb."

The next two Enigmas are attributed to Charles James Fox.

"Formed long ago, yet made to-day;
And most employed when others sleep;
What few would like to give away,
And fewer still to keep."

_Answer_: A bed.

"You eat me, you drink me, describe me who can,
For I'm sometimes a woman, and sometimes a man."

_Answer_: A toast.

To the pen of Germany's celebrated poet, Schiller, we are indebted for the following expressive Enigma:--

"A bridge weaves its arch with pearls
High over the tranquil sea.
In a moment it unfurls,
Its span unbounded, free.
The tallest ship with swelling sail
May pass 'neath its arch with ease,
It carries no burden, 'tis too frail,
And when you approach, it flees.
With the flood it comes, with the rain it goes,
And what it is made of nobody knows."

_Answer_: Rainbow.

The remaining miscellaneous Enigmas will suffice to show the variations of which the puzzle is capable:--

A lady gave me a gift she had not,
And I received her gift, which I took not;
She gave it willingly, and yet she would not.
If she give it me once I force not;
If she take it again I grieve not.
Consider what this is, and tell not,
For I am fast sworn--I may not.

The answer to this quaint and humorous Enigma is, A Kiss. The last line will be understood by the old adage, "Kiss and never tell."

In other days, when hope was bright,
You spoke to me of love and light,
But now you tell another tale,
That life is brief and beauty frail;
Away, ye grieve and ye rejoice,
In one unfelt, unfeeling voice.

_Answer_: Church Bells.

Enough for one, too much for two, and nothing at all for three.

_Answer_: A Secret.

Scorned by the meek and humble mind,
And often by the vain possessed;
Heard by the deaf, seen by the blind,
I give the troubled spirit rest.

_Answer_: Nothing.

ALPHABETICAL PUZZLES.

The "Alphabetical Puzzle," though simple in its construction, affords an opportunity for the riddler, not only to display his ingenuity, but also to quicken his perception of sound. The puzzle consists in the choice of a word, the sound of which, when uttered, shall be comprised in the naming of one or more letters of the alphabet. The word chosen should then be briefly described or defined, the number of letters forming the word stated, together with the number of letters that, when uttered, give a sound similar to the sound of the chosen word, thus:

A word denoting a volume of water spelt with three letters, but that
can be expressed with one.

_Answer_: Sea, C.

This simple example will make the above description perfectly clear; and we now give some other examples in order to set forth the variety that may be introduced into this kind of amusement.

_Words containing three letters which can be expressed in one_:--

1. Famous gardens _Answer_: Kew Q.
2. English rivers " Dee and Wye D and Y.
3. A tree " Yew U.

_Words containing four letters which can be expressed in two_:--

4. An adjective _Answer_: Wise Y Y.
5. A prophet " Seer C R.
6. Repose and comfort " Ease E E.

_Words containing five letters which can be expressed in two_:--

7. An exertion of mind or body _Answer_: Essay S A.
8. Decrepitude " Decay D K.
9. An English county " Essex S X.
10. To surpass " Excel X L.
11. A lady's Christian name " Ellen L N.
12. A lady's Christian name " Katie K T.
13. Plural of a species of corn " Peas P P.
14. To lay forcible hands on " Seize C C.
15. Requires replenishing " Empty M T.

_Words containing five and six letters which can be expressed in three_:--

16. A tax _Answer_: Excise X I I.
17. A flower " Peony P N E.
18. A plaintive poem " Elegy L E G.

_Words containing six and seven letters which can be expressed in two_:--

19. A superfluity _Answer_: Excess X S.
20. Akin to capsicum " Cayenne K N.

_Words containing six and seven letters which can be expressed in three_:--

21. A likeness _Answer_: Effigy F E G.
22. A state of being " Entity N T T.
23. To pardon " Excuse X Q Q.
24. Dissolution " Decease D C C.

_Word containing seven letters which can be expressed in four_:--

25. A malady _Answer_: Disease D D E E.

GUESSING STORIES.

This is a word puzzle entertainment, into which the riddler may, if by a judicious display of imagery, description, and humour, he only properly sets about his work, introduce much genuine amusement and fun.

The puzzle is best explained by an illustration which is given below, and which can be taken as a model on which other "Guessing Stories" may be constructed.

