Chapter VI: Part 6

Two white balls, one red, and one blue ball are used in the game, and five small skittles are placed in the centre of the board or table. The skittles are of different values, and are numbered as follows (as shown in the accompanying plan). The first opposite to the baulk is one, that to the right two, that opposite to the first, three, the one opposite to the second, four, and the centre skittle, five. The points are made by knocking down the skittles, as shown hereafter, each skittle knocked down counting points according to its number. In commencing to play, the red ball is placed as in the ordinary cannon game of billiards, the blue one beneath it, and the two white balls are retained for the two players who play first. The white balls should be played with alternately by the players, and no score is made except from a cannon, that is, the ball struck with the cue must hit some other ball before the skittle is knocked down; but it does not then matter by which ball the skittle or skittles are knocked down. The first player is bound to strike the red ball, and the second player the blue ball, but afterwards either ball may be struck at. A ball being knocked off the table, or into a pocket when a billiard-table is used, destroys all the points made by the stroke, and if the ball knocked off is either the red or blue ball it must be again placed as in starting the game. The skittles are replaced after every stroke, if necessary. Thirty-one points, neither more nor less, win the game; any one scoring beyond that number is dead and out of the game; or the survivor from amongst all the players wins the game if no one player scores the exact thirty-one required. Any player knocking down the four outside skittles, leaving only the centre one standing, wins the game, having made what is technically called "the royal." After each win a new game is started.

The player who first reaches either twenty-nine or thirty points has the right to stop scoring on his declaring to do so, and any point which he may subsequently make counts to the advantage or disadvantage, as the case may be, of the previous player. This right to stop scoring can only be exercised by one player in each game, and if he who first reaches the required number of points refuses to exercise that right, it passes to the next who attains the required number, and so on.

There is also another version of the game of Skittle Cannonade played on a board specially prepared, and the result of which depends entirely upon chance. A teetotum, as in the game of Cannonade, is used instead of balls and a cue, or sometimes a top is made to do duty for the teetotum. Nine specially-made skittles are used, each of which is placed on a spot inscribed with a number. When the skittles are placed, the top or teetotum is smartly spun at one corner of the board by each player alternately, and the scores are made according to the numbers which are laid bare by the skittles being knocked off them. The great point in the game is to give the top or teetotum a smart jerk when spinning it, so as to make it retain its power of movement as long as possible. This description of the game is far inferior to the version described above, but the whole of the materials form a pretty toy, and much amusement for the youngsters is to be obtained from the game.

SLATE GAMES.

There are a few simple slate games which have been in the past, and no doubt will be in the future, the means of affording innocent amusement to many a youngster. They are none of them very elaborate, are usually intended for only two players, and are best grouped together under the one general heading of Slate Games. The first to be described is the game known as

_Birds, Beasts, and Fishes._--Two boys take their slates, and each one writes down the first and last letters of the name of some bird, beast, or fish, first stating from which category the name is selected, and puts a cross for each of the intermediate letters. For example, A elects to write down the name of a beast, and marks on his slate as follows--Hxxxe; B will perhaps select a fish, and mark on his slate Gxxxxxn; they then exchange slates, and each tries to guess the name of the beast or fish indicated, and fills up the blanks accordingly. It is evident that those indicated above are respectively Horse and Gudgeon.

_French and English._--A slate should be divided into three divisions, the top and bottom divisions each having a small compartment marked off therein, as shown in the annexed diagram. One of the two end divisions should be allotted to the English and the other to the French, and marks put therein to represent the soldiers of the respective nations. Each player having provided himself with a well-sharpened pencil, the game is played as follows:--The players decide the order of play, and he first selected, being supposed to be English, places the point of his pencil at the spot marked in the smaller compartment of the English division of the slate, draws it quickly across the slate in the direction of the opposing army. The pencil will, of course, leave a line marking its track, and all the men of the opposite side, through which the track passes, count as dead. Each player plays alternately, and he wins who first kills all the men on the opposite side. The track of the pencil must be rapidly made, and must be either straight or curved; any track in which there is an angle does not count. Sometimes the players turn their heads or close their eyes when making the track.

+====================+
|| * * * * | ||
|| * * * |/\||
|| * * * |\/||
||------------------||
|| English ||
|| ||
|| ||
|| ||
|| French ||
||------------------||
|| * * * *|/\||
|| * * * |\/||
|| * * * *| ||
+====================+

French and English.]

_Noughts and Crosses, or Tit-Tat-To._--This game, when played out of school-hours, should be wound up with the following rhyme by him who wins the game:--

Tit-Tat-To, my last go;
Three jolly butchers, all of a row.

"When played out of school?" some readers will say. Yes; this qualification is necessary, for it is to be feared and deprecated that this game, as well as that of "Birds, Beasts, and Fishes," is frequently played in school-hours, to while away the weary time that ought to be devoted to the solution of arithmetical or algebraical problems. These slate games are undoubtedly little boys' games, but many are the big boys who indulge in them surreptitiously, if not openly.

| |
X | O | X
----+---+----
O | O | X
----+---+----
X | X | O
| |

Noughts and Crosses.]

