Please see the Transcriber’s Notes at the end of this text.

frontispiece

THE
SANTA CLAUS’
BOOK OF
GAMES AND PUZZLES:

COLLECTION OF RIDDLES, CHARADES, ENIGMAS,
REBUSES, ANAGRAMS, LABYRINTHS,
ACROSTICS, Etc.

WITH A HIEROGLYPHIC PREFACE.

OVER ONE HUNDRED ILLUSTRATIONS.

NEW YORK:
JOHN H. TINGLEY, 152¹⁄₂ FULTON STREET.
1864.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by
JOHN H. TINGLEY,
In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York.

CONTENTS.

PAGE
Hieroglyphic Preface,	v
Puzzles,	9
Charades,	22
Riddles,	42
Rebuses,	51
Enigmas,	69
Acrostics,	78
Decapitations,	81
Names of Places Enigmatically Expressed,	87
Cuttings for Planting,	94
Anagrams,	98
Conundrums,	104
Labyrinths,	21, 41, 77, 93, 108

Sphinx

PREFACE.

fancy T

The Enigma is of such ancient and R E speckedable origin, that eye shall ask no 1 2 XQQ me 4 offering this book 2 the public. Enigmatical ?? R frequent inn the Scriptures, and inn olden times of10 contained a grate deal of FvOaRlMuAaTbIlOeN.

top of fancy T

middle of fancy T

bottom of fancy T

I inn10’d, my deer young friends, 2 combine instruction with MUUment: and do knot fear butt what my X speckedations will B suffishently realeyesd. Right well eye know, little boyS and girls , U cannot fail 2 B dlighted when eye am making such Fforts in ewer B ¹⁄₂; so, heartily shaking U awl by the hand

eye remane
ewers truly,
SANTA CLAUS.

PUZZLES, RIDDLES, ENIGMAS, &c.

PUZZLES.

old man

1

Two thousand one hundred divided by two,
Will show what all monkeys will readily do.

2

M a pain negative quaker vessel with indefinite article N V you and me superior animal.

bee

3

BB H1Y WINUUTER.

4

Exist merchandise of diminutive X instruments for writing es, a minute breach testament drain a large vessel.

5

IIAR BB U R 2 X & UR IDAA R 2 MT 2 MUU NE 1 U R 2 EPQREN 2 XSII UR NRGG O XQQS O X10U88 UR XSS 4 U O 2 B YYR.

6

OPM & BR FMNAC & TRR R UUULE NMEE 2 NRG & O 2 B SPCLE ODS 2 U DR LN.

7

O MLE B9 & FMN8 B4 U X10U8 NE XS C A YY DET.

8

Our to avow head ornament article of food is to a greater degree over and above vag insect than the article of dress a grain of 4 air.

9

A certain number call to mind,
And very curious ’tis, you’ll find;
For if of three it is bereft,
The self-same number will be left!

10

Young girls’ nickname eros O provisions rated out are nickname of Susan, fabled angel, small conjunction, one and one any O provision allotted, of other work oars O those who rate, things laid by a hen sneering speech.

Cow with milkmaid

11

If by nought you divide one hundred and ten,
You will have a fine animal, treasured of men.

12

Though but three letters I am named,
My first two make a word of four;
My third, split from a nation famed,
Will leave a dweller on its shore.

I’ve often wept o’er human guilt,
And yet I never shed a tear;
And though another’s blood I’ve spilt,
The law has never made me fear.

Though on the Arctic shores I dwell,
And far in China always stay,
’Tis true I toll the Moscow bell,
And yet you see me every day.

My brother is of Moorish birth,
And gladdens oft Sahara’s waste;
I rightly estimate his worth,
And find him pleasant to the taste.

We, both united, form, you see,
A mighty instrument of power;
We are a despot’s firm decree,
And cause republicans to cower.

13

A WORD OF FIVE LETTERS.

If you my first by two divide,
My fifth it will produce;
Which, if you will by ten divide,
My third you may peruse.
Again my third by five divide,
My second will appear;
My second then by one divide,
You’ll see my fourth quite clear;
My whole at once you’ll plainly see,
Which I advise you all to be.

14

We two, when together, incite division,
Yet either one of us preserves unity, and is ever present with every man.
Bound together, we are leaders of harmony,
Then, joining our heads, we lead armies.
When crossed, we assist in every exaltation.
Tied by the heels, we crown victory.

