SOLUTIONS

Tan HE Edsa VEN inIt N Gja SmeTs AsgNaD Az Rett De.

Solution

19. I can travel first-class on the Great Eastern Railway from 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 5 0 0. What is the cost of my journey, and its length in time?

Solution

20.

Seogeh sreve ereh wcisume vahlLah sehs se otreh nos llebdnasRegni freh nos gnires rohyerGanoed iryd ale nifae esots sorcyRub nabot es rohk co caed ir.

Can you decipher it?

Solution

21. I wrote the following noterecently:—

Dear Jack,—Meet me at Simpson’s to-morrow at 1.30. We will sample their excellent Irish stew. Here are some catchwords that will remind you of theinvitation:—

Join me at andJoin me at aiJoin me at as

Why should they remind him of it?

Solution

22. This was the exact text of a letter sent to the master of an English village school by a labourer as an excuse for his boy’sabsence:—

“Cepatomtogoatatrin”

Can you decipher it?

Solution

23. This double Acrostic will afford an easy exercise in mental gymnastics for those to whom such pastimeappeals:—

Now we are fainTo rack your brain.

1. More fit for babes and sucklings than for you.

2. Robbed of externals this is very true.

3. Diminutive in measure and in weight.

4. Pen-name of one a true pen potentate.

5. A palindrome quite plain is here in sight.

6. Sans head and tail it also yields this light.

7. Here is in short what anyone may write.

Solution

The letters with ones under them are the first letters of words, those with twos under them are second letters of words, and so on.

Solution

25. Having occasion to make a few slight additions to my will, I called in my lawyer to arrange the matter. How far forward did the instructions contained in the following lines carry him in his work?

Set down a hundred in my will,Add nothing to the text;Five hundred now a space may fill,And one be added next.Another hundred write as well,And yet another one;Then fifty more, and try to tellThe deed that now is done.

Set down a hundred in my will,Add nothing to the text;Five hundred now a space may fill,And one be added next.

Another hundred write as well,And yet another one;Then fifty more, and try to tellThe deed that now is done.

Solution

26. Can you complete this word square?

Solution

27. Over the grave of a French musician, who was choked by a fish bone, the following epitaph was inscribed in notes of music:—A. G. A. E. A.

Over the porch of the house of Gustave Doré these musical notes were placed on a tablet:—C. E. B. A. C. D.

What do these inscriptions signify?

Solution

28. “Where can we meet to-morrow?” said Jack Spooner to his best girl.

“We will go,” she replied, “at 222222222222 LEY STREET.”

When and where did they meet?

Solution

29. What does this spell?

CT T T T T T T T T T

Solution

30. What English word is it which may be so treated as to affirm or disallow the use of its own initial or final letter?

Solution

31. Can you arrange these letters

E I O O O UB C N N R R S S

so that they form the title of a book well-known to boys?

Solution

32. Keeping these letters in their present order make a sensible sentence by inserting among them as often as is necessary another letter, which must be in every case the same.

A DEN I I CAN DOCK.

Solution

33. Here is a well-known quotation from Shakespeare, which seems to need some straighteningout:—

OXXU8MAAULGIHCTE

NOR

Solution

34. Here, as an awful warning to those who are ready to accept the definition of English spelling given by a former headmaster of Winchester—“Consonants are interchangeable, and vowels do not count”—is a common English word of twelve letters, in “linked sweetness long drawn out.”

Iewkngheaurrhphthewempeighghtips.

Can you decipher it?

Solution

35. Can you, by filling in letters, complete this word square so that it shall read alike across and from top to bottom?

Solution

36. The following curious inscription may be seen on a card hanging up in the bar of an old riverside inn inNorfolk:—

THEM * ILL * ERSLEA * VET * HEMILLT * HEW * HER * RYMEN * LOWERTH * EIRS * AILTH * EMALTS * TER * SLE * AVET * HE * KILN * FORAD * ROPO * FTHEWHI * TESW * AN * SALE.

Can you decipher it?

Solution

37.

TONDEBNIOTOCHUMFOARYHUROTDIRECTTHAWHOTERSOFKLSYA;TIKATESTUBALIGHTSTILLETRUFLYROTBOWLALLNEFESLEAVARFWYAA.

In this printer’s pie the words are in their proper sequence, but the letters are tangled.

Solution

38. In the following short sentences five names of places are buried—that is to say, the letters which spell them in proper order form parts ofmore words than one. Thus, for example “Paris” might be buried in the words “go up a rise:”

“The men could ride all on donkeys, the skipper, though, came to a bad end.”

When you have discovered these places, try to find out what very unexpected word of more than four letters is buried in the sentence, “On Christmas Eve you rang out angel peals.”

Solution

39. According to an old poet, Sir John Harrington(1561-1612):—

“Treason doth never flourish; what’s the reason?For if it prosper none dare call it treason!”

