Part 4
from _leipein_, to leave out, and _gramma_, a letter--is a riddle in which a name or sentence is written without its vowels, as:
Thprffthpddngsthtng, The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
Whnhnorslst ts--rlftd, Dths bt--sr rtrt fm nfmy.
"When honour's lost 'tis a relief to die, Death's but a sure retreat from infamy."
This riddle sometimes appears as a proverb.
"Fear's the white feather all cowards wear." ----s' th wht fthr ll cwrds----
62. Logogriph.
This is a riddle (_logos_, a word, and _griphos_, a riddle) in which a word is made to undergo several changes. These changes are brought about by the addition, subtraction, omission, or substitution of a letter or letters. The following, by the late Lord Macaulay, is an excellent example:
"Cut off my head, how singular I act: Cut off my tail, and plural I appear. Cut off my head and tail--most curious fact, Although my middle's left, there's nothing there! What is my head cut off?--a sounding sea! What is my tail cut off?--a flowing river! Amid their mingling deaths I fearless play Parent of softest sounds, though mute for ever!"
The answer is _cod_. Cut off its head and it is _od_ (odd, singular); its tail, and it is Co., plural, for company; head and tail, and it is o, nothing. Its head is a sounding C (sea), its tail a flowing D (river Dee), and amid their depths the cod may fearless play, parent of softest _sounds_ yet mute for ever.
63. Metagram,
a riddle in which the change of the initial letter produces a series of words of different meanings; from _meta_, implying change, and _gramma_, a letter. Thus:
I cover your head; change my head, and I set you to sleep; change it again and again, and with every change comes a new idea.--Cap, Nap, Gap, Sap, Hap, Map, Lap, Pap, Rap, Tap. This kind of riddle is also known as word-capping.
[GUNPOWDER MADE BY A MONK AT COLOGNE A.D.1330.]
64. Palindrome,
from the Greek _palin-dromos_, running back again. This is a word, sentence, or verse that reads the same both forwards and backwards--as, madam, level, reviver; live on no evil; love your treasure and treasure your love; you provoked Harry before Harry provoked you; servants respect masters when masters respect servants. Numerous examples of Palindrome or reciprocal word-twisting exist in Latin and French; but in English it is difficult to get a sentence which will be exactly the same when read either way. The best example is the sentence which, referring to the first banishment of the Great Napoleon, makes him say, as to his power to conquer Europe:
"Able was I ere I saw Elba."
65. Puzzles
vary much. One of the simplest that we know is this:
Take away half of thirteen and let eight remain.
Write XIII on a slate, or on a piece of paper--rub out the lower half of the figures, and VIII will remain.
Upon the principle of the square-words, riddlers form Diagonals, Diamonds, Pyramids, Crosses, Stars, &c. These specimens will show their peculiarities:
66. Oblique Puzzle.
Malice, eight, a polemical meeting, a Scottish river, what I write with, a decided negative, the capital of Ireland. The initials downward name a celebrated musician.
(solution in p.67 below.)
67. Diagonal Puzzle.
A direction, a singer, a little bird, a lady's ring, a sharp shaver.
Read from left to right and right to left, the centrals show two famous novelists.
The following are answers to these two puzzles, and afford good examples of their construction to any one who wishes to try his hand at their manufacture.
OBLIQUE. DIAGONAL.
R E V E N G E L A B E L O C T A V E T E N O R S Y N O D D I V E R S P E Y J E W E L I N K R A Z O R N O I
68. Diamond Puzzle.
The head of a mouse, what the mouse lives in, the county of calves, the city of porcelain, a German town, a Transatlantic stream, a royal county, a Yorkshire borough, Eve's temptation, our poor relation, myself. Centrals down and across, show a wide, wide, long river.
The construction of the Diamond Puzzle is exhibited in the following diagram, which is, at the same time, the answer to it.
DIAMOND. M A I R E S S E X D R E S D E N G O T T I N G E N M I S S I S S I P P I B E R K S H I R E H A L I F A X A P P L E A P E I
69. Rebuses
are a class of Enigma generally formed by the first, sometimes the first and last, letters of words, or of transpositions of letters, or additions to words. Dr. Johnson, however, represents Rebus to be a word represented by a picture. And putting the Doctor's definition and our own explanation together, the reader may glean a good conception of the nature of the Rebus of which the following is an example:
The father of the Grecian Jove; A little boy who's blind; The foremost land in all the world; The mother of mankind; A poet whose love-sonnets are Still very much admired;-- The _initial_ letters will declare A blessing to the tired.