I am the child of the night, and the child of the day. Some dread me,
some hate me, some find me a good companion. I have walked for many a
mile, but no one ever heard my footfalls. Sometimes my master sends me
on before him, but as he travels as quickly as I do, he sends me back
sometimes, and I have to follow in the rear. I have hands and feet,
head and shoulders, but no body. It is impossible to estimate my exact
height. Nobody has ever looked into my eyes; nobody has ever incurred
my anger. I sometimes in my haste run over people, and am sometimes
trampled under foot by them. When my master writes, I always hold a
pen by his side; and when he shaves, I generally take a razor too.
I have travelled a good deal, and am very old. When Adam walked in
Eden, I, too, was there, and when any new member of Parliament goes to
the House of Commons, I nearly always accompany him. Robinson Crusoe
was disturbed by my approach when I visited him on the Island of Juan
Fernandez; and on one occasion I was the means of defeating an army.
Although I have no eyes, I could not live without light. I am of very
active habits, although I have not the will or the ability to move.
Tell me my name.

_Answer_: A Man's Shadow.

MENTAL SCENES.

These are next-of-kin to "Guessing Stories," they will however be appreciated as they afford perhaps greater scope for vividly descriptive narrative.

The following specimen of a Mental Scene, which is sufficiently close to the original to reveal to all lovers of Shakspere the play upon which it is founded, will serve as an example as to how these scenes may be rendered:--

From camp to camp, throughout the live-long night, nothing is heard
but the hum of either army. So stilly is the scene, that the opposing
sentinels might almost hear each other's secret passwords. The cocks
commence to crow, the armourers, with busy hammers, secure all rivets
in the knights' full armour, the clocks do toll and the third hour of
drowsy morning name, and all gives note of dreadful preparation. Proud
of their numbers, and insolent with pride, one army rises from a night
spent in counting chickens which have ne'er been hatched, and throwing
dice for rich lands not yet secured. Anon they chide the cripple,
tardy-gaited night, which limps so tediously away. They wait the morn,
expectant and exulting. The poor wretches whom they have already, in
imagination, condemned, like sacrifices, by their watch fires, sit
patiently, and inly ruminate the morning's danger. Oh, now behold
the royal captain of this seeming ruined band, walking from watch to
watch, from tent to tent. He bids them all good morrow with a modest
smile, and calls them brothers, friends, and countrymen. Beholding
him, with his cheerful semblance and sweet majesty, one and all pluck
comfort from his looks. A largess, universal as the sun, his liberal
eye doth give to every one, thawing cold fear, and infusing his heroic
nature into all. The scene is blurred over with bloodshed; but a ray
of light reveals this royal captain, victorious against fearful odds,
exclaiming, "O, God, thy arm was here! and not to us, but to thy arm
alone, ascribe we all!"

_Answer_: Agincourt. _See_ Shakspere's _Henry V._

Should difficulty be found in painting in words a "Mental Scene" for the company to discover, a capital plan--as the above example will have indicated--is to read a passage from some great writer, such as Shakspere, or Macaulay, or Sir Walter Scott, or Tennyson, or Carlyle, and leave it to the discernment of the audience to give the name of the scene or incident related. The passage should of course be complete in itself, not too long, and proper names of persons and places which might give a definite clue to the subject of the reading should be removed, and abstract terms like "the hero," "the heroine," "the scene of conflict," and so on, used in their stead. Remember, it is useless to select a "scene" so difficult that no one could identify it or so easy that everybody could discover it.

FOOTNOTE:

[3] English reading:--"Christ our leader: therefore victorious."

INDEX.

A

Acrostics, and double acrostics, 211
Acting charades, 15
Acting proverbs, 9
Acting rhymes, 9
Adjectives, a parlour game, 10
Adventurers, The, a parlour game, 10
Æsop's mission, 11
Album, Animal; a talking picture-book, 52
All fives, 134
All fours, 132
Alphabet games, 11
Alphabetical puzzles, 215
American puzzles "15" and "34," 97
Anagrams, 189
Animal album; a talking picture-book, 52
Animated serpent, 52
Annulette (_see_ Parlour Croquet)
Apple-mill, 53
Apple-woman, a hand trick, 53
Archery, Drawing-room, 59
Arithmetical puzzles, 97-106;
American puzzles "15" and "34" ("Boss"), 97;
the magic nine, a puzzle of fifteen, 98;
the magic thirty-six, or puzzle of one hundred and eleven, _ib._;
the magic hundred, or puzzle of five hundred and five, 99;
the twenty-four monks, _ib._;
to take one from nineteen, so that the remainder shall be twenty, 100;
the famous forty-five, _ib._;
the costermonger's puzzle, _ib._;
the progression of numbers:--
the horse-dealer's bargain,
the sovereign and the sage,
the pin in the hold of the _Great Eastern_ steamship, 101;
how a number thought of may be told, 102;
magical addition, 103;
the clever lawyer, 104;
a new way of multiplying by 9, _ib._;
to reward the favourites and show no favouritism, 105;
the dishonest servants, _ib._;
Lord Dundreary's finger puzzle, to count eleven fingers on the two
hands, 105;
uniform results of multiplication, _ib._;
to ascertain a square number at a glance, 106;
to distinguish coins by arithmetical calculation, _ib._;
properties of numbers, _ib._
Arithmorems, 194
Artists' menagerie, 12

