Part 30
A female name. aMy Hostility. wAr Metal. oRe Partaken of food. aTe The mind satisfied by evidence. convInced A contract. indeNture Equidistant. ParaLlels The official residence of a consul. consUlate Food consumed. aTe A pronoun. sHe A beverage. tEa A period of time. eRa
The central letters give the name of a reformer--Martin Luther.
CRYPTOGRAPHY.
This word, being derived from the Greek, "cryptos," a secret, and "graphein," to write, almost explains itself.
Cryptographs are formed by a substitution of one letter for another throughout a sentence, or by using figures, signs, &c., in the place of letters. Cryptography as a science is supposed to enter largely into State diplomacy, secret correspondence being maintained by its means with the various State officials scattered over the globe. In the commercial world it is a fact that such correspondence is transmitted by telegraph with much saving of labour and money and with perfect secrecy, each correspondent possessing a key which enables him to translate into plain words and sentences the otherwise unintelligible jumble of signs. The "agony column" of the daily papers often contains specimens of cryptographic writing, most mysterious to the general reader, but plain to those for whom it is intended. It is, however, as a means of amusement that Cryptography here finds a place.
The first requisite is to provide ourselves with a key. The following will serve as an example:--
A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K. L. M. 8. z. w. t. 3. s. r. v. 4. p. n. m. l.
N. O. P. Q. R. S. T. U. V. W. X. Y. Z. a. 5. e. i. o. u. f. 2. h. 6. g. x. d.
Shakspere's "Seven Ages" will then read thus:--
8mm fv3 65omtu 8 uf8r3, 8at 8mm fv3 l3a 8at 65l3a l3o3mx em8x3ou. fv3x v8h3 fv34o 3g4fu 8at fv34o 3afo8aw3u, 8at 5a3 l8a 4a v4u f4l3 em8xu l8ax e8ofu, v4u 8wfu z34ar u3h3a 8r3u.
In the solution of this and kindred puzzles the student should examine very carefully to find out the letters, figures, or signs that most often recur--they will be found to stand for _t_, _s_, and the vowels, and as soon as these letters are discovered the translation is easy. We will vary the key, and still this suggestion will hold good.
A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. K. L. M. e. k. w. m. t. b. c. o. a. s. r. f.
N. O. P. R. S. T. U. V. W. Y. s. l. i. y. d. n. h. j. p. g.
A few lines from Byron's "Childe Harold" will then read thus:--
Notflysadhieceasnotmtpgflys, Panokytenoerraswtsdtesmpanowottserrkrllf. Rehcoascnotwrlhmdepegpanoiregbhrdwlys, Esmrajascedabteynowlsneas'mslnlfk, Esmcrlpascasnlmeg.
* * * * *
Below is a love letter, which requires much deciphering, but which is followed by a translation:--
H. 20 cwt., Half Moon,
MOST EXPENSIVE HELPER, _Initial walking month_.
A small obligated beefsteak headcovering the pawnbroker's purchase 6 exclamation timepiece correctly. Myself design taking thee 2 the dried grass place-of-sale house of amusement 2 the ocean testament-myself-the-thigh-shiver-pointed weapons pastime of a village.
With kind Cupid,
Myself cured pork always thine, MALE CAT DONKEY.
TRANSLATION.
Hoverton Crescent,
DEAREST ADA, _1st March_.
We must meet at uncle's by 6 o'clock precisely. I intend taking you to the Haymarket Theatre to see William Shakspere's play of "Hamlet."
With kind love,
I am, ever yours, THOMAS.
CHRONOGRAMS.
A chronogram is a sentence or inscription in which occur words, containing, as initial letters or otherwise, letters that represent the Roman numerals. In some chronograms the initial letters only are counted as forming the solution of the puzzle, but in others all the letters contained which may be used as Roman numerals are taken into account. History supplies us with many first-rate chronograms; in fact, it was once the custom to strike medals with chronogrammatic sentences, in which the date of the occasion commemorated was set forth by the initial letters of the superscription.
Queen Elizabeth died in the year 1603, and the following chronogram relating to that event has come down to us:--
"My Day Is Closed In Immortality."
The initial letters of this sentence are M = 1000; D = 500; I = 1; C = 1 2 3 4
100; I = 1; and I = 1; or, MDCIII = 1603. 5 6
Gustavus Adolphus, Sweden's great hero, commemorated one of his victories, obtained in the year 1632, by a medal on which was struck the following chronogrammatical inscription:--
C h r I s t V s D V X; ergo T r I V M p h V s.[3] 3 6 4 2 4 5 6 4 1 4
In this chronogram all the letters representing the Roman numerals have been brought into use, which arranged in the order set forth by the figures printed beneath them, read as MDC = 1600; VVVV or 4 × 5 = 20; X = 10; and II or 1 × 2 = 2; or, 1632.