The classic lines may possibly have been the germ of the flippant modern riddle, “Why is it no offence to conspire in the evening?”

Solution

40.

Inscribe anmabove a lineAnd write anebelow,This woodland flower is hung so fineIt bends when zephyrs flow.

Solution

41. The following letters, if they are properly rearranged, will fall into the words which form a popularproverb:—

A A E E G G H I L L M N N N O O O O R R S S S S T T

Can you place them in position?

Solution

42. Can you fill in the gaps of this proverb?

E**t* *e*s**s *a*e *h* *o** **i*e.

Solution

43. There is an English word of five syllables which has only eight letters, five of them vowels—an a, an e, twice i, and y. What are its consonants?

Solution

44. Can you turn TORMENT to RAPTURE, using four links, changing only one letter each time, and varying the order of the letters?

Solution

45. Can you arrange these letters so that they form a sentence of five words?

a a c e e e f f h h i i i i i m n n o o o p r r s s t t t t t.

The result is a well-known English proverb.

Solution

46. Add one letter, and make this into a sensible Englishsentence:—

G D L D P R T F R R T H D X X F R D D N S

Solution

47.

One vowel in an English word is found,Which by eight consonants is hedged around.

Solution

Can you form an English word with these letters?

A A A A A B B N N I I R S S T T.

Solution

What is this? It is found inShakespeare:—

K I N I.

Solution

50. There are two English words which contain each of them ten letters, and six of these are a, b, c, d, e, f, the first six letters of the alphabet. Can you build up either or both of them without looking at the solution?

Solution

51.

Of a band of true kinsmen I stand at the head,Who, to keep themselves warm, cluster three in a bed.Put four into gaol and their number has risen,So that six can be counted together in prison.Take the six and recount them, they dwindle to three;Count again, and a change into five you will see.With no number from one to one hundred I mix,Yet with five of my mates I am seen to make six.

Solution

52. The prodigal son of a wealthy colonial farmer received a letter from his father, to suggest that a considerable part of his inheritance should be safeguarded before he squandered it. His reply ran thus:—“Dear dad, keep 1000050.” As such a sum, even in dollars, was out of the question, the father was completely puzzled.

What did the prodigal mean?

Solution

53. The names of eight famous British poets are buried in these lines, that is to say, the letters that spell the names form in their proper order parts of differentwords:—

The sun is darting rays of goldUpon the moor, enchanting spot,Whose purpled heights, by Ronald loved,Up open to his Shepherd cot.And sundry denizens of airAre flying, aye, each to his nest;And eager make at such an hourAll haste to reach the mansions-blest.

The sun is darting rays of goldUpon the moor, enchanting spot,Whose purpled heights, by Ronald loved,Up open to his Shepherd cot.

And sundry denizens of airAre flying, aye, each to his nest;And eager make at such an hourAll haste to reach the mansions-blest.

Can you dig them up?

Solution

54. WhenA. B.gave up the reins of government, andC. B.took office in his place, it was found that their political positions could be exactly described by two quite common English verbs, which differ only in this, that the one is longer by one letter than the other, while the rest of the letters are the same, and in the same order. What are these two verbs?

Solution

55. The following is a prizeRebus:—

donemuttandiyou make mea gluttT. c. d.

donemuttandiyou make me

a gluttT. c. d.

Solution

56.

First acandat, lastacand at,With a couple of letters between,Form a sight that our eyes are delighted to see,Unless in their sight it is seen.

Solution

57.

Cut off my tail and set it at my head,What was an island is a little bear instead.

Solution

T S.

58. What English word do these two letters indicate? There are two possible solutions of equal merit.

Solution

59. How can we read this?

I N X I N X I N.

Solution

60.

Rebus

IFS

Solution

Black has made the false move Kt from Q sq to Kt 3. When this is replaced, and the king is moved as the proper penalty, White mates at once with one or other of the Knights.

Back to Cameo

Replace the White Kt at B 7, and a Black Pawn at K 4; then P takes Pen pas. Mate.

It can be proved that Black’s last movemust have beenP from K 2 to K 4, so that White may take the Pen pas.

The Black King cannot have moved from anyoccupiedsquare.

(The White Kt now occupies B 7.)

Nor from Kt 3 or 4, as both are nowdoublyguarded, so that he cannot have movedout of a check.

(The White Kt now helps to guard Kt 5.)

Nor can he have moved from K 2, as the White P on Q 6 cannot have movedto give check.

No other P can have moved.

The K P cannot have moved from K 3, became of the position of the White King.

Therefore Black’s last movemust have beenP from K 2 to K 4, which White can takeen pasgiving Mate.

Back to Cameo

B—Q 2P—R 7B—R 5P—R 7 becomes QP—Kt 4anyWhite hasno move.

The way in which the B runs to earth and is shut in is most ingenious. Black with the new Q cannot anyhow give White a move.

Back to Cameo

R—Kt 7, ch.K movesR—Kt 5P becomes QR—B 5, ch.Q × R, stalemate.