Answer--_S_aturn; _L_ove; _E_ngland; _E_ve; _P_lutarch. The initials form _sleep._
The excellent little work mentioned in para. 63, entitled "Philosophy and Mirth united by Pen and Pencil," has this novelty, that many of the Enigmas are accompanied by enigmatical pictures, so that the eye is puzzled as well as the ear.
[GLASS FIRST BROUGHT TO ENGLAND A.D. 668.]
70. Square Words.
A comparatively modern sort of riddle, in which the letters of each word selected reads both across and down. With four letters the making of the riddle is easy, but with five or six the difficulty increases. We give an example of each.
i. Inside, a thought, a liquid gem, a timid creature.
ii. To run out, odour, to boil, to loosen, unseen essence.
iii. Compensations, a court favourite, to assist, to bite slightly, Spanish money, sarcasms.
i. ii. P I T H I S S U E I D E A S C E N T T E A R S E E T H H A R E U N T I E E T H E R
iii. A M E N D S M I N I O N E N A B L E N I B B I E D O L L A R S N E E R S
With seven or eight letters the riddle becomes exceedingly difficult, especially if the selected words are of like character and syllables.
71. Chess, Laws of.
The rules given below are those which are now universally accepted by English players.
i. The board is to be so placed as to leave a white square at the right hand of the player.
ii. Any mistake in placing the board or the men may be rectified before the fourth move is completed, but not after.
iii. The players draw lots for the first move, and take the move alternately.
[When odds are given, the player giving them moves first. White generally moves first; therefore, if black win the move, the board is turned. It is usual to play with the white and black men alternately.]
iv. The piece touched must be moved. When the fingers of the player have once left the man, it cannot be again removed from the square it occupies.
[Except the move be illegal, when the opponent can insist on the piece being moved in the proper manner, or for the opposing King to be moved.]
v. In touching a piece simply to adjust it, the player must notify to his adversary that such is his intention.
[It is usual, in such a case, to say _J'adoube_ (I adjust); but he may not touch a piece with the intention of moving it, and then, when he discover his mistake, say, _J'adoube._ The phrase is simply intended to be used when a piece is displaced or overturned by accident.]
vi. If a player take one of his own men by mistake, or touch a wrong man, or one of his opponent's men, or make an illegal move, his adversary may compel him to take the man, make the right move, move his King, or replace the piece, and make a legal move.
vii. A pawn may be played either one or two squares at a time when first moved.
[In the latter case it is liable to be taken _en passant_, with a pawn that could have taken it had it been played only one square.]
viii. A player cannot castle under any of the following circumstances:--1. If he has moved either King or Rook. 2. If the King be in check. 3. If there be any piece between the King and the Rook. 4. If the King, in moving, pass over any square commanded by any one of his adversary's forces.
[You cannot castle to get out of check.]
ix. If a player give a check without crying "check," the adversary need not take notice of the check. But if two moves only are made before the discovery of the mistake, the pieces may be replaced, and the game properly played.
x. If a player say check without actually attacking the King, and his adversary move his King or take the piece, the latter may elect either to let the move stand or have the pieces replaced and another move made.
xi. If, at the end of a game, the players remain, one with a superior to an inferior force, or even if they have equal forces, the defending player may call upon his adversary to mate in fifty moves on each side, or draw the game.
[If one player persist in giving perpetual check, or repeating the same move, his opponent may count the moves for the draw; in which case touching a piece if reckoned a move.]
xii. Stalemate, or perpetual check is a drawn game.
xiii. Directly a pawn reaches its eighth square it must be exchanged for a piece.
[It is usual to change the pawn for a Queen, but it may be replaced by a Rook, Bishop, or Knight, without reference to the pieces already on the board. In practice it would be changed for a Queen or a Knight, seeing that the Queen's moves include those of the Rook and Bishop. Thus you may have two or more Queens, three or more Rooks, Bishops, or Knights on the board at the end of the game.]
xiv. Should any dispute arise, the question must be submitted to a bystander, whose decision is to be considered final.
For information as to the best modes of play, the Openings and Endings of Games, &c., read 'The Book of Chess', by G.H. Selkirk, published by Messrs. Houlston and Sons.
72. Draughts, Rules of the Game.
The accepted laws for regulating the game are as follows:
i. The board is to be so placed as to have the white or black double corners at the right hand of the player.
ii. The first move is taken by chance or agreement, and in all the subsequent games of the same sitting, the first move is taken alternately. Black generally moves first.
iii. Any action which prevents your adversary from having a full view of the board is not allowed, and if persisted in, loses the game to the offending player.
iv. The man touched must be moved, but the men may be properly adjusted during any part of the game. After they are so placed, if either player, when it is his turn to play, touch a man, he must move it. If a man be so moved as to be visible on the angle separating the squares, the player so touching the man must move it to the square indicated.