15

Ni reevy andl dan micle I yam eb dofun
Ni rai ni wreat sola redun dogrun,
Fo saurivo tross I ma, dan saviour shue,
Fo rivasou dinks fo wronb, dan sivorau slube,
M’i stimoseme clabk, ro yrag, dan mesetimos erd,
Lou’ly syrule dnif em otu morf thaw vi’e aids,
Noe throe thin ot dia ouy ni oury suges,
Wotthiu em tubs ’aye elfs weer laveluses.

16

What two words, of eight letters each, one an adjective, the other a verb, will exactly resolve themselves into each other?

17

Take five from five, and in its place put twice five hundred and fifty. What musical instrument will it name?

A Chinese

18

H I knees.

19

THE SILVER PUZZLE.

Lay a ten-cent piece upon the table-cloth, between two half-dollars, and place a tumbler upon the larger coins, The puzzle is to remove the ten-cent piece without displacing either of the half-dollars, or the glass. You are not allowed to touch the ten-cent piece, either with your hands or anything else, nor must you blow it away!

20

A RIDDLE WITHIN A RIDDLE.

Moce ye unigieson nose, hist dilerd suesg,
Ti si ton cufidlift, ouy liwl socfens;
Thaw si hatt burmen—hiwhc fi ouy ivdedi,
Ouy hent liwl hington veale no theire dies?

Two children not quarreling

21

W fowl one testament negative,
twice one tin vessel negative quarrel.

22

TWO DISJOINTED PROVERBS.

A great many of our difficulties	may be	dissimulation
by assiduity and proper diligence.	come	mischief lurks.

23

THE DOG PUZZLE.

dogs

Add four lines to these apparently dead dogs, which shall give them the appearance of running away.

24

Find a word containing six letters, or less, and out of it produce all the parts of speech.

25

Find a word which contains the five vowels, each vowel being used but once.

dressed up fox?

26

I am a word of five letters. My first minus my fifth will leave my second; my fifth divided by my first will produce my fourth; and five times my first added to five times my fifth will make my third; my whole is funny.

27

I contain just five hundred and fifty,
And also one hundred and nought,
If the numbers are rightly disposed,
You’ll obtain just the number you sought;
You will find I’m a portion of earth,
Though perhaps on the map I’m not named,
Yet the deep-sounding sea gave me birth,
At my feet there’s a river far-famed.

28

Hair long(?) X specked A (great) overturning and up rising in U rope

29

One thousand five hundred divided by one,
Will express what a lamp is, compared with the sun.

Hay cart

30

First make a full circle, then turn to the right,
And a monarch of old will appear in sight.

31

Ey recvel wingkon nose, dare em gathir,
Dan grinb ym bustle namegin tino thilg,
Wi’llt eden mose catineep, seepcraveren, catt,
Ot est ym coldisatosin: sha’tt a caft.

32

Out of what two words (comprising ten letters in all) can you get the eight personal pronouns?

33

SHAKSPERIAN PUZZLE.

KIND.

You will observe that the D is not quite perfect. There is a little notch in it. The answer is found in Hamlet.

Graveyard scene

34

OLD ENGLISH EPITAPH.

S To pread E. R. he reand D. E. ignt,
O LOO KONO
new it H. out anam E. Ne’e rent
ER Din theam plebo
O K
Off or tune or off AME.

35

N always place not on money-drawer a future day w an article of dress tin cup insect d ¹⁄₂ of 2 present time.

36

Get a piece of writing-paper, and cut the pattern of a miniature horse-shoe: divide the figure into six pieces, by only two straight cuts with a pair of scissors. The paper must not be bent or creased.

37

Find the original word of eight letters in which each separate word of the following sentence may be found.

“A rare chase! See, he reaches her. Ah! she has her cares, her ear aches.”

38

A MARST PEERTEAR.

Rices viaSly ot a neverred Dnea,
Thaw nosear anc eb vigen,
Scein rageimar si a hoyl gnhit;
Hatt rheet si onen in nehave?
Heert ear on nowme, eh deplier,
Hes cuqik turners het stej
Menow heert ear, tub m’ I drafia
Hyet noctan dnif a stripe!

39

hand	654	is that hand	421	does.
	321		2
	333		842

40

Des two things matching one another, blunts definite article, edge of tavern powdered earth a grain.

41

Purchase for obtain repleteness of tavern men impaneled to weigh evidence, we exhibit sixty minutes selves one more exalted twice one them.

Children in garden

42

There are more than twenty-nine different articles in my garden, each of which is a family surname. Who will name them?

43

I am a verb, a small word of six letters; something that every one should strive to do. But I am a very comprehensive little word, for in me may be found—

1. An entreaty.
2. A vendue.
3. A vegetable.
4. A vital principle.
5. A spring.
6. A “restorer.”
7. A stamp.
8. A contract.
9. A nautical term.
10. A body of water.
11. To perceive.
12. Rest.

