Solutions

No. V.—The Making of A Magic Square

The perfect Magic Square, for which we have given the construction of two preparatory squares, is formed by placing one of these over the other, so that the numbers in their corresponding cells combine, as is shown below.

1 3 5 2 4

5 2 4 1 3

4 1 3 5 2

3 5 2 4 1

2 4 1 3 5

5 15 0 10 20

10 20 5 15 0

15 0 10 20 5

20 5 15 0 10

0 10 20 5 15

6 18 5 12 24

15 22 9 16 3

19 1 13 25 7

23 10 17 4 11

2 14 21 8 20

No less than 57,600 Magic Squares can be formed with twenty-five cells by varying the arrangement of these same figures, but not many are so perfect as our specimen, in which sixty-five can be counted in forty-two ways. These comprise each horizontal row; each perpendicular row; main diagonals; blended diagonals from every corner (such as 6, with 14, 17, 25, 3; or 15, 18, with 21, 4, 7); centre with any four equidistant in outer cells; any perfect St George’s cross (such as 18, 22, 1, 15, 9); and any perfect St Andrew’s cross (such as 6, 22, 13, 5, 19).

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No. XII.—A Century of Cells

Here is the solution of the ingenious Magic Square of 100 cells with 36 cells unfilled. The rows, columns, and diagonals all add up to 505.

91 2 3 97 6 95 94 8 9 100

20 82 83 17 16 15 14 88 89 81

21 72 73 74 25 26 27 78 79 30

60 39 38 64 66 65 67 33 32 41

50 49 48 57 55 56 54 43 42 51

61 59 58 47 45 46 44 53 52 40

31 69 68 34 35 36 37 63 62 70

80 22 23 24 75 76 77 28 29 71

90 12 13 87 86 85 84 18 19 11

1 99 98 4 96 5 7 93 92 10

Notice that the top and bottom rows contain all the numbers from 1 to 10 and from 91 to 100; the two rows next to these range from 11 to 20 and from 81 to 90; the two next from 21 to 30 and from 71 to 80; the two next from 31 to 39 and 60 to 70, excluding 61, but including 41; and the two central rows the numbers run from 42 to 59, with 40 and 61.

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No. XXIII.—Twin Puzzle Squares

The following diagram shows how the twin Magic Squares are evolved from our diagram:—

1 5 6 2 3 7

2 6 7 3 4 8

3 7 8 4 5 9

The sums of the corresponding rows in each square are now equal, and the sums of the squares of the corresponding cells of these rows are equal. The sums of the four diagonals are also equal, and the sum of the squares of the cells in corresponding diagonals are equal. The sum of any two numbers symmetrically placed with respect to the connecting link between the 7 and the 3 is always 10.

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No. XXX.—The Unique Triangle

The figures to be transposed in triangle A are 9 and 3 and 7 and 1.

5

4 6

3 7

2 1 9 8

5

4 6

9 1

2 7 3 8

Then in triangle B, the sum of the side is in each case 20, and the sums of the squares of the numbers along the sides is in each case 126.

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No. XXXI.—Magic Triangles

The subjoined diagram shows the order in which the first 18 numbers can be arranged so that they count 19, 38, or 57 in many ways, down, across, or along some angles, 19 in 6 ways, 38 in 12, and 57 in 14 ways.

Thus, for examples—

7 + 12 = 14 + 5 = 4 + 15 = 19

7 + 11 + 14 + 6 ——— = 38

7 + 14 + 4 + 5 + 12 + 15 = 57

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No. XXXIV.—Magic Hexagon in A Circle

The figures in the Magic Hexagon must be arranged as is shown in this diagram:—

126

5 2 7 3 8 5

8 2 4 6 3 7

114 114

4 6 9 1 8 2

3 1 9 7 5 4 1 9 6

1 3 7 9 8 6 7 3 4

8 2 3 9 1 9

126 126

6 4 4 1 8 2

5 5 6 7 2 5

114

It will be seen that the sum of the four digits on each side of each triangle is twenty, and that, while their arrangements vary, the total of the added squares of the numbers on the alternate sides of the hexagon are equal.

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No. XXXVI.—A Charming Puzzle

To pass through these nine dots with four continuous straight lines, start at the top right-hand corner, and draw a line along the top of the square and beyond its limits, until its end is in line with the central dots of the side and base. Draw the second line through these, continuing it until its end is below and in line with the right-hand side of the square; draw the third line up to the starting-point, and the fourth as a diagonal, which completes the course.