The game of Tit-Tat-To is played on a figure, similar to the annexed, made on an ordinary slate. The players alternately mark in the figure--the one a cross, and the other a nought; he who first obtains a row either horizontally, perpendicularly, or diagonally wins the game, and calls "the three jolly butchers, all of a row." The object of each of the players is equally to obtain such a row, and to prevent his opponent from obtaining one.

SPILLIKINS OR SPELICANS.

The game of Spelicans is similar to that of "Jerk-Straws." The spelicans are a number of thin pieces of ivory or bone, cut into odd and various shapes--some like saws, some like spears, some like hooks, &c. Each spelican is inscribed with a number, the lowest being 5 and the highest 40. The spelicans are taken up in the hand of any one of the players, except by him who plays first, and dropped upon the table in a heap; the other player or players, as the case may be, then alternately endeavour to remove a spelican from the heap either with the fingers, or by the aid of two small hooks provided for the purpose, without in the slightest degree disturbing any other spelican. At the end of the game each player adds up the numbers marked on the spelicans he has captured, and he who can show the highest number wins. Sometimes, instead of each player alternately trying to remove one spelican, it is allowed for one player to continue removing spelicans one by one until more than one spelican is disturbed in the same try, when the play passes as before.

SQUAILS.

In some places the game of Squails bears the name of Trails. It is an amusing round game, which can be played on any ordinary table by two or more players of an even number--not, however, exceeding eight. Each player is furnished with an equal number of coloured wooden pieces or discs, which are called squails, and these the player has to place at the edge of the table, half over the edge, and strike them with the open palm of the hand towards a small medal placed in the centre.

The players should be divided into sides, and one from each side should alternately strike a squail towards the medal. An imaginary circle should be drawn round the central medal, into which, if it is knocked out during the play, it must be replaced. The object of the game is to secure for one's own side the largest number of squails near to the central medal, and to obtain that it is legitimate not only to shove one's own squail towards the centre, but also to knock an opponent's squail away or a partner's squail near to the medal.

The game of Squails, for a year or two after its introduction, seemed in a fair way to rank among the most popular round table games, but it soon died out and is now but little played. It deserves, however, much more notice than it usually receives, and we would recommend it as a great improvement on most of the elaborate toy games that are patronised so extensively. A set of squails costs but a trifling sum.

SQUEAKER.

The Squeaker is an instrument with which it is generally supposed that the peculiar squeak of Punch, in the Punch and Judy show, is produced. To make it, get two little pieces of tin, each about an inch long, and half an inch broad, and bend them slightly inwards. Now wind a piece of tape round the pieces of tin when placed together, and fasten the whole together with thread. Blow through the instrument, and by the vibration of the central piece of tape a peculiar squeaking sound will be produced.

Another very simple squeaker is made by placing the two thumbs together alongside of each other, and laying as tightly as possible in the hollow between the thumbs a blade of common grass. If the piece of grass is then blown upon, the same horrible squeaking noise will be produced.

STEADY TAR.

The Steady Tar is another toy of the balancing order, several of which have already been described. To make this toy, stick a needle into a cork, and place the cork, needle upwards, tightly into a bottle. Carve the figure of a sailor--any other figure will answer equally well--out of light wood, cork, or pith, and mount him on a hard wood ball. (_See_ figure in the illustration.) Through the centre of this ball run a wire, which must be bent, as in the woodcut, into a half circle, and to either end of which a small leaden weight or bullet of equal weight must be attached. If the hard wood ball is then placed on the needle sticking out of the cork in the bottle, the figure may be spun round, and tipped in any direction; if properly made it will always recover its erect and steady position.

SUMMER ICE.[1]

This is a capital new in-door game, founded on the celebrated Scottish game of Curling. The materials for the game are made and supplied by some of the toy manufacturers; but the game, which, although founded on Curling, has also some resemblance to Shovel Board, may be played on any ordinary table with a plain surface. The materials as supplied consist of a long mahogany folding board, at one end of which is a circle, and sixteen flat weights. It is the object of the players to hurl the weights along the board to reach the circle at the other end. After the players have delivered their weights, that side which has the greater number of stones lying nearest to the tee or mark counts one for each weight so lying. Thus, if side A has two weights nearer than any belonging to side B, the former would count two to their score.

SYBIL.

_See_ "Prophet."

TABLE CROQUET.

_See_ "Parlour Croquet."

TARGETTA.

The game of Targetta is a drawing-room game, which is played on a target somewhat resembling a pedestal fire-screen, and similar to the illustration annexed. In the oval central part of the target are fixed a number of pins which are retained in their places by means of springs that are dislodged immediately upon the pins being struck. The pins are thrown at by a ball attached by a long string or cord to the top of the target, and scores are made according to the number of the pins dislodged.

TEETOTUM.

