THE RIDDLE-BOX

Our readers will here find a "knight's move" problem, similar to the one published in the "Riddle-Box" of ST. NICHOLAS for February, 1874. By beginning at the right word and going from square to square as a knight moves, you will find an eight-line quotation from an old poet. The verse is quoted in one of "Elia's Essays." M.

The whole, composed of six letters, is a New England city. The 1 is a numeral. The 1 2 is a word signifying "Behold!" The 1 2 3 is cheap. The 2 3 4 is to be indebted. The 3 4 is a pronoun. The 3 4 5 6 is a cistern. The 4 5 6 is a measure.

By taking one letter from each line of this verse, you will find an acrostic which spells a holiday greeting. The letters, too, are in a straight line with one another—but what letters shall be taken?

In each sentence, fill the first two blanks with two words which, joined together, will form a word to fill the remaining blank.

1. "Do you buy paper —— —— or reams?" —— one school-girl of another.
2. —— —— Puritans do not regard it as you free —— men might.
3. He built —— —— when in ——, and lived like the natives themselves.

The initials and finals of the words represented by the small pictures name two objects to be seen in the central picture. Two other words relating to the central picture may also be found in succession, by taking one letter from each of the words represented by the small pictures.

The answer is a proverb relating to Christmas. Forty-four letters. My 2 30 9 8 24 38 15 22 32 27, and also 25 20 11 38 31 25, and 6 13 17 35 25 9 18 29 2 are used in Christmas decorations. 36 1 26 42 9 16 are rung, 44 41 7 38 39 31 16 are told, 24 4 6 2 12 are played, 10 11 33 26 21 2 5 12 is laid aside, 19 9 43 38 35 37 16 are brightened by yule logs, 34 23 14 11 20 25 salutations are exchanged, 28 22 4 8 35 44 gladdened, and 3 7 11 38 27 winged, all at the good old Christmas-time.

The answers will give respectively the names of sixteen authors.

1. A cat's cry and a Scotch lake. 2. The value of the rim 3. A rough or clumsy cut between a sunbeam and the old ladies' beverage. 4. A man's name and an island. 5. A teacher commanding one of his male scholars to perform his task. 6. A bun and a hotel. 7. A light, and a "k," and a measure of length. 8. Strong and well.

9. Two-thirds of an eye; a Scotch title prefixed;
With a shoe-maker's tool nicely put in betwixt:
If you look at it closely, I think you will find
An essayist, poet, historian, combined.

10. Conqueror, embrace O. 11. Indispensable to printers, and a little bed. 12. A bit, and a horse's cry. 13. A small nail and a Spanish title. 14. A boy's nickname and an humble dwelling. 15. The patriarch Jacob between "D" and myself.

16. If two pretty girl-names together you tie
(Some E's you must lose, for "I can't tell a lie"),
The name of two poets at once you'll descry.

The wheel is made of four words of seven letters each, with a common central letter. The first word is written vertically, the second horizontally, the third diagonally from left to right, and the fourth diagonally from right to left. The half of each word, from the outside to the central letter (but not including that letter), forms a smaller word. The whole line of dots from 1a to 1b including the central letter, indicates the first of the four principal words, while 1a indicates the first of the small words belonging to it, and 1b indicates its second small word. This numbering and lettering applies also to the other words. The central letter is given, and all the words are defined below.

1. A wall of defense. 2. A brilliant bird of South America. 3. An enthusiast. 4. The noise of a drum.

1a. Equal value. 1b. A fondling. 2a. The human race. 2b. A relative. 3a. An article of summer use. 3b. Involuntary muscular motion. 4a. To chafe. 4b. To entitle.

Eight dominoes placed together form a square composed of sixteen half-dominoes, as shown in the diagram below. But, in the diagram, each row of four half-dominoes contains a different number of spots from any of the other rows. Thus the topmost row, counting horizontally, contains eighteen spots; the one below it only four; the first row to the left, counting vertically, ten; the diagonal row, downward from left to right, eight, etc. It is required to make a square of eight dominoes of the same set, in which each vertical, horizontal, and diagonal row of half dominoes shall contain exactly sixteen spots. Who can do it?

The puzzle contains ten words of ten letters each. Fill the blanks with words suited to the sense, and arrange these one above another in the order in which they occur in the sentences. They will then form a square, and the diagonal letters, read downward from left to right, will name a friend we all like.

—— (the same person as the diagonal, with another name) boys, and the children may well put —— in a friend who can —— so much to their happiness. No ordinary person is —— to him; and the legend —— us to the belief that he is well-nigh —— that tells of the —— exercise of his power in a —— —— manner, and on account of which he deserves to be called the "——" patron.