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No. XXXVII.—Leap-Frog

On a chess or draught-board three white men are placed on squares marked a and three black men on squares marked b in the diagram—

a a a b b b

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Every a can move from left to right one square at a time, and every b from right to left, and any piece can leap over one of another colour on to an unoccupied square. They can reverse their positions thus:—

If we number the cells or squares consecutively, and notice that at starting the vacant cell is No. 4, then in the successive moves the vacant cells will be 3, 5, 6, 4, 2, 1, 3, 5, 7, 6, 4, 2, 3, 5, 4. Of the moves thus indicated six are simple, and nine are leaps.

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No. XXXVIII.—Sorting the Counters

The counters are changed in four moves only, moving two at a time as follows:—

Move 2 and 3 to 9 and 10.

„ 5 and 6 to 2 and 3.

„ 8 and 9 to 5 and 6.

„ 1 and 2 to 8 and 9.

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No. XXXIX.—A Transformation

To change the ten-pointed star of wooden matches into one of five points without touching it, let a little water fall into the very centre, as it lies on quite a smooth surface, and in a few moments, under the action of the water, it will gradually assume the shape shown in the second diagram, of a five-pointed star.

This is a very simple and effective after-dinner trick. Small matches move best.

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No. XLI.—Fast and Loose

The twelve counters or draughtsmen lying loosely at the bottom of a shallow box can be arranged so that they wedge themselves together and against the side thus:—

Temporary centre

Place one for the moment in the centre, and six round it. Hold these firmly in their places with the left hand, and fix the other five round them, as is shown in the diagram. Then remove the temporary centre, and fill in with it the vacant place. All will then be in firm contact, and the box may be turned upside down without displacing them.

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No. XLIII.—For Clever Pencils

This diagram, shows how a continuous course is possible without taking pencil from paper, or going twice over any line.

We have purposely left spaces wide enough to make the solution perfectly clear.

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No. XLVIII.—A Bottled Button

The diagram below shows how the thread within the bottle is severed so that the button falls, without uncorking the bottle or breaking it.

Nothing is needed but a lens to focus the rays of the sun, which pass through the glass without heating it, and burn the thread.

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No. XLIX.—Clearing the Way

In order to cause the coin to fall into the bottle without touching coin, match, or bottle, let a drop or two of water fall upon the bent middle of the match.

Very soon, under the action of the water, the two ends of the match will open out so that the coin which was resting on them falls between them into the bottle.

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No. LII.—Billiard Magic

The diagram we give below shows the ingenious trick by which the plain white, if struck gently with a cue, will, aided by the tumbler, pot the spot white ball without in any way disturbing the red.

The balls to start with are an eighth of an inch apart, and there is not room for a ball to pass between the cushions and the red. Place the tumbler close to spot white.

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No. LIII.—The Nimble Coin

The most effective way to transfer the coin from the top of the circular band of paper into the bottle is to strike a smart blow with a cane, or any small stick, on the inside of the paper band. There is not time for the coin to be influenced in the same direction, and it falls plumb into the neck of the bottle.

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No. LVIII.—What Will Happen?

When the boy shown in this picture blows hard at the bottle which is between his mouth and the candle flame, the divided air current flows round the bottle, reunites, and extinguishes the flame.

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No. LX.—Vis Inertiæ

If, by a strong pull of my finger, I launch the draughtsman that is on the edge of the table against the column of ten in front of it, the black man, which is just at the height to receive the full force of the blow, will be knocked clean out of its place, while the others will not fall. This is another illustration of the vis inertiæ.

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No. LXI.—Cut and Come Again

A block of ice would never be divided completely by a loop of wire on which hangs a 5 ℔ weight. For as the wire works its way through, the slit closes up by refreezing, and the weight falls to the ground with the wire, leaving the ice still in a single block.

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No. LXIII.—Catching the Dice

It is quite easy to throw the upper of this pair of dice into the air and catch it in the cup, but the other is more elusive. As you throw it upward with sufficient force you will also throw the die that has been already caught out of the cup.

The secret of success lies in dropping the hand and cup rapidly downwards, quitting hold at the same moment of the die, which then falls quietly into the cup held to receive it.

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No. LXIV.—Will They Fall?