The Teetotum is a kind of top or whirligig that is spun round by twisting the upper part between the thumb and finger. It is usually of a hexagon or octagon shape, but sometimes it is four-sided only, and may be easily made by cutting a piece of wood of an inch or thereabouts in diameter, and a third of an inch in thickness, into the required shape. A stick run through the middle of the disc and fixed makes it complete, and the result is a useful rough and homely teetotum.

Originally teetotums had four sides only, which were respectively marked with the letters T, H, N, and P, signifying Take all, Take half, Nothing, and Put in again to pool. The toys, as now improved, are made with more sides, and are variously numbered. In many of the toy games a teetotum is used in place of dice, but simple teetotum games are played with nuts or some such things for stakes. There are otherwise no special games for the teetotum; it is mostly used in various race and other games of chance.

TIT-TAT-TO.

_See_ "Slate Games."

TOURNAMENT.

This is another new round game, a development of and improvement upon some old friends. It is played on a circular mahogany board. A number of tops, teetotums, or champions of different colours are spun in the centre of the board by different players, and these tops are apt to strike and knock each other about. The player whose top dies nearest the centre of the board wins the game. The game may be played on an ordinary tray, or even on a table if desired.

TRAILS.

_See_ "Squails."

TROUBLE WIT.

_See_ "Magic Fan."

WONDERFUL TRUMPET.

The wonderful trumpet is a very simple toy, and to those who like practical joking, affords amusement, except to the one against whom the joke is made. Get a tube made of tin, wood, or cardboard, a piece of cork, and the hollow part of a quill. Cut a slice about half an inch in thickness off the cork, and place it about half-way down the tube, as at _a b_ in Fig. 1 in the illustration. Next cut a second slice from the cork, making notches round its edge, and a hole in the centre through which to pass the quill. When this is done fix it at the points _c d_, contriving so that the quill will extend about two-thirds of the way down the upper compartment of the tube. Instead of closing up the compartment e with a piece of cork at the point _c d_, wood, tin, or cardboard may be used, it only being necessary that a number of small notches or holes should be cut in the material used. The trumpet is then complete, and should be represented by Fig. 2.

The following is the use to which it is put:--Place flour, or some harmless dust or powder, in the compartment of the tube marked _e_, block up as instructed the end at _c d_, hand the trumpet to him against whom the joke is to be directed, and instruct him that by blowing through the end of the quill protruding an effect both marvellous and unexpected will be produced. "Blow hard," say; "the harder the better." If he carries out his instructions the flour or powder will come through the holes or notches at the point _c d_, covering the face of the poor unfortunate victim. Viciousness in the use of this instrument should be sternly condemned--a little flour in a boy's face will not harm him, but great care should be taken to ascertain the effects of the material placed in the tube, as certain powders lodging in a person's eyes might do serious injury. Practical joking is not to be much encouraged, but, practised occasionally, and with fun only for its object, is not to be entirely condemned.

* * * * *

In winding up the section on Toy Games and Toy-making, it is appropriate to quote the remarks of some of the jurors of the Great International Exhibition, held in London in 1862, who said in effect, when speaking of toys generally, in setting forth their views on the subject, "that toys should be vivid, innocent, and delightful; fitted to teach children to open their eyes, to compare and to observe, and to make them aware how rich and varied are the phenomena of the fair world into which they have been placed, and how much happiness is to be obtained in it."

The manufacture of children's toys forms a very considerable item in the leading industries of the world. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland alone imports foreign toys to the amount of upwards of £200,000 annually, and this is entirely in addition to the considerable support given to our extensive home manufacture. Among the miscellaneous toys referred to at the commencement of this section were "Noah's Arks," and much wonder has frequently been expressed at the small sum for which toys of this nature are to be purchased. They are usually the product of the skill of the Germans and the Tyrolese. In the Valley of Grödnerthal, in the Tyrol, where almost every cottage is a carver's workshop, Noah's Ark animals are made in very large quantities from a species of pine. The wood is cut into slabs, of from fifteen inches in diameter by three inches thick, the grain of the wood being in the direction of the thickness. A circular piece, six inches in diameter, is cut out of the centre, leaving a ring four or five inches broad. This ring is turned in a lathe, with chisels and gouges, over every part of the surface, on both sides, and on the inner and outer edges. The curvatures, ridges, &c., are very remarkable, but are perfectly understood by the workmen, and by them only. The outer ridge is then cut up radially into slices, each of which slices presents the outline of some animal on both surfaces, the shaping of the wood in the lathe having been such as to bring about this result. Each separate piece is ultimately brought to completion by hand-carving. One of the museums in Kew Gardens, near London, contains specimens of this singularly ingenious manufacture, in various stages of progress.

FOOTNOTE:

[1] This game has been registered by Mr. Cremer, of 210, Regent Street, as has also the following one called "Targetta."

MECHANICAL PUZZLES.

It would be impossible to give a complete list of the subjects that might be fairly classed under Mechanical Puzzles. What is a puzzle to one generation is none to the next, and so on; new puzzles are constantly being invented and found out. There are a few old ones around which a considerable amount of interest must centre because of their intrinsic merit, and which should find a place in every book prepared for the amusement and recreation of youth; there are also new ones not yet much known, which should be mentioned more because of their newness, perhaps, than their merit.