[By this it is meant that a player may not move first to one square and then to another. Once moved on to a square, the man must remain there.]
v. It is optional with the player either to allow his opponent to stand the huff, or to compel him to take the offered piece.
["Standing the huff" is when a player refuses to take an offered piece, but either intentionally or accidentally makes another move. His adversary then removes the man that should have taken the piece, and makes his own move--huff and move, as it is called.]
vi. Ten minutes is the longest time allowed to consider a move, which if not made within that time, forfeits the game.
vii. It is compulsory upon the player to take all the pieces he can legally take by the same series of moves. On making a King, however, the latter remains on his square till a move has been made on the other side.
viii. All disputes are to be decided by the majority of the bystanders present, or by an umpire.
ix. No player may leave the room without the consent of his adversary, or he forfeits the game.
x. A false move must be remedied as soon as it is discovered, or the maker of such move loses the game.
xi. When only a small number of men remain toward the end of the game, the possessor of the lesser number may call on his opponent to win in at least fifty moves, or declare the game drawn. With two Kings to one, the game must be won in at most twenty moves on each side.
xii. The player who refuses to abide by the rules loses the game. In the losing game a player must take all the men he can by his move.
73. Whist.
(Upon the principle of Hoyle's games.)
Great silence and attention should be observed by the players. Four persons cut for partners; the two highest are against the two lowest. The partners sit opposite to each other, and he who cuts the lowest card is entitled to the deal. The ace is the lowest in cutting.
i. Shuffling---Each person has a right to shuffle the cards before the deal; but it is usual for the elder hand only; and the dealer after.
ii. Cutting.--The pack is then cut by the right hand adversary; and the dealer distributes the cards, one by one, to each of the players, beginning with the player on his left, until he comes to the last card, which he turns up for trump, and leaves on the table till the first trick be played.
iii. First Play.--The elder hand, the player on the left of the dealer, plays first. The winner of the trick plays again; and so on, till all the cards are played out.
iv. Mistakes.--No intimations, or signs are permitted between the partners. The mistake of one party is the profit of the adversary.
v. Collecting Tricks.--The tricks belonging to each player should be turned and collected by one of the partners only. All above six tricks reckon towards game.
vi. Honours.--The ace, king, queen, and knave of trumps are called honours; and when either of the partners hold three separately, or between them, they count two points towards the game; and in case they have four honours, they count four points.
vii. Game.--_Long Whist game consists of ten points, Short Whist of five points._
74. Terms used in Whist.
i. _Finessing,_ is the attempt to gain an advantage; thus:--If you have the best and third best card of the suit led you put on the third best, and run the risk of your adversary having the second best; if he has it not, which is two to one against him, you are then certain of gaining a trick.
ii. _Forcing_, is playing the suit of which your partner or adversary has not any, and which in order to win he must trump.
iii. _Long Trump,_ the one or more trumps in your hand when all the rest are out.
iv. _Loose Card,_ a card of no value, and the most proper to throw away.
v. _Points,_--Ten make the game; as many as are gained by tricks or honours, so many points are set up to the score of the game.
vi. _Quarte_, four successive cards in suit.
vii. _Quarte Major_, a sequence of ace, king, queen, and knave.
viii. _Quinte_, five successive cards in suit.
ix. _Quinte Major,_ is a sequence of ace, king, queen, knave, and ten.
x. _See-saw,_ is when each partner trumps a suit, and when they play those suits to each other for that purpose.
xi. _Score_, is the number of points set up. The following is a good method of scoring with coins or counters:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 00 0 0 00 000 0 0 00 000 00 00 000 0 0 0
For Short Whist there are regular markers.
xii. _Slam,_ is when either side win every trick.
xiii. _Tenance,_ is possessing the first last and third best cards, and being the player; you consequently catch the adversary when that suit is played: as, for instance, in case you have ace and queen of any suit, and your adversary leads that suit, you must win two tricks, by having the best and third best of the suit played, and being the last player.
xiv. _Tierce,_ three successive cards in suit.
xv. _Tierce Major,_ a sequence of ace, king, and queen.
[CHILDREN AND CHICKENS MUST ALWAYS BE PICKING.]