When the single domino shown in the diagram in front of the double archway, is quite smartly tipped up by the forefinger carefully inserted through the lower arch, the stone which lies flat below another is knocked clean out, while none of the other stones fall, another practical illustration of vis inertiæ.

For this very curious trick, club dominoes, thick and large, should be used. Some patience and experience is needed, but success at last is certain.

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No. LXV.—A Transposition

You will be able to place the shaded coin between the other two in a straight line without touching one of these, and without moving the other, if you place a finger firmly on the king’s head and then move the shaded coin an inch or two to the right, and flick it back against the coin you hold. The other “tail” coin will then spring away far enough to allow the space that is required.

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No. LXVI.—Coin Counting

After reaching and turning the coin which you first call “four,” miss three coins, and begin then a fresh set of four; repeat this process to the end.

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No. LXVIII.—Nuts to Crack

Hold a cup of water so that it will wet the handle of the knife, then remove it, and place the nut exactly on the spot where the drop of water falls from the handle.

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No. LXXI.—What Is This?

The photographic enlargement is simply a much magnified reproduction of Mr Chamberlain’s eye and eyeglass, exactly as they appear in the picture which we give below, taken from its negative. A strong condensing lens will reproduce the original effect, which can also be obtained by holding the enlargement at a distance.

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No. LXXV.—The Seal of Mahomet

This double crescent may be drawn by one continuous line, without passing twice over any part, by starting at A, passing along the curve AGD, from D along DEB, from B along BFC, and from C along CEA.

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No. LXXVI.—Move the Matches

If fifteen matches are arranged thus—

and six are removed, ten is the number that remains, thus—

or one hundred may remain, thus:—

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No. LXXVII.—Lines on an Old Sampler

This diagram shows the arrangement in which seventeen trees can be planted in twenty-eight rows, three trees in each row:—

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No. LXXXI.—Counting Them Out

Here is an arrangement of dominoes which enables us to count out the first twelve numbers, one after the other, by their spelling:—

Start with the double five, and, touching each stone in turn, say o, n, e, one; remove the stone with one pip, and go on, t, w, o, two; remove the two, and say t, h, r, e, e, three, and so on till you reach at last the twelve.

Playing cards can be used, counting knave, queen, as eleven, twelve. It makes quite a good trick if you place the cards face downwards in the proper order, and then, saying that you will call up each number in turn, move the cards one at a time to the other end, spelling out each number as before, either aloud or not, and turning up and throwing out each as you hit upon it. If you do not call the letters aloud it adds to the mystery if you are blindfolded.

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No. LXXXII.—Tricks with Dominoes

This is the other combination of stones and their pips which fulfils the conditions, and forms the word AGES.

In both cases a complete set of stones is used, which are arranged in proper domino sequence, and everyone of the eight letters carries exactly forty-two pips.

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No. XCI—The Stolen Pearls

The dishonest jeweller reset the pearls in a cross so that its arms were a stage higher up. It will be seen that by this arrangement nine pearls can still be counted in each direction.

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Enigmas

1. Self-assassin, a neddy. Saw an ass in an eddy!

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2. To get her: Together.

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3. A candle.

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4. Liquorice.

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5. A book.

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6. One solver proposes raven, croaking before a storm; once an object of worship; seldom seen; forbidden in Leviticus as food; alone with Noah when its mate was sent forth; weighing about 3 lbs; the name of a small South Carolina island, having as its first and last letters R and N; the Royal Navy.

Another finds in K the key, as that letter with no ar is alone in ark. With much ingenuity he shows that the last line calls for a second letter, and that the letters K and G can be traced throughout almost all Hallam’s “lights;” Kilogram being nearly 3 lbs., and Knot a mile; while either K.G. (Knight of the Garter) or King would fit the final line.

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7. The lines become “rank treason” if the corresponding lines of the two stanzas are read together, thus:—

The pomps of Courts and pride of Kings
I fain would banish far from hence,

and so on throughout.

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8. A pair of skates.

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9. A shadow.

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10. A chair.

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11. The changes that are rung are one, eno, Noe, neo, eon, on, none.

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12. Cares, caress.

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13. Echo.

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14. Strike.

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15. A pair of spurs.

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16. A.D.A.M.; Adam; a dam; Adam; a damson; a dam.

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17. The CID, the Castilian hero whose fame was at its height in the middle of the eleventh century.

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18. A sigh.

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19. Coxcomb.