B

Baby elephant, 12
Balancing puzzles:
demon bottle, 58;
magic figure, 64;
obedient soldier, 68;
Pegasus in flight, 75;
steady tar, 86;
the balanced pail, 90;
the balanced stick, _ib._;
revolving coins and needles, _ib._;
the bridge of knives, 91
Balloons, Gas, 60
Balls and rings (puzzle), 93
Balls, German, 60
Balls, Houdin's cups and balls tricks, 178
Bandilor (toy), 54
Battle, Mrs., her opinion of whist, 115
Beggar my neighbour, 149
Bell and hammer, 54
Bellows, Paper, 69
Bézique, 143
Billiards, German, 61
Bird-catcher, The, a parlour game, 13
Birds, beasts, and fishes, a slate game, 54
Birds, fruits, and flowers enigmatically expressed, 192
Bird-whistles, 54
Blind man's buff, 13
Blind postman, 13
Blowing out the candle, 13
Boat, Paper, 70
Bob Short's rules for whist, 110
Bombardment, a round game, 54
"Boss," the American puzzles "15" and "34," 97
Bottle fountain, 153
Bottle imps, 54
Bouts rimés, 14
Bowls, Parlour, 74
Boxes, Paper, 70
Bricks, Toy, 51
"Brother, I'm bobbed," 14
Brother Jonathan, 55
Brough, Robert B., Logogram by, 201
Bucephalus, Mechanical, 66
"Buff says 'Baff,'" 14
Buff with the wand, 15
Byron, Lord, enigma on the letter H ascribed to him, 214;
another on the letter I, by Byron, _ib._