BALANCING PUZZLES.

A few Balancing Puzzles have been included in the section allotted to Toy Games and Toy-making; for inasmuch as a certain amount of making was necessary, it seemed proper to place them there, and it is sufficient now to refer the reader to that section for some varieties in Balancing Puzzles that are not to be found here.

_The Balanced Pail_ (Fig. 1.)--To balance a pail suspended by its handle on a stick, less than half of which rests on its support, would seem to be an impossible feat. It is to be done, however, if the following instructions be carefully followed:--Take a stick (C D), over which the handle of the bucket or pail is to be placed, and place the stick about two-fifths of its length on a table (A B). The handle of the pail should be so placed over the stick as to be in an inclined position shown by the letters H I, and so that the edge of the pail may touch the edge of the leg or side of the table. To make the pail retain its position, another stick (E F G) will be required, the one end of which should reach to the bottom of the pail, the other end being fitted into a notch previously cut at the point E, in the first stick (C D). The stick (E F G) should rest on the edge of the pail at the point F. The bucket will thus be kept safely balanced, and may, provided the sticks are fairly strong, without risk be filled with water.

_The Balanced Stick._--A stick may be balanced and made to stand upright on the top of the finger by first taking the precaution to insert into its upper end, at about half an inch from that end, two knives, or two forks, or two other articles of equal weight. The stick should be of such a length that the ends of the knives are a trifle lower than the end of the stick when balanced.

_A similar puzzle is to make a coin turn on its edge on the point of a needle, or to make a needle turn on its point on the head of a pin._ For either of these puzzles, get a bottle, cork it tightly, and in the cork (which we will name B) place a needle or a pin; then take another cork (which we will call X) and cut a slit in one of its ends, so that the coin to be balanced will fit into the slit. If it is on a needle that the coin has to be balanced, force the needle into the cork B point outwards. Now stick two common steel forks, one on either side, into cork X, so that the forks hang downwards; place the coin in the slit of the last-mentioned cork and the edge of the coin on the point of the needle. If the needle is to be balanced on a pin, place the needle in the same manner; the weight of the forks will keep the toy balanced, and enable it to be safely spun round without danger of falling.

_The Bridge of Knives_ (Fig. 2).--Three knives may be supported by their handles on the rims of three cups or glasses in the following manner:--Place the glasses in a triangle, each side of which shall be about equal in length to one of the knives to be balanced. The blade of the first knife should rest on the blade of the second by passing over it near to the point where the handle and blade are joined, the blade of the second passing in the same manner over the blade of the third, which is to be made to rest on the blade of the first. The handles being then properly placed on each one of the glasses forming the triangle, the bridge will be made, and it will be strong enough to bear a considerable weight.

THE SQUARE AND CIRCLE PUZZLE.

Cut a square piece of cardboard, marked as shown in Fig. 3, into four pieces of equal size and similar shape, so that each piece shall contain three of the marks, and so that none of the marks are cut. Fig. 4 shows that the puzzle is solved by cutting the lines A from a quarter down on the left-hand side to half-way across, then down through the middle to three-quarters of the distance from the top, and then along to the opposite side of the card. The line B takes a corresponding course, being commenced on the top line at a quarter of the whole distance from the right-hand side.

+-----------------------+
| O O O |
| |
| |
| O O |
| O O |
| O O |
| |
| |
| O O O |
+-----------------------+

Fig. 3.--Square and Circle--The Problem.]

+-----------------+-----+
| O O B| O |
| | |
+A----------+A | |
| O|O | |
| O B +----+-----+B O |
| | O|O |
| | A+-----------+A
| | |
| O |B O O |
+------+----------------+

Fig. 4.--Square and Circle--The Solution.]

THE CARPENTER'S PUZZLE.

This is very similar to the above. A carpenter had to mend a hole in a floor which was two feet wide and twelve feet long. The board given him to mend it with was three feet wide and eight feet long. He was instructed to entirely cover the hole, to allow no part of the board to overlap, and he was allowed to cut the board into two pieces only. He accomplished the feat by cutting the board as shown by the dotted lines in the annexed Fig. 5, and joining them over the hole in the floor in the manner shown in Fig. 6.

+------------------------+
| ............|
|............| |
| |
+------------------------+

Fig. 5.--Carpenter's Puzzle--The Problem.]

+----------------------+----------+
| _____________| |
| | |
+--------+------------------------+

Fig. 6.--Carpenter's Puzzle--The Solution.]

THE DIVIDED FARM.

This is a still more complicated puzzle of the same description. It is the last of the sort we shall give, but many more of a like character may be constructed. A Frenchman died leaving five sons, among whom he had expressed a wish to divide his farm, on which ten trees grew, so that they all might live together in the house (represented by the dark square in the diagrams), and so that each might have an equal share of land, of a similar shape, each share having two trees growing upon it. Fig. 7 shows the land before it was divided; the lines in Fig. 8 show how the fences were put up when the old man's wish had been carried out.