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20. Jack and Jill.

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21. A man’s felt hat.

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22. Measurable.

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23. Chair, char, arch.

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24. Sala (G.A.S.), which reversed is alas.

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25. Page, (p)age.

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26. C (sea), A (hay), T (tea).

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27. A BROKEN TALE

The deil jumped over the clouds so high
That he bounded almost right over the sky.
Over gates and fields, and under the trees
He dodged, with his tail dragging over all these,
But, alas! made a terrible blunder,
For a twist in his tail hooked under a rail,
And broke that appendage asunder.

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28. Yesterday. Most excludes Adam, and ter is half of terror.

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29. Donkey.

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30. Mental, lament, mantle.

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31. His heels.

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32. Tares, tears, a rest.

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33. Connecticut.

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34. Grate, rate, rat, ate.

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35. Mary, in fanciful mood, on her thirty-sixth birthday, decorated her pincushion thus—XXXVI.

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36. Opinionist.

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37. Violin (LVII + on).

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38. Trout (tr—out).

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39. Post—stop.

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40. A pair of scissors in a case.

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41. Dog.

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42. Mainland.

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43. Changed.

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44. The name of the Russian nobleman’s third son, the boy who went to sea, was Yvan. As the name of the eldest, Rab, who became a lawyer, was Bar reversed, and that of the soldier son Mary was Army as an anagram, so Yvan’s name resolves itself into Navy, his profession.

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45. VIVID.

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46. Nothing.

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47. London.

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48. Rock, cork.

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49. Place, lace, ace, lac.

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50. a, e, i, o, u, y.

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51. The solution of the enigma which begins:—

“Twice six is six, and so
Six is but three;
Three is just five you know,
What can we be?”

is the number of letters of the alphabet used in spelling a number. Thus twice six, or twelve, is composed of six letters, and so on.

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52. A button.

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53. LEVEL—MADAM.

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54. An egg.

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55. Vague.

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56.

A headless man had a letter to write,
(The letter O, i.e. nothing.)
He who read it had lost his sight,
(He read nothing.)
The dumb repeated it word for word,
(He said nothing.)
And deaf was he who listened and heard.
(He heard nothing.)

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57. Highway.

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58. A set of false teeth.

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59. The “fearful fate” enigma is slaughter; cut off its head and we have laughter; lop off its shoulders and we find aught.

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60. Speculation—peculations.

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61. The word “united” is “of fellowship the token,” and the requirement “reverse it, and the bond is broken” refers only to the two central letters. When this is reversed the word “untied” is formed.

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62. Average.

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63. German—manger.

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64. Corkscrew.

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65. Tar is transformed by Art, and as a sailor is fond of port, and blisters in the sun. When it turns to run it becomes Rat, and when it doubles it is Tartar, and is caught.

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66.

A man with one eye two plums must have seen,
One perfectly ripe, the other quite green.
The former he took, and ate it with pleasure,
The other he left to ripen at leisure.

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67. A widower who has lost two wives.

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68. The grape-vine on the Marquis of Breadalbane’s estate, Killin, N.B., which bears more than 5000 bunches of grapes, of which only 500, properly thinned out, are allowed to mature, so that the fewer and smaller bunches bear finer fruit.

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69. Poe, poet, poetry.

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70. Theatres. The articles the and a lead on to the other four letters tres, and these form the word rest, if the t is transferred to the end.

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71. Scold, cold, old.

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72. Justice, (just—ice).

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73. A shadow.

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74. VI., IV., I.

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75. The letter I.

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76. The letter V.

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77. An army.

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78. A rich table; chair, table; charitable.

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79. High-low.

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80. Orange, pear, date, banana, peach, plum, lime, lemon, mango, apple.

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81. Innuendo.

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82. Snipe, of which pines is an exact anagram.

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83.

None can locate the subject of my riddle,
For all the world would seek its place in vain,
Cut it asunder almost in the middle,
And in our very midst its place is plain

is solved by nowhere, now here.

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Charades

1. Good-night (knight).

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2. Grandson.

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3. Oyster.

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4. Stay-lace.

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5. Ann—ounce.

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6. VOID, OVID.

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7. Disconsolate (disc—on—so—late).

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8. Ginger—Nigger. (G.E.R. Great Eastern Railway).

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9. Honesty (hone, below the razor).

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10. Nutmeg.

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11. Waterloo.