Supply the blanks with words to complete the sense, and transpose them into an appropriate proverb, with no letter repeated.

Initials, read downward, a man; read upward, a biblical locality. Centrals, read downward, a portion; read upward, a snare. Finals, read downward, something seen at night; read upward, small animals.

1. Stupid persons. 2. Toward the stern of a ship. 3. An insect in a caterpillar state. 4. To come in.

In work, but not in play; a domestic animal; a singing bird; a light carriage; in night, but not in day.

1. She is such a sweet, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 child, I feel sure that I can soon 1 2 3   4 5 6 7 of her love.

2. "Will you 1 2 3 4   5 6 row?" said the 1 2 3 4 5 6.

3. If you do 1 2 3 4   5 6 7 8 9 10 11 about the stem of, the vase, choose the delicate 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11.

4. Shall you 1 2 3 4   5 6 7 8   9 10 11 12 for robbing the poor little 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12's nest?

5. My 1 2   3 4 5 6 7 a house to the 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 of ten children.

6. Shall it be a sail, 1 2 3,   4 5   6 7 8,—1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8? Whichever it is to be, we must prepare for it to-day, Tom.

7. 1 2 3 4! 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4, I shall always be interested in your 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8.

ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN NOVEMBER NUMBER.

DOUBLE ACROSTIC.—Franklin, Herschel.

BROKEN WORDS.—1. Forgotten—forgot ten. 2. Offences—of fences. 3. Significant—sign if I can't. 4. Firmament—firm ament.

PICTORIAL NUMERICAL REBUS.—

HOUR-GLASS PUZZLE.—

NUMERICAL ENIGMA—Cleopatra—ale, top, car.

BEHEADINGS AND CURTAILINGS.—1. Shame, Sham, Ham, Ha, A. 2. White, Whit, Hit, It, I. 3. Coral, Cora, Ora, Or, R. 4. Spine, Pine, Pin, In, I. 5. Honey, Hone, One, On, O.

EASY DIAMOND PUZZLE.—D, Cid, Clara, Diamond, Droit, Ant, D.

CHARADE.—Stratagem.

PUZZLE BOUQUET.—1. Foxglove. 2. Hawkweed. 3. Tuberose. 4. Candytuft. 5. Snapdragon. 6. Wall-flower. 7. Sweet-pea. 8. Balsam (Ball Sam). 9. Snowdrop. 10. Marigold (Marry Gold).

TRANSPOSITIONS.—1. Earth, heart. 2. Oder, rode. 3. Wells, swell. 4. Evil, Levi. 5. Edges, sedge.

LETTER ANAGRAMS.—1. L over P—Plover. 2. R after S—Rafters. 3. S and T—Stand. 4. P under L—Plunder. 5. Et upon Ic—Unpoetic.

HIDDEN DRESS GOODS.—1. Calico. 2. Gingham. 3. Cotton. 4. Linen. 5. Serge. 6. Merino. 7. Silk. 8. Satin. 9. Muslin.

PICTORIAL PROVERB-ACROSTIC.—"The longest day must have an end."

THE ANSWERS TO THE PICTORIAL PUZZLES IN THE OCTOBER "RIDDLE-BOX" were accidentally omitted from the November number, and are given here. REBUS: "Liars are not to be believed or respected." PICTORIAL PROVERB-ANAGRAM: "Listeners never hear any good of themselves."

ANSWERS TO ALL THE PUZZLES IN THE OCTOBER NUMBER have been received from Harry H Neill, George J. Fiske, Eddie Vultee, John W. Riddle, Marion Abbott, Harriet M. Hall, Grant Squires, George Herbert White, William Kiersted, Maxwell W. Turner, Emma Elliott, H.V. Wurdemann, Alice B. Moore, "Clarinet," Sophie Owen Smith, Julia Abbott, Alice M. King, Mary W. Ovington, "Maudie," Edith Merriam, Eddie H. Eckel, "Bessie and her Cousin," Alice Bertram, M.W. Collet, and "A.B.C."

ANSWERS TO SPECIAL PUZZLES were also received, previous to October 18th, from Georgietta N. Congdon, Bessie Dorsey, Fred M. Pease, T.M. Ware, A.G. Cameron, "May," Rosie S. Palmer, Julia Lathers, Florence Wilcox, Edwin R. Garsia, Lizzie M. Knapp, Alice B. McNary, May Danforth, Katie Earl, W. Creighton Spencer, W. Irving Spencer, Carrie M. Hart, Edna A. Hart, Olive E. Hart, B.P. Emery, Gertrude Eager, and Alice T. Booth.