+---------------+
| * * |
| |
| * * * |
| +---+ |
| * | X | * * |
| +---+ |
| * * |
+---------------+

Fig. 7.--The Undivided Farm.]

+-------+-------+
| * | * |
| +---+---+ |
| * | * | * |
+---+---+ +---+
| * | X | * | * |
| +---+---+ |
| * | * |
+-------+-------+

Fig. 8.--The Divided Farm.]

THE VERTICAL LINE PUZZLE.

This puzzle is very old; but, although simple, is very good. It may be treated either as a mechanical or as an arithmetical puzzle. Place six narrow strips of cardboard of equal length in a row, and add five other pieces in such a way that the whole form nine only. The result is shown in the second row of lines, the added pieces being represented by the dotted lines (Fig. 9). This puzzle may be said to be only a play upon words, but in most puzzles there is some catch.

|* | | |* | |* * *
| * | | | * | |
| * | | | * | |* * *
| * | | | * | |
| *| | | *| |* * *

Fig. 9.--The Vertical Line Puzzle.]

THE STRING AND BALLS PUZZLE.

Get a thin piece of wood, bone, or ivory, of the shape shown in the annexed figure (Fig. 10); bore in it three holes--one at each end, and one in the middle. Pass a piece of string or twine through the middle hole, leaving a loop, as shown; on each side of the string thread a ball or ring, and fasten the two ends of the string with knots at the holes at the end of the piece of wood. The puzzle is, without removing the string from the holes or without untying the knots, to get both balls or rings to the same side of the central loop instead of on opposite sides. The following is the solution of the puzzle:--Draw the central loop of the string well down, and slip through it either one or other of the balls until it reaches the back of the central hole; then pull the loop through the hole, and pass the ball through the _two_ loops that will thus be formed; draw the string back through the hole as before, and the ball may easily be passed to that part of the string on which the other ball has been strung. This plan of passing the loop through the central hole is a key to all the puzzles of this nature. Such puzzles appear under various names, but they may all be solved if the key to this puzzle of the Balls and String is borne in mind.

A somewhat similar, although more complicated puzzle, is that known as

THE PUZZLING RINGS.

This name, by the way, describes the puzzle, but it has been so many times christened, that no list of names could claim to be a complete list. The puzzle is smart and neat, but the parts have to be so nicely fitted, that it would not be easy for an amateur to make it. It may be purchased at a small cost at any toy-shop. The following is its description:--In a flat board of wood, bone, or metal are a certain number of holes--more or less, according to the size of the puzzle. In each hole a wire is loosely fixed, beaten out into a head at one end, to prevent the wire slipping through the hole; and the other end is fastened to a ring, which is also loose. Each wire has been passed through the ring of the next wire previously to its own ring being fastened on; and through the whole of the rings runs a wire hoop or bow, which also contains, within its oblong space, all the wires to which the rings are fastened, the whole presenting so complicated an appearance as to make the releasing the rings from the bow seem to be an impossibility. The puzzle, nevertheless, is to take off the rings.

The following is the plan to be followed:--The instructions given are for removing the rings from a _seven-ring puzzle_ (Fig. 11), that being the simplest form in which the puzzle is made; but it should be noted for general guidance that if an even number of rings are on the bow, the first and second are to be brought down together; if odd, the first one only. To proceed:--Take the hoop in the left hand, and hold the puzzle so that the first ring to be taken off is at the end farthest away from that hand. Draw down the first ring from the bow, and drop it _down_ through the bow, so that it may be between the board and the bow; proceed similarly with the third ring; replace the first, by passing it _up_ through the bow; bring it (the first) to the end of the bow, bearing in mind that the wires supporting the rings must be perpendicular between the two sides thereof; bring down the rings 1 and 2 together; then bring down No. 5; take up 1 and 2 together; bring down 1; take up 3 and 1; bring down 1 and 2 together; bring down 4; take up 1 and 2; bring down 1 and 3; take up 1; bring down 1 and 2 together; and bring down 7; which completes the seven-ring puzzle.

To put the rings on again:--Put on 1 and 2; bring down 1; take up 3; and then 1; bring down 1; and so on, always taking up the first or outward rings.

The seven-ring puzzle is, as already stated, the simplest of these puzzles, as the ten-ring puzzle is usually the most complicated. To perform the ten-ring puzzle it has been computed requires no less than 681 moves. The instructions given above apply equally well to both, if only the note as to an odd or even number of rings to be removed is remembered.

The puzzle of the _Balls and Rings_ (Fig. 12) has points of similarity with the above, and also with that of the _string and balls_ puzzle. The _balls and rings_ puzzle is very ingenious, and should be asked for at the toy-shop. It consists of a round frame of mahogany, about two inches in width and a quarter of an inch thick. In this frame, and at regular intervals, are holes, between which are placed, on the one side of the frame, rings, and on the other side, balls. The rings and balls are made fast with a cord, which passes through each ring and each ball, and also through all the holes in the frame, the ends of the cord being tied in a cross. The puzzle is to reverse the position of both the rings and the balls from one side of the frame to the other.