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12. Whether (whet—her).

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13. Mendicant (mend I can’t).

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14. Campbell.

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15. Foxglove.

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16. Anglesea.

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17. Shewed.

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18. Sparrow, often a gutter percher!

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19. Dishonest (dish—one—st).

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20. Dogmatism.

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21. Anthem.

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22. Gigantic (gig—antic).

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23. Toad (ad is Latin for to).

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24. Cineraria (sinner—area).

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25. Ignis—fatuus, or Will-o’-the-wisp (ignis, fire—fatuus, a fool).

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26. Isis (sis in Latin, thou mayest be).

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27. Capacity.

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28. Scarcity.

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29. Pardon.

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30. Humbug.

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31. Ramrod.

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32. Dumpling.

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33. Into.

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34. Herring.

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35. Dublin (bud—nil).

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36. Peerless.

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37. Beatrice.

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38. Beam—be is half of the word verb, am is half of same, and be and am are similar in sense.

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39. Pulpit.

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40. Spare—rib.

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41. Usher.

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42. The ship Carmania.

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43. Candid.

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44. Husbandman.

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45. Hamlet.

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46. Handcuff.

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47. Sinecure.

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48. Infancy.

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49. Teachest.

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50. Hippodrome.

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51. Invalid.

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52. Woman.

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53. Kensington.

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54. Benjamin.

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55. Stipendiary.

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56. Wonder.

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57. Cabin.

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58. Falstaff.

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59. Periwinkle.

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60. Nameless.

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61. Fourscore.

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62. Hatred.

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63. Catsup.

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64. Molestation.

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65. Omen.

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66. Isinglass.

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67. Muffin.

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68. Footman.

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69. Sparrow-grass.

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70. Matchless.

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71. Planted.

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72. Toast-rack.

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73. Half-and-half, if properly punctuated.

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Riddles and Conundrums

1. Washerwoman.

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2.

“Call me an uncle, then you speak me fair,
Call me an uncle-an uncle if you dare!”

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3. Pluck the goose.

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4. Also.

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5. A lawsuit.

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6. Because they are bargains.

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7. A pair of shoes.

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8. Because whenever he goes out he can put his portmanteaux (Portman toes) into his boots.

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9. FIVE.

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10. Rail—liar.

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11. Because it slopes with a flap!

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12. In California they eat all the peaches they can, and can all they can’t!

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13. The utmost effort ever made by a piebald (or by any) horse at a high jump is four feet from the ground!

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14. Insatiate (in—sat—I—ate).

The clever couplet—

Under my first my second stood.
That’s your riddle: mine’s as good!

was intended to point out that the enigma

In my first my second sat,
Then my third and fourth I ate

was understood, and to frame at the same time a fresh one of similar sort.

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15. A gardener minds his peas, a billiard-marker his cues, a precise man his p’s and q’s, and a verger his keys and pews.

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16. A man with one eye can see more than a man with two, for in addition to all else he can see the other man’s two eyes, which can only see his one.

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17. When you ask a policeman what o’clock it is, you are like the Viceroy of India, because you are as king for the time.

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18. “What does Y E S spell?” is the question to which “yes” is the only possible reply.

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19. An umbrella.

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20. London for many years was a wonderful place for sound, for you could laugh at 5 p.m. at Waterloo Junction, and by walking briskly across the river be in time for the late Echo at Charing Cross.

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21. Because it may be smelt!

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22. The full reading of “1s. 6d. me a bloater” is “Bob Tanner sent me a bloater.”

Note.—If any solver should ask, “But where is the ‘sent’?” we reply, “The scent was in the bloater!”

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23. The solution of the prime conundrum “Why is a moth flying round a candle like a garden gate?” is—Because if it keeps on it singes its wings (its hinges it swings).

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24. (Twe)lve—twe(nty) = twenty.

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25. Because it would be my newt (minute).

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26. The steps by which, in paying my debt to a lawyer, a threepenny piece swells to the needed six and eightpence are these:—

Three pence is one and two pence;
One and two pence is fourteen pence;
Fourteen pence is six and eight pence!

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27. When the Vickers Maxim (vicar smacks him).

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28. Children should go to bed soon after tea because when “t” is taken away night is nigh.

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29. Scottish may be lighter than Irish men, for while Irishmen may be men of Cork, Scotsmen may be men of Ayr.

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30. Because barbers do not cut hair any longer!