Back to Cameo

B—Kt 8.

Back to Cameo

B—R 4.

Back to Cameo

B—R sq.

Back to Cameo

B—Q 4.

Back to Cameo

B—B sq.

Back to Cameo

K—R 4.

Back to Cameo

Kt—Kt’s 6.

Back to Cameo

R—Kt 5Kt × RKt—B 6Kt—B 6 ch.Kt × Kt mate

Back to Cameo

Kt—R 7B movesQ—KB 8B returnsQ—R 8 mate.

Any other move of the Kt would impede the movements of the Q.

Back to Cameo

R—R sq.B moves.Q—Kt sq.B returns.Q to Kt sq. mate.

Back to Cameo

This beautiful problem is solvedby:—

Q—Kt 6P × QK—B 2anymates accordingly.

Kt—K 3R—B 3anymates accordingly.

Back to Cameo

R—R 2.B × KtQ—R sq.anyQ mates.

B—Q sq.Kt—QB 8,anyQ or Kt mates.

B elsewhereKt—QB 6,anyQ or Kt mates.

Back to Cameo

Kt—Kt 4, dis. ch.K—R 8.Q—KR 2, ch.P × Q.Kt—B 2, mate.

There are other variations.

Back to Cameo

B—Kt sq.P × Kt,Q—QR7,K × Kt.Q mates.

If K × Kt, Q × P, and mates next move.

Back to Cameo

K—Q 7,K movesR—Q 5,K × RQ mates.

Back to Cameo

R—Q 8K movesQ × P, ch.K × QB mates.

B movesQ—K 7anyQ mates.

Back to Cameo

B—B 6K × RQ—Q 7, ch.K × QR mates.

B × RR—B 6, ch.K × PQ mates.

There are other variations.

Back to Cameo

Q—R 8Kt × QKt—B 6anymates accordingly.

Back to Cameo

B—Kt 8B—K Kt 2Q × B, ch.Kt—K 4Q—QR 7, mate.

B—B 3Q—Q 2, ch.K movesP mates.

Back to Cameo

B—Kt 2K—K 4Q—K 3 ch.anymates.

There are other variations.

Back to Cameo

Q—KR 2K—B 3 or B4Q—Q 6, ch.Q × QKt—K 5. double ch. mate.

There are other variations.

Back to Cameo

R—QR sq.P movesR—R 2P × RP mates.

Back to Cameo

Q—B sq.P—K 7Q × BP ch.K—Q 3Q mates.

K—Q 2Q × BP ch.K—B 3Q mates.

There are other variations.

Back to Cameo

B—R 8K—R 2Q—QR sq.K movesQ—Q Kt. 7, mate.

Back to Cameo

Q—R 5B × Q or B—B 2Kt—Kt 5anyKt mates.

Back to Cameo

K—Kt 7Kt—B 3Q—Q 5, ch.Kt × QKt. mates.

P—K 3Q—B 8, ch.K movesQ mates.

Back to Cameo

R—Kt 6P movesB—Kt 4P × BR × P mate.

Back to Cameo

Kt from R 3—Kt 5P × KtB—B 4P × BP—Q 4 ch.P × Pen pasR—B 5 mate.

R × BR—Kt 5 ch.anymates accordingly.

and if

Q—K 6Kt—Q 6Q—Kt 3R—B 5 ch.Q × RKt—B 7 mate.

Back to Cameo

The arrow head at the top of a small wheel with ten teeth, which is geared into and revolved round a large fixed wheel with forty teeth, will point directly upwards five times in its course round the large wheel. Four of these turnings are due to the rotation of the small wheel on its own axis, and one of them results from its revolution round the large wheel.

Back to Description

It is possible to pass over all the bridges which connect the islandsAandBand the banks of the surrounding river without going over any of them twice.

The course can be shown thus, using capital letters for the different regions of land, and italics for the bridges:—EaFbBcFdAeFfCgAhCiDkAmEnApBqElD.

This order of the bridges can, of course, be reversed.

Back to Description

In order that a spaniel starting from the middle of a circular pond, and going at the same pace as a duck that is swimming round its edge, shall be sure to catch it speedily, the dog must always keep in the straight line between the duck and the centre of the pond.

The duck can never gain an advantage by turning back, and if it swims on continuously in a circle it will be overtaken when it has passed through a quarter of the circumference, for the dog will in the same time have described a semi-circle whose diameter is the radius of the pond, ending at the point where the duck is caught.

Back to Description

When a bird tethered by a cord 50 feet long to a post 6 inches in diameter uncoils the full length of the cord, and recoils it in the opposite direction, keeping it always taut, it flies 10,157 feet, or very nearly 2 miles, in its double course.

To avoid possible misunderstanding, we point out that, in order to pass from the uncoiling to the recoiling position, the bird must fly through a semicircle at the end of the fully extended cord.

Back to Description

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