C

Camera (miniature), 55
Candle, Blowing out the, 13
Candle-ends, Eatable, 152
Canning, George, Charade by, 208
Cannonade, or castle bagatelle, 55
Capping verses, 15
Card games, 107-150;
antiquity of card-playing, 107;
long whist, 107-15;
mode of playing, 108;
technical terms used, _ib._;
Bob Short's rules: for first, second, and third hand, 110;
for all the players, _ib._;
laws of the game, 111;
the rubber, _ib._;
shuffling, 112;
first, second, third, and fourth hand, _ib._;
memory, temper, patience, 114;
Mrs. Battle's opinion on whist, 115;
short whist, _ib._;
dumby, or three-handed whist, 116;
double dumby, or two-handed whist, _ib._;
piquet, _ib._;
technical terms, _ib._;
pique, repique, capot, 118;
euchre, _ib._;
two-handed, three-handed, and four-handed, 119;
vingt-un, 120;
speculation, 121;
napoleon, 122;
cribbage, _ib._;
three and four handed cribbage, 124;
ranter go round, 125;
écarté, 126;
technical terms, _ib._;
mode of playing, 127;
loo, limited and unlimited, 128;
technical terms, 129;
cassino, _ib._;
laws of the game, 130;
put, 131;
matrimony, _ib._;
all fours, 132;
blind all fours, 133;
all fives, 134;
poker (stud poker, twenty-deck poker), _ib._;
draw poker, _ib._;
straight poker, 135;
whiskey poker, 136;
snip-snap-snorum, _ib._;
commerce, 137;
sift smoke, 138;
lottery, _ib._;
quince, 139;
Pope Joan, _ib._;
spinado, 140;
old maid, 141;
spade and gardener, 142;
happy families, _ib._;
bézique, 143;
technical terms, _ib._;
bézique without a trump, 144;
snap, _ib._;
zetema, 145;
table of scores, _ib._;
marriages, tricks, 146;
French vingt-un, or Albert Smith, 148;
beggar my neighbour, 149;
catch the ten, _ib._;
cheat, 150;
truth, _ib._
Card, Immovable, 61
Card tricks and combinations, 153-167;
sleight-of-hand, 153;
to palm a card, 154;
to make the pass, _ib._;
to force a card, _ib._;
to make a false shuffle, 155;
to sight a card, _ib._;
the long card, _ib._;
to guess a card thought of, 156;
to show the five cards five different persons have selected, _ib._;
to tell the card thought of out of thirty-five exposed cards, 157;
when the number of cards is not fixed, _ib._;
by arranging the cards in a circle, 158;
to name a card noted, _ib._;
to guess the cards thought of by different persons, _ib._;
to discover a card by touch or smell, 159;
to tell all the cards without seeing them, _ib._;
the nerve trick, 160;
to make a person draw the cards called for, _ib._;
to call for any card, _ib._;
to discover what cards have been turned, 161;
to send a card through a solid table, _ib._;
to tell the pairs, _ib._;
the four kings, 162;
the turnover, _ib._;
to ascertain the number of pips on unseen cards, 163;
like with like, 164;
to make a card come out of a pack, _ib._;
to draw a particular card from a coat pocket, _ib._;
to deal in rotation and in suits, _ib._;
to catch a card from a pack thrown in the air, 165;
the four recruits, _ib._;
the four confederates, _ib._;
the transmutable cards, 166;
the two convertible aces, _ib._;
to tell the number of cards by their weight, _ib._;
to discover a card drawn by the throw of a die, 167
Carpenter's puzzle, 91
Carpet croquet, 56
Cassino, 129
Castle bagatelle, 55
"Cat, The minister's," 34
Catch the ten, 149
Chair, Musical, 35
Charades (_see_ Acting Charades, Figure Charades, Letter Charades,
Numbered Charades, Verbal Charades)
Cheat, 150
Chinese junk, Paper, 71
Chronograms, 198
Clairvoyance, or second sight, 178-180
Clairvoyant, a parlour game, 17
Clever lawyer, 104
Coins distinguished by arithmetical calculation, 106
Coins, Puzzles and tricks with, 90, 167-172
Comic concert, 18
Commerce, 137
Common whistle, 56
Comte, the French conjurer; his feats in ventriloquism, 184
Concert, Comic, 18
Conjuring, 151-180;
authorities:
works of Piesse, Hoffmann, and Cremer, 151;
"Memoirs of Robert Houdin," _ib._;
"Patter," _ib._;
magician's wand and magician's table, 152
Conjuring: simple deceptions and minor tricks, 152-167;
eatable candle-ends, 152;
how to swallow a flame, _ib._;
to pull a string through a button-hole, _ib._;
the cut string restored, _ib._;
the musical snail, 153;
to extract a cork from a bottle without touching the cork, _ib._;
the bottle-fountain, _ib._;
to place wine under a hat, and to drink it without touching the
hat, _ib._
Conjuring with and without special apparatus, 167-178;
the transposable money, 167;
the penetrative coin, _ib._;
the phantom coin, 168;
the coin melted and restored, _ib._;
the flying coins, 169;
the box, the halfpence, and the die, 170;
to pick a marked shilling out of a hat covered with a
handkerchief, 171;
burning the handkerchief, 172;
the augmented coins, _ib._;
to guess the two ends of a line of dominoes, 174;
to get a ring out of a handkerchief, 175;
Herr Frikell's gold-fish trick, 176;
Houdin's cups and balls, 177
(_and see_ Card Tricks and Combinations)
Consequences, a parlour game, 18
Conveyances, a parlour game, 19
Costermonger's puzzle, 100
Crack loo, 56
Crambo, 19;
dumb crambo, 21
"Crandall's toys," 51
Cremer on conjuring, 151
Cribbage, 152
Croquet, Carpet, 56;
Parlour, 74
Cross, Magic, 95
Cross questions and crooked answers, 20
Cryptography, 197
Cup and ball, 56
"Cupid is coming," 20
Cupolette, 56
Cups and balls, Houdin's tricks with, 177
Cushion-dance, 20
Cut-water, 57

D

Dancer, Hydraulic, 61;
pith, 76
Dancing Highlander, 57;
pea, 57
Dart and target, 58
(_see_ Puff and Dart)
Dart, Paper, 72
Dartelle, 58
Definitions (parlour game), 21;
(fireside game), 205
Demon bottle, 58
Diamond word-puzzles, 196
D'Israeli, Isaac, his skill in anagrams, 189, 190
Dominoes, Tricks with, 174
Double acrostics, 212;
example written by her Majesty Queen Victoria, _ib._
Drawing-room archery, 59
Drawing-room racquets, 79
Dumb crambo, 21
Dumby (whist), 116
Dundreary, Lord: puzzle to count eleven fingers on the two hands, 105
Dutch racquets, 59
Dwarf imitated, a parlour game, 21

E

Ecarté, 126
Elements, The, a parlour game, 22
Elephant, Baby, 12
Enfield skittles, 59
Enigmas 192-193;
example on the letter H, by Miss Katherine Fanshawe (ascribed to
Lord Byron), 214;
on the letter I, by Lord Byron, _ib._;
enigmas by Charles James Fox, _ib._;
by Schiller, 215
Euchre, 118
Extractions of words, 204

F