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31. Colenso.

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32. This is Archbishop Whately’s riddle, and a solution, suggested long after his offer of £50 had expired:—

When from the Ark’s capacious round
Mankind came forth in pairs,
Who was it that first heard the sound
Of boots upon the stairs?

To him who cons the matter o’er,
A little thought reveals,
He heard it first who went before
Two pairs of soles and eels!

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33. If Moses was the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, he was the daughter of Pharaoh’s son.

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34. The word of three syllables which represents woman or man alternately by three contractions is heroine—hero—her—he.

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35. Solution to-morrow!

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36. Wholesome.

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37. They were jolly well tired!

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38. The stocks.

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39. Because it makes a far—thing present.

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40. If I were in the sun, and you were out of it, it would be a sin.

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41. COLD.

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42. Take off—ice.

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43. Enduring.

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44. Uncross the “t” of “a foot,” and it becomes “a fool.”

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45. A rabbit can run into a square wood with sides that each measures a mile, keeping always in a straight line, until it reaches the middle of the wood, when it must begin to run out of it!

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46. To-morrow.

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47. Scar—bo—rough.

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48.

Though I in time for lunch may be,
U cannot come till after T.

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49. A wig.

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50. Because we cannot be wed without it.

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51. A spit.

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52. Wit (double you—I—tea).

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53. Holding up your hand you will see what you never have seen, never can see, and never will see—namely, the little finger as long as the finger next to it!

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54. The Emperor of Russia issues manifestoes. An ill-shod beggar manifests toes without his shoes!

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55. To show Walsham How a good bishop is made.

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56. There was certainly a tribe of Man—asses.

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57. L. s. d.

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58. A pillow.

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59. Abused (a—b—used).

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60. A settler.

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61. Because John Burns.

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62. It looks round!

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63. A minute.

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64. A deaf and dumb man cannot tickle nine persons, because he can only gesticulate (just tickle eight!).

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65. London always began with an l, and end always began with an e!

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66. Season.

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67. The new moon, for the full moon is much lighter.

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68. Island (la is the middle, is is the beginning, and is the end!).

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69. Because! (bee caws).

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70. The reading of the Dark Rebus

O
B e D

is—a little blackie in bed with nothing over him.

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71. If a monkey is placed before a cross it at once gets to the top, for APE is then APEX.

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72. The answer to this riddle, defined as “two heads and an application,” is a kiss.

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73. The Latin expression of encouragement “macte” may be applied in its English equivalent in-crease to a batsman when an umpire says of him “not out” after a risky run.

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74. The place which answers to the description “Half an inch (ch) before the trees (elms), half a foot (fo), and half a yard (rd) after them leads us to an English town,” is Chelmsford.

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75. The subject of the riddle, which none can locate, is nowhere. Cut asunder almost in the middle, it breaks into the opposite extreme, and becomes now here!

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76. The two letters which in nine letters describe the position of one who has been left alone in his extremity are a b and one d. Abandoned.

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77. Usher (us—her).

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78. You can make a Maltese cross with less than twelve unbent and unbroken matches, by striking only one match and dropping it down his back. If the first fails, try another!

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79. We may suppose that there were less vowels than we have now in the early days of Noe, when u and i were not there.

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80. An orange (or—ange).

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81. The moral taught to us by the old emblem of a weathercock in the shape of a fish on a church near Lewes is, “It is vain to aspire!”

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82. FIDDLE.

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83. The words “for the want of water we drank water, and if we had had water we should have drank wine,” were spoken by the crew of a vessel that could not cross the harbour bar for want of water, and who had no wine on board.

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84.

The poor have two, the rich have none,
Millions have many, you have one,

is solved by O.

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85. Money.

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86. Had I been in Stanley’s place when Marmion cried “On, Stanley, on!” the resulting word on-i-on would have made the Scottish fray seem more like Irish stew.

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87. The figure O.

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88.

Let her be, or beat her,
Give her little ease;
Then in safety seat her
All among the bees,

is solved by A Queen Bee. The Bee is made up of the letter b, in Greek called beta, and two little es.

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89. Its.

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90. Inch—chin.

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Nuts to Crack

1. CRAZY LOGIC

Can you prove that madman = madam is solved thus:—

A madman is a man beside himself. Therefore a madman = two men.

Madam is a woman. Woman is double you O man (w-o-man). Therefore madam = two men.