75. Maxims for Whist.
i. Lead from your strong suit, be cautious how you change suits, and keep a commanding card to bring it in again.
ii. Lead through the strong suit and up to the weak; but not in trumps; unless very strong in them.
iii. Lead the highest of a sequence; but if you have a quarte or cinque to a king, lead the lowest.
iv. Lead through an honour, particularly if the game is against you.
v. Lead your best trump, if the adversaries be eight, and you have no honour; but not if you have four trumps, unless you have a sequence.
vi. Lead a trump if you have four or five, or a strong hand; but not if weak.
vii. Having ace, king, and two or three small cards, lead ace and king if weak in trumps, but a small one if strong in them.
viii. If you have the last trump, with some winning cards, and one losing card only, lead the losing card.
ix. Return your partner's lead, not the adversaries'; and if you hold only three originally, play the best; but you need not return it immediately, when you win with a king, queen, or knave, and have only small ones, or when you hold a good sequence, a strong suit, or five trumps.
x. Do not lead from ace queen, or ace knave.
xi. Do not--as a rule--lead an ace, unless you have a king.
xii. Do not lead a thirteenth card, unless trumps be out.
xiii. Do not trump a thirteenth card, unless you be last player, or want the lead.
xiv. Keep a small card to return your partner's lead.
xv. Be cautious in trumping a card when strong in trumps,
## particularly if you have a strong suit.
xvi. Having only a few small trumps, make them when you can.
xvii. If your partner refuse to trump a suit, of which he knows you have not the best, lead your best trump.
xviii. When you hold all the remaining trumps, play one, and then try to put the lead in your partner's hand.
xix. Remember how many of each suit are out, and what is the best card left in each hand.
xx. Never force your partner if you are weak in trumps, unless you have a renounce, or want the odd trick.
xxi. When playing for the odd trick, be cautious of trumping out, especially if your partner be likely to trump a suit. Make all the tricks you can early, and avoid finessing.
xxii. If you take a trick, and have a sequence, win it with the lowest.
[THERE ARE NONE SO WICKED AS REPRESENTED.]
76. Laws of Whist,
as accepted at the best Clubs.
i. The deal is determined by cutting-in. Cutting-in and cutting-out must be by pairs.
[Less than three cards, above or below, is not a cut. Ace is lowest. Ties cut again. Lowest deals. Each player may shuffle, the dealer last. The right-hand adversary cuts to dealer.]
ii. If a card be exposed, a fresh deal may be demanded.
iii. Dealer must not look at bottom card; and the trump-card must be left, face upwards, on the table till the first trick be turned, or opponents may call a fresh deal.
iv. Too many or too few cards is a misdeal--an exposed or face card. In either case, a fresh deal may be demanded.
[In cases of a misdeal, the deal passes to the next player.]
v. After the first round has been played, no fresh deal can be called.
[If the first player hold fewer than thirteen cards, the other hands being right, the deal stands.]
vi. If two cards be dealt to the same player, the dealer may rectify his error before dealing another card.
[The dealer must not touch the cards after they have left his hands; but he may count those remaining in the pack if he suspect a misdeal, or he may ask the players to count their cards. One partner may not deal for another without the consent of opponents.]
vii. If the trump-card be not taken into the dealer's hand at the expiration of the first round, it may be treated as an exposed card, and called.
[After this, no one has a right to ask what was the trump-card, but he may ask "What are Trumps?"]
viii. If the third hand play before the second, the fourth has a right to play before his partner; or if the fourth hand play before the second or third, the cards so played must stand, and the second be compelled to win the trick if he can.
ix. If a player lead out of his turn, or otherwise expose a card, that card may be _called_, if the playing of it does not cause a revoke.
[Calling a card is the insisting of its being played when the suit comes round, or when it may be played.]
x. If a player trump by mistake, he may recall his card, and play to the suit, if the card be not covered; but he may be compelled to play the highest or lowest of the suit led, and to play the exposed trump when it is called by his adversaries.
xi. If, before a trick be turned, a player discover that he has not followed suit, he may recall his card; but the card played in error can be called when the suit is played.
xii. Before a trick is turned, the player who made it may see the preceding trick.
[Only _one_ trick is to be shown; not more, as is sometimes erroneously believed.]
xiii. Before he plays, a player may require his partner to "draw his card," or he may have each card in the trick claimed before the trick be turned.
xiv. When a player does not follow suit his partner is allowed to ask him whether he has any card of the suit led.
xv. The penalty for a revoke--either by wrongfully trumping the suit led, or by playing a card of another suit--is the loss of three tricks; but no revoke can be claimed till the cards are abandoned, and the trick turned.