Pictured Puzzles and Word Play A Companion to the Twentieth Century Standard Puzzle Book

I am bright as a whole Till you cut off my head; Then as black as a coal, Or a mortal instead. Shaken up and recast We with science are found, Read us back from the last And we live underground.

is solved by Star, tar, arts, rats.

Horace Smith’s charade--

In arts and sciences behold my first the watchword still, All prejudice must bend the knee before its iron will; Yet “Onward!” is the Briton’s cry--a cry that doth express A holy work but half begun, and speaks of hopefulness. In palace or in lonely cot its name alike is heard, And in the Senate’s lordly halls sit my second and my third. Strange paradox, though for my first my total is designed, Sad marks of vice and ignorance we in that whole may find.

is solved by Reformatory.

Untouched I tell of budding growth and life; Beheaded I lead upward more or less; Again--with varied fragrance I am rife; Again--but little value I express.

is solved by Nascent, ascent, scent, cent.

The enigma--

Search Holy Writ and you will see A victory was won by me. Behead me, and I may be found In water or on hilly ground. Behead again, and then transpose, A snare my letters now disclose. If yet again my head you sever, No matter how sharp-set or clever, ’Tis all in vain you look about, For no one yet has found me out.

is solved by Sling, ling, gin, in.

The charade--

Said a lawyer aside to his friend in the court, “Now I’d bet, were we not in this place, That my first is my second a bottle of port,” Then bright with my whole shone his face.

is solved by Pleasure.

The answer to the problem--

Six horse ’buses and four motor ’buses travel each hour from Temple Bar to the Bank. The horses take 15 minutes, and the motors 10 minutes on the journey.

If I come to Temple Bar, and wish to reach the Bank as soon as possible, shall I take the first horse ’bus that turns up, or wait for a motor? It must be assumed that I can only see a ’bus as it actually passes me--

is (1) Take a motor if it comes first.

(2) Take a horse ’bus if it comes first, and comes within 2¹⁄₂ minutes of waiting.

(3) Wait for a motor if a horse ’bus comes first, but does not come till after 2¹⁄₂ minutes.

As I may have to wait 0 minutes or 15 minutes, the average time of waiting will be 7¹⁄₂ minutes.

If I wait x min., and a horse ’bus arrives, I should reach the Bank in 15 mins, if I took it.

If I waited longer for a motor, which, on the average, will now turn up in 7¹⁄₂ - x mins., I should reach the Bank in 17¹⁄₂ - x mins.

If, therefore, x is greater than 2¹⁄₂, the motor is the quicker.

The historical charade--

My first, if foolishly or rashly taken, May mar the future prospects of your life. My second, by her fickle lord forsaken (Sad type of many a gentle, patient wife). May toil and moil to feed his many babies, While he goes flirting off with other ladies. The thrifty monarch of a former age My whole a place in Britain’s history fills. Immortalised in Shakespeare’s magic pages As one who’d fain reform his tailor’s bills!

is solved by Stephen (Step-hen).

My second, worn with pompous pride, My first had dangling at his side, On chain securely hooked. My first he came from o’er the sea, A bundle of conceit looked he, And he was all he looked.

She led him to the village green, Where in desponding mood was seen My whole, with drooping head. “Behold,” she said, “a perfect, true And striking likeness, sir, of you!” And, laughing, gaily fled.

is solved by Donkey.

I’m one among a numerous host, And very useful in my post; There’s not a house in all the land Without me properly can stand. Though men disputed long ago Whether I did exist or no, Once more some thousands have been slain Because they could not me attain.

The anagram proverbs, “These grave lips chatter no ill,” and “Elephants, all to richest giver,” are both founded on Little pitchers have long ears, and spelt with exactly the same letters.

The buried potentate in the lines--

My first is in cake, but not in bun; My second in light, but not in sun; My third is in night, but not in day; My fourth is in game, but not in play; My fifth is in head, but not in tail; My sixth is in wind, but not in sail; My seventh in wrong, but not in right; My eighth is in battle, but not in fight; My ninth is in sword, but not in knife, My tenth is in lady, but not in wife; My whole is a monarch at war with strife.

is King Edward.

The charade--

My first except when it is old Is never seen or heard; When it is heard the sound is tolled Out of a Jewish beard. My next was in imperial Rome, It was her power and might; Then you had but to write you wish, And straightway ’twas in sight.

My whole was Frank Of royal rank.

is solved by Clovis (vis in Latin is both power and you wish).

How great in olden days my power, Oft have I saved a castle tower From war’s invading tide. Transpose me, and how great my fall! I am then the smallest of the small, That nothing can divide.

is solved by _Moat_--_atom_.

The puzzle--

This compact Enigma take, All apart its letters shake. Let your 6, 3, 5 be high, Like 5, 1, 2 do or die. Who 4, 6, 5, 1 enjoys More than 5, 6, 2 by boys? While 5, 3, 2, 1 are mine, May 4, 6, 3, 2 be thine. 4, 1, 5 is rich and rare, 6, 5, 1, 2 ends my prayer.

is solved by the word Enigma, from which are formed, as is indicated, the words aim, men, game, man, mine, gain, gem, and amen.

Cut off my head, I’m every inch a King, A warrior formed to deal a heavy blow. Halve what remains, my second is a thing Which nothing but my third can e’er make go, My third will vary as you take your line, This less than human, that way all divine!