As indicated in the _String and Balls_ puzzle, the key to this and similar puzzles is to be found in a loop of string, which is usually concealed in some part of the puzzle. The loop should be pulled out or through the wood, and passed over the ball nearest to it; the solution of the puzzle will then be apparent.

THE STAFF PUZZLE, THE VICTORIA PUZZLE, AND THE ARTILLERY PUZZLE.

These are all ingenious puzzles of this class, introduced by Mr. Cremer, of Regent Street, who issues the keys for the solution of the puzzles with the toys.

THE SIX ROWS PUZZLE.

Place twelve counters in six rows in such a manner that there shall be four counters in each row. Fig. 13 shows how the puzzle is solved.

THE SIX SQUARE PUZZLE.

Place twelve counters on a piece of slate or cardboard, so that they would be at the angles of six squares, as shown in M, in the accompanying diagram (Fig. 14). The puzzle then is to take away three counters, so that the remaining nine counters shall describe three squares only. The solution is shown in N, Fig. 14. The twelve counters form the six squares A, B, C, D, E, F, whereas upon the counters 1, 2, and 12 being removed the squares C, D, and E only are left.

M
1 2 3 4 3 4
*---*---*---* N *---*
| A | B | C | 6 | C |
5 *---*---*---*8 5 *---*---*---*8
| D | E | F | | D | E |
*---*---*---* *---*---*
9 10 11 12 9 10 11

Fig. 14.--The Six Square Problem--The Problem (m) and the Solution (n).]

[Transcriber's Note: For clarity, counters 6 and 7 are not labeled in board "M," and counter 7 is not labeled in board "N."]

THE MAGIC OCTAGON.

Out of a piece of stiff cardboard, cut four of each of the three designs shown in Fig. 15, A, and so join them together that they form an octagon figure. The pieces numbered 1 are to be fitted together in the centre, the pieces 2 and 3 being placed alternately round the pieces numbered 1, after those pieces have been fitted together (Fig. 15, B).

THE ACCOMMODATING SQUARE.

Cut out eight squares of cardboard; divide four of them into halves, cutting them from corner to corner, so that there are in all twelve pieces. The puzzle is to form a square with the twelve pieces. It is to be done as shown in the accompanying plan. The four squares and the eight triangular pieces are numbered respectively 1 to 4 and 5 to 12 (Fig. 16).

THE MAGIC CROSS.

Take three pieces of cardboard of the shape of the figure numbered 1 in Fig. 17, A, and one piece each of the shapes of 2 and 3. The pieces may be of any size, but it is hardly necessary to say that relatively each one must correspond with the sizes and shapes indicated in the diagram. Fig. 17, B, shows the pieces when put together and forming the cross.

TO TAKE A MAN'S WAISTCOAT OFF WITHOUT REMOVING HIS COAT.

This puzzle is almost good enough to be included among conjuring tricks, but as there is neither magic nor sleight of hand involved, there is no alternative but to place it here. The puzzle seems ridiculous and unreasonable, as in performing it neither the coat nor vest may be torn, cut, or damaged, nor may either arm be removed from the sleeve of the coat. The puzzle cannot always be performed, as it depends upon the size of the coat-sleeves allowed by the fashions of the day, though as a rule a coat with suitable sleeves will be found in most households. The person whose waistcoat has to be removed should be the wearer of a coat the sleeves of which are sufficiently large at the wrist to admit of the hand of the operator being passed up and through them. Any person undertaking to perform the puzzle in a drawing-room should first request some one of the company to remove his evening coat, and to replace it by a light spring overcoat; this being done, it will be easy to carry out the following instructions: The waistcoat should first be unbuttoned in the front, and then the buckle at the back must be unloosed. The operator, standing in front of the person operated upon, should then place his hands underneath the coat at the back, taking hold of the bottom of the waistcoat, at the same time requesting the wearer to extend his arms at full length over his head. Now raise the bottom part of the waistcoat over the head of the wearer (if the waistcoat be tight it will be necessary to force it a little, but this must not be minded so long as the waistcoat is not torn); the waistcoat then will have been brought to the front of the wearer, across his chest. Take the _right_ side bottom-end of the waistcoat, and put it into the arm-hole of the coat at the shoulder, at the same time putting the hand up the sleeve, seizing the end, and drawing it down the sleeve; this action will release one arm-hole of the garment to be removed. The next thing to be done is to pull the waistcoat back again out of the sleeve of the coat, and put the _same end_ of the waistcoat into the _left_ arm-hole of the coat, again putting the hand up the sleeve of the coat as before, and seizing the end of the garment. It may then be drawn quite through the sleeve, and the puzzle is accomplished.

TO BREAK A STONE WITH A BLOW OF THE FIST.

To do this two stones are required, each one of which should be from three to six inches in length, and about half as thick. Place one of the stones flat, firmly and immovably, upon the ground, and on it place one end of the other stone, raising the opposite end to an angle of something like forty-five degrees, and just over the centre of the lower stone, with which it must form a T, being kept in that position by a piece of twig or stick of the necessary length. The top or elevated stone should then be smartly struck at about the centre with the little-finger side of the hand; the stick, of course, will give way, and the bottom stone will be broken to pieces.