And as things which are equal to the same are equal to one another, therefore madman = madam.

Q. E. D.
(Quite easily Done.)

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2. A BIT OF BOTANY

The water-plant is the Frogbit, which floats and spreads on the surface of ponds and pools.

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3. The six islands buried in the lines—

He set down the answer to that sum at random.

By bold policy Prussia became a leading power.

A great taste for mosaic has arisen lately.

The glad news was swiftly borne over England.

At dusk, year after year, the old man rambled home.

The children cried, hearing such dismal tales.

are Sumatra, Cyprus, Formosa, Borneo, Skye, Malta.

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4. The seven geographical names “buried” in the sentence, “We could hide a light royal boat with a man or two; the skipper, though, came to a bad end,” are Deal, Troy, Witham, Esk, Perth, Baden, Aden.

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5. The jumbled letter lines read thus:—

Let those who deal in mystic rhymes
This transposition trace;
And to The Standard send betimes
Each letter in its place.

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6.

Three little articles all in a line
Lead to a thousand, expressing,
If with another all these you combine,
What can be never a blessing—

is solved by ANATHEMA (an-a-the-M-a).

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7.

Ask a policeman, possibly he knows
In uniformed array
If not, an added letter plainly shows
How little he can say—

is solved by adding n to uniformed—uninformed.

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8. The Ruling letters in:—

We rule the world, we letters five,
We rule the world, we do!
And of our number three contrive
To rule the other two—

are B. U. T. (beauty), and Y. Z. (wise head).

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9. Many might punctuate the sentence, “Maud like the pretty girl that she was went for a walk in the meadows” by merely putting a full stop at the end of it. But why not make a dash after Maud?

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10. The answer by Echo to

What were they who paid three guineas
To hear a tune of Paganini’s

is Pack o’ ninnies!

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11. The verse in which only five different letters are used is—

It is nineteen tennis nets,
Nine in tents in tints intense.
Ten sent in inset in sets,
See it, test it, it is sense!

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12. The catch sentence: “If is is not is and is not is is what is it is not is and what is it is is not if is not is is?” becomes intelligible if it is punctuated thus: If “is” is not “is,” and “is not” is “is,” what is it “is not” is, and what is it “is” is not, if “is not” is “is?”

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13. The words on the placard were PALE ALE, and these through the steps described become PA-LE AP-LE, APPLE.

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14. The reading of “Time flies you cannot they pass at such irregular intervals,” is as though it ran “You cannot time flies, they pass at such irregular intervals.”

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ROYAL MEMORIES

15. I was reminded of Queen Victoria as I entered the South Kensington Museum at five minutes to one, because I noticed that the hands of my watch were so placed as to represent a very perfect V.

When I left the building it was twenty-five minutes and forty-five seconds to six, and then the hands, with the help of the seconds hand which crossed it, formed a very perfect A, and so reminded me of Prince Albert.

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16. The solution of

CCC SAW

is “the season was backward.”

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17. THE OLD LATIN LEGEND

AMANS TAM ERAT
HI DESINT HERO
AD DIGITO UT MANDO

reads off into excellent English thus:—

“A man’s tame rat hides in the road; dig it out man, do!”

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18. The statement “I know that roseate hues preserve” does not imply that there is any curative virtue in rose-coloured rays, but asserts “I know that Rose ate Hugh’s preserve!”

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19. The following exception was taken to Dr Fell’s diet for the sick of all sops:—

“Sure the doctor’s wits are failing,”
Cried a saucy wag.
“Allsopp’s ale the sick and ailing
To their bier will drag.”

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20. The English dislocated sentence formed by these thirty-six letters:—

SAR BAB SAR BAB SAR BAB
SAR BAB SAR BAB SAR ARA

is, “A bar as a barb bars Barbara’s Barabbas.”

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21. The Wiltshire farmer’s sentence—

“Igineyvartydreevriswutts”

when interpreted runs, “I gave him forty-three for his oats.”

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22. Here is a tolerable rhyme to Chrysanthemum:—

Through gardens where appear
Beds of chrysanthemum,
We pass at eve to hear
Our choir their anthem hum.

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23. This was, in brief, the pathetic tale of the three eggs—“Two bad!”

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24. THE ANCIENT LEGEND

Doun tooth ers
A sy
Ouw ould bed
One by.

reads thus:—“Do unto others as you would be done by.”