Boys playing at marbles

44

A boy having some marbles, wished to divide them with his companions: he gave half of them to one boy, who returned him 8; half of them to another boy, who returned him 4; three quarters of them to another boy, who returned him 4; he had 8 left: how many had he at first?

45

What two letters of the alphabet will express the name of a river in one of the Southern States?

46

What letter of the alphabet expresses the joining together of two States?

47

What word is that of five letters, which, if the two first letters are taken away, leaves only one?

LABYRINTH NO. 1.

Labyrinth

This Labyrinth may be entered by any of the openings in the margin: the puzzle is, to trace a way to the center without crossing any of the lines.

CHARADES.

Rainbow

1

My first is the name of a fowl,
An emblem of modesty known;
My second has coloring power,
And grows ’neath a tropical sun.

My third is a mourning array,
That’s worn in an Orient clime,
And reminds of those regions of day
Beyond the confines of time.

My fourth in the spring-time is gay,
And comes with the note of the bird;
In autumn, leaves forest and spray,
And goes when no music is heard.

My fifth takes the place of my fourth,
When leaves are in autumn time sere;
But when winter comes on, with its dearth,
This too will in turn disappear.

My sixth is a fruit of one zone,
And name of a prince who sped
In triumph to England’s proud throne,
In place of a king who had fled.

My seventh’s in the meteor’s blaze
That lights up the star-spangled sky,
And glows in the twilight’s maze,
And the clouds in their golden dye.

My whole in beauty far outvies
The richest robe a prince e’er wore,
A signet gleaming in the skies,
A covenant for evermore.

2

My first oft preys upon my second;
My whole a bitter shrub is reckoned.

3

My first and last are just the same,
And would you know my second,
’Mong children’s first abbreviates
You’ll oftenest find it reckoned.
My first and last are always seen,
A common preposition,
And here methinks they love to meet
For tasteful coalition.
My second, infants spell the word,
Ere they can lisp another;
’Tis name of one still dearer far
Than sister or than brother.

My whole, a luscious, pulpy fruit,
In garden oft found growing,
Is either with a yellow dress,
Or richest red robe glowing.
’Tis in its prime, when wheat and rye
Are ripening for the sickle,
And ready then for present use,
Or yet to dry and pickle.
Few fruits in our cold northern clime,
Than this is more inviting;
You surely know its name, even while
Its praises I’m reciting.

Bird

4

My first is the chief of delights
That boys from their cradles desire;
Its shrill crack more musical far
To them than Apollo’s sweet lyre,
Except when applied with masterly art,
To root out the evil that lurks in the heart.

My second the Bible commends
To the rich, the wise, and the great,
With eloquence pleadeth their cause,
And blesseth their lowly estate;
They are ever with us, without search are found,
The more we give to them, the more we abound.

When the rich man lies down in the grave,
He takes not his riches away,
And anxious expectants cluster around,
To hear what my third has to say:
Its mandate is law, and if it sore pinches
The fawning false friend, then vainly he flinches.

My whole is a sombre brown bird,
That sadly each night trills his lay;
And each passer-by stops to hear
What this bird of eve has to say.
As ever he sings the same plaintive song,
Who that has e’er heard him will guess on this long?

5

My first, although not giving grace
To ev’ry living creature,
Is yet upon the human face,
A most important feature.

On some it has a classic mien,
Fair Grecian or bold Roman;
On some ’tis flat, on some I ween
’Twould answer for a gnomon!

The water fowl which swims the pond,
Or bathes in ocean briny,
The dove that coos her ditty fond,
My first doth have, yet tiny.

My second is a vowel plain;
My third an exclamation,
Upon the music scale again
It holdeth goodly station.

My whole, ah, look in yonder sky,
And you will see it gleaming,
Less clear, perchance, because more shy,
Than stars so brilliant beaming.

The telescope will make how bright
Its timid, shrinking beauties!
And bring to mortal ken, the light
Of its revolving duties.

6

Awake, idle sleeper. Up! up! and arise,
Already my first hath made vocal the skies.
Arouse thee! arouse thee! mount horse, and away;
For long is the journey before thee to-day.

Forget not my second, when weary thy steed,
By that shalt thou urge on his lingering speed
For many a forest and ford must be passed,
Before thou shalt reach thine own cottage, at last.

And ere though thine own cottage garden thou’lt tread,
The dews of the night on my whole shall be shed,
On my beautiful whole, yet less blue and less bright,
Than the eyes which will meet thee with glistening delight.

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