THE KEY, THE HEART, AND THE DART.

This is a very old-fashioned puzzle, and easy of accomplishment to those who know how to do it. The puzzle is either to arrange the three articles in an apparently inextricable manner, or, if they are so arranged, to separate them without damaging either, or bending the cardboard out of which they should be made.

Cut out of some tough and elastic cardboard a double-headed dart, a key, small at the ring end, and a heart, in which should be cut four angular slits, shaped as in Fig. 18. To arrange them together, the lowermost cut in the heart must be pressed out so that it will form a loop, through which the ring end of the key has to be drawn, and so that one end of the dart may also be passed through without breaking the cardboard. Then fold the dart in the middle, so that one of its heads shall accurately fit upon the other head; bring the loop of the heart back into its former position, drawing it out of the ring of the key, which should then glide down the shaft of the dart, and hang fast held by the head. To disentangle the articles, reverse the order of procedure.

THE PRISONERS' RELEASE PUZZLE.

Take two pieces of string or tape, and round the wrists of two persons tie the string, as shown in Fig. 19. It adds to the amusement of the puzzle if one of the persons is a lady and the other a gentleman. The puzzle is for them to liberate themselves, or for any one else to release them without untying the string. To do this, B makes a loop of his string pass under either of A's manacles, slips it over A's hands, and both will be free. Reverse the proceeding, and the manacles are again as before.

As a finish to the Mechanical Puzzles, we will give the key to the world-renowned

HAMPTON COURT MAZE.

Upon entering the maze, turn to the right; afterwards, whenever there is a choice between the left and right, turn to the left, and the centre will soon be reached. Reverse the process in coming out.

ARITHMETICAL PUZZLES.

Under this heading we propose to give some arithmetical puzzles, to speak of the power of different numbers, to show some of the curious combinations of which numbers are capable, and generally to give such examples as our space will admit to explain how the science of numbers may be made to do service for our amusement.

Among the most popular of number puzzles are the

AMERICAN PUZZLES "15" AND "34,"

which have been christened "Boss." The materials of the puzzles are very simple, a description that may indeed be applied to all the amusements dealt with in this section. The puzzles, as purchased, consist of a square box of sixteen small wooden cubes, numbered from 1 to 16. The box of cubes may be purchased in the streets for a very trifling sum, or it may be obtained in the toy-shops in a more elaborate form, but still at a small cost. The popularity of the game may be guessed from the statement made by a New York toy-dealer to the effect that in one day he disposed of no less than 230 gross of a cheap variety. In London, street toy-vendors by the score sold them all day long for weeks together when they were first introduced, and a leading toy-dealer in the fashionable neighbourhood of Regent Street says the number sold retail from his shop daily was enormous. Their popularity in other countries is equally great.

The puzzle is twofold, and is described in the following quaint and curt manner in the little boxes sold in the streets:--

_The Puzzle of Fifteen._--"Remove the 16 block. Put the pieces in the
box irregularly, and arrange them to regular order by shoving."

_The Magic Sixteen, or the Puzzle of Thirty-four._--"Arrange the
sixteen blocks so that the sum of the numbers added up in any
straight line, either vertical, horizontal, or diagonal, will be 34."

+----+----+----+----+
| 1 | 14 | 15 | 4 |
+----+----+----+----+
| 8 | 11 | 10 | 5 |
+----+----+----+----+
| 12 | 7 | 6 | 9 |
+----+----+----+----+
| 13 | 2 | 3 | 16 |
+----+----+----+----+

Fig. 1.--A Solution of the "34" Puzzle.]

+----+----+----+----+
| 1 | 15 | 14 | 4 |
+----+----+----+----+
| 12 | 6 | 7 | 9 |
+----+----+----+----+
| 8 | 10 | 11 | 5 |
+----+----+----+----+
| 13 | 3 | 2 | 16 |
+----+----+----+----+

Fig. 2.--Another Solution of the "34" Puzzle.]

It would appear that the "15" puzzle has the merit of being entirely new, a claim to which the "34" puzzle has no sort of right, it being found in many books of old and recent date. It is believed that there are in all sixteen different ways of arranging the numbered blocks so that the sum of the numbers will be 34 in every direction; but two ways will suffice to quote here, and they are as shown in Figs. 1, 2. The fascination and popularity of "Boss," however, all centre around the "15" puzzle; it is the solution of that which is said to have sent some people mad, to have made more forsake their ordinary occupation, and which claims to have given to a still larger and ever growing number of human beings a new incentive to life. The puzzle is fairly stated above in the words, "Put the pieces in the box irregularly," &c. As a first attempt, however, place the pieces as arranged when the "34" puzzle has been solved, and the "15" puzzle may be easily accomplished after a little practice. To describe the various moves would be unnecessary, but the object first to be aimed at is to get the first row of cubes, viz., 1, 2, 3, 4, into their proper places, attention being next directed to getting the 12 cube into its place; that cube will have to be again moved before all the cubes have been consecutively arranged, but it should always be kept as near to its proper position as possible. The cubes, when arranged, should read as follows (Fig. 3):--

+-----------------+
| 1 2 3 4 |
| |
| 5 6 7 8 |
| |
| 9 10 11 12 |
| |
| 13 14 15 |
+-----------------+

Fig. 3.--"15" Puzzle--The Cubes in Order.]