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25. There were but six persons in the vault which contained two grandmothers and their two grand-daughters; two husbands and their two wives; two fathers and their two daughters; two mothers and their two sons; two maidens and their two mothers; two sisters and their two brothers. Two widows had each one son, and each married the son of the other, and had a daughter by the marriage.

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26. The supposed charm—

ground
turn evil star

given by the wise woman to a nervous couple, to counteract their evil star, and account for mysterious noises, is merely “Rats live underground,” turn being a direction to the solver.

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27. The word composed of five varied vowels of foreign sound, with but one consonant between them, is oiseau, the French for bird. The three letters which flow in four are eau, water, which flows in the River Oise, and the other trio spell oie, a goose, which is found therein.

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28. The Paradox—

What in his mind no man can find
Four symbols will display;
But only one remains behind
If one we take away—

is solved by Bone.

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29. The barber who had placed in his window the notice—

“What do you think
I will shave you for nothing and give you a drink”

explained, to the man who expected a free shave and a cool drink, that the interpretation was really this:—“What? Do you think I will shave you for nothing, and give you a drink?”

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30. The curious Latin label—

GENUI NE JAM
A
ICARUM.

has no reference to Icarus, or to flying machines. Its proper place was on a cask of “Genuine Jamaica Rum.”

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31. The puzzle word is ipecacuanha.

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32.

Johnson’s cat went up a tree,
Which was sixty feet and three;
Every day she climbed eleven,
Every night she came down seven.
Tell me, if she did not drop,
When her paws would touch the top—

is solved thus:—As each day and night the cat climbed up eleven feet, and came down seven, the daily upward gain was four feet, and thirteen days would bring her fifty-two feet up the tree. Then on the fourteenth day she mounted the remaining eleven feet, and was at the top, so that no coming down seven feet is to be taken into account, and she attains her place in fourteen days.

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33.

A third of six behind them fix,
A third of six before;
Thus makes two nines, when all combines,
Exactly fifty-four—

is solved:—

IX NINE (the two nines.)

IX NINES = 54.

(S is a third of six) S

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34. To bridge the moat, or space between the two squares which one match cannot span, place one match across one of the corners of the outer square, and the other from this to the inner square.

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35.

We start when the ninth hour is past,
Then there’s an end of you.
A vengeful goddess shows at last
What Antifat will do—

is solved by attenuate (at ten-u-Ate, goddess of vengeance).

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36. Mrs P.W. had only one guest to provide for. Her husband had invited his father’s brother-in-law, Jones, who was his brother’s father-in-law, because Mr P.W.’s brother had married Jones’ daughter, and his father-in-law’s brother, because he had himself married Jones’ niece, and also his brother-in-law’s father, as Mr P.W.’s sister married Jones’ son.

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37. This sharp customer started with fivepence farthing, and gradually extracted from the landlord’s pocket a shilling and three farthings towards the eighteenpence which he spent in refreshments.

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38. To form four triangles of equal size with six similar matches, place three of them in a triangle on the table, and hold or balance the other three above these, so as to form the skeleton of a pyramid.

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39. The following couplet solves this question:—

Forty-five-years I had seen
When my bride was but fifteen

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40. The lad gave tenpence each to a grandfather, his son, and his grandson.

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41. Nell’s reply to Tom, when he said, with a yawn, “I wish we could play lawn-tennis!” “Odioso ni mus rem. Moto ima os illud nam,” was not Latin, but good sound English. Read each word in its order backwards, and you have-- “Oh! so do I in summer. Oh, Tom! am I so dull, I man?”

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42. The policeman who was looking up the road for motor-car scorchers was able to see that his mate, who was looking down the road, was smiling, because they stood face to face.

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43.

Twenty-seven with three nines
You and I can score;
Anyone on other lines
Can extend them more.
Who can write them to be seen
Equal only to sixteen?—

is solved thus:—Two of the three nines are reversed, and then

966 = 16.

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44. The trying sentence, “that that is is that that is not is not is not that it it is,” is cleared thus by proper punctuation:—That that is, is; that that is not, is not. Is not that it? It is.

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45. A L L O is “Nothing after all.”

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46. The proverb with missing consonants is—Give a dog a bad name and hang him.

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47. If to the thirteen upright strokes—

thirteen more are added, the word HOTTENTOT may be formed.

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48. A coroner could, after signing his name, write down his official position with c or one r.

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