+-----------------+
| 1 2 3 4 |
| |
| 5 6 7 8 |
| |
| 9 10 11 12 |
| |
| 13 15 14 |
+-----------------+

Fig. 4.--"15" Puzzle--The Cubes set for Solution.]

"Boss," or the real American puzzle of "15" is to place the numbered cubes, as shown in Fig. 4, in the box, and then to arrange them, by sliding and without lifting any one cube, so that they shall read consecutively. It may at once be said that the American puzzle has never yet been solved. But why? is asked by every one, and every one tries to solve it. Articles on the puzzle have appeared in many periodicals, but no one has had the hardihood to publish a solution of the American puzzle. An ingenious calculator has stated that the fifteen cubes may be arranged in the box in 1,307,674,318,000 different combinations, and that it would take one individual a whole year to work out 105,000 of these arrangements, if only one arrangement was worked out every five minutes. Let the reader calculate at what remote period the whole of the different orders could be tested to see whether the "15-14" combination could be overcome. It seems to have been decided that there are a certain number of the combinations that can be solved, and that there are a certain number that cannot, and that the number of each is equal. If, when the fifteen cubes are placed in the box, the number of transpositions required to place the cubes in proper consecutive order is even, the puzzle may be solved; but if the number of transpositions required is odd, the puzzle cannot be solved. For example: take the first solution of the "34" puzzle (Fig. 1), and it will be found that six transpositions are required to place the numbers in the proper order, viz.:--

1. Transpose 14 and 2 4. Transpose 11 and 6
2. " 15 " 3 5. " 10 " 7
3. " 8 " 5 6. " 12 " 9

The number of transpositions being even, the puzzle is soluble; with the "15-14" order, there being only one transposition necessary, or an odd number, the puzzle is insoluble. With this information and a little practice any player may tell at a glance when any combination of the figures is shown whether the puzzle is soluble or no.

After the above lengthy dissertation on these clever puzzles we will now proceed to minor topics which may be treated as arithmetical amusements.

THE MAGIC NINE, OR THE PUZZLE OF FIFTEEN.

To arrange the numbers 1 to 9 in three rows, so that the sum of each row added together horizontally, vertically, or diagonally shall be 15. Fig. 5 shows how the arrangement has to be made.

+---+---+---+
| 2 | 9 | 4 |
+---+---+---+
| 7 | 5 | 3 |
+---+---+---+
| 6 | 1 | 8 |
+---+---+---+

Fig. 5.--The Magic Nine.]

THE MAGIC THIRTY-SIX, OR PUZZLE OF ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN.

This puzzle is similar in principle to the preceding one, and consists in so arranging the numbers 1 to 36 in six rows that the sum of each row, added together horizontally or vertically, shall be the same (Fig. 6). The sum of the rows will be found to be 111.

+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| 8 | 30 | 27 | 10 | 25 | 11 |
| | | | | | |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| 35 | 6 | 33 | 34 | 1 | 2 |
| | | | | | |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| 17 | 13 | 22 | 21 | 24 | 14 |
| | | | | | |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| 20 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 23 |
| | | | | | |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| 5 | 31 | 4 | 3 | 36 | 32 |
| | | | | | |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| 26 | 12 | 9 | 28 | 7 | 29 |
| | | | | | |
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+

Fig. 6.--Magic Thirty-six.]

There is a still more complicated puzzle of this class to be performed. It is called

THE MAGIC HUNDRED, OR THE PUZZLE OF FIVE HUNDRED AND FIVE.

This consists in arranging the numbers from 1 to 100 in ten rows, and in such a way that the sum of the numbers counted, horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, shall be 505, neither more nor less. This puzzle may be set when the Magic Nine, the Magic Fifteen, and the Magic Thirty-six have been solved. The key is printed in Fig. 7. Upon a close examination of the key the solution of the puzzle from memory will soon become quite an easy matter. Observe the rows are numbered on the right hand side from 1 to 5, commencing both at the top and at the bottom. It will be seen that the rows numbered 1 contain the numbers 1 to 10 and 91 to 100; the rows numbered 2 contain the numbers 11 to 20 and 81 to 90; the third rows contain all the numbers from 21 to 30 and from 71 to 80; the fourth rows contain the numbers 31 to 39 and 60 to 70, excluding 61, but including 41; in the fifth rows the numbers run from 42 to 59, and have also the numbers 40 and 61. Furthermore, note the lettered columns, and it will be seen that the unit figures in columns A are noughts and ones, in columns B twos and nines, in columns C threes and eights, in columns D fours and sevens, and in columns E fives and sixes.