These illustrations afford a fair insight into the construction and design of the Chronogram proper. A few illustrations of this riddle in its more modern form now follow:--
Write one thousand down, quite plain, Then half of two, then add again Fifty and one's final letter; You can then do nothing better Than, after every evening meal, Walk the distance I reveal.
_Answer_: M (1,000), I (half of two), L (fifty), E (onE's final letter)--MILE
"After supper walk a mile."--_Old English Proverb._
_Puzzle._ _Answer._
A famous English warrior duke, } MARLBOROUGH. Whose battles are renowned; }
A celebrated admiral, } DRAKE. Who first the globe sailed round; }
A navigator who was killed } COOK. By savage treachery; }
A noted voyager who first } CABOT. America did see; }
A sailor second in command } COLLINGWOOD. In great Trafalgar's fight; }
The vessel in which Nelson fell, } VICTORY. In his struggle for the right. }
The initials of these six words take, And place them side by side; Then they will name, as thus arranged, The year when Nelson died.
_Answer_: M = 1,000; D = 500; CCC = 300; V = 5; or, 1805.
To half-a-dozen add six, and to the result add five hundred. The whole will represent a word signifying clear, lucid, bright, or glowing.
_Answer_: (Half-a-dozen), VI; (six), VI; (five hundred), D; or, VIVID; or, Vivid.
_Puzzle._ _Answer._
A poet who in blindness wrote } MILTON. His work of greatest fame; }
Another who, in Charles's reign, } DRYDEN. Did make himself a name; }
Then he who's often Father called } CHAUCER. Of our English poetry; }
The far West claims this modern bard, } LONGFELLOW. So rich in symphony; }
The scolding wife of Socrates, } XANTIPPE. Her name you surely know; }
The Prince of Latin poets last, } VIRGIL. We call on you to show. }
The initials of these names you'll find In order written down, Will give the date in which the Plague Did rage in London town.
_Answer_: MDCLXV; or, 1665.
If from five you take five, you may leave a word denoting contempt or dislike.
_Answer_: FIVE; V (or 5) taken away, leaves FIE, or fie!
One thousand two hundred and nothing and one, Transposed, give a word expressive of fun.
_Answer_: M (one thousand), CC (two hundred), O (nothing), I (one) = M C C C O I; or, COMIC. 3 5
A thousand and fifty and one transpose, 'Twill produce a fruit in Spain that grows.
_Answer_: M (a thousand), L (fifty), and ONE; or, M L O N E transposed. 1 3 4 5 2
LOGOGRAMS.
As its name implies, a logogram is a puzzle in which a word is made to undergo several transpositions, by the addition, subtraction, reversion of order, or substitution of a letter or letters.
To Lord Macaulay we are indebted for some of the choicest specimens of this class of word puzzling. One of his logograms has been selected, and is given here, because it so clearly displays all the peculiarities of this class of riddle, and because it is also such a marvel of ingenuity and skill, and at the same time is so happily expressed.
"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 depths I fearless play, Parent of softest sounds, though mute for ever."
The answer is, Cod; and every line reveals a fresh play upon the word. Cut off its head, and it is _od_ (odd), singular; its tail, and it is plural, Co. (the abbreviation for Company); cut off its head and tail, and it is O (nothing); the head cut off, is a sounding Sea (C); its tail, a flowing river--Dee (D). Amid their (the sea and the Dee) depths the _Cod_ may play, parent of softest _sounds_ (the air bladder of the cod, a favourite delicacy to many), yet mute for ever.
Charles James Fox, the history of whose early life has been written by Mr. G. O. Trevelyan, is to be credited with the following clever logograph:--
"What is pretty and useful, in various ways; Though it tempts some poor mortals to shorten their days; Take one letter from it, and then will appear What youngsters admire every day in the year; Take two letters from it, and then, without doubt, You are what that is, if you don't find it out."
_Answer_: Glass, Lass, Ass.
Our next example is rather a long one, but claims a place of honour wherever logograms are treated. This was also written by Lord Macaulay.
"Come, let us look close at it: 'tis a very ugly word; One that should make us shudder whenever it is heard; It may not be always wicked, but it must be aways bad, And speaks of sin and suffering enough to make one sad. Folks say it is a compound word, and that is very true; But then they decompose it, which of course they're free to do. But why of the twelve letters should they take off the first three, And leave the nine remaining, as sad as they can be? For while they seem to make it less, in fact they make it more, And let the brute creation in, that was left out before. Let's see if we can't mend it; 'tis possible we may, If only we divide it in some newer-fashioned way. Suppose, instead of three and nine, we make it four and eight; You'll say, ''Twill make no difference--at least, not very great.' Yet only see the consequence; that's all that needs be done To change the weight of sadness to unmitigated fun. It clears off swords and pistols, conscriptions, bowie knives, And all the horrid weapons by which people lose their lives. The native voice of merriment's compressed into one word, Which chases away sorrow whenever it is heard. Yes, four and eight, my friends, let that be yours and mine, Though all the host of demons may exult in three and nine."
_Answer_: Man-slaughter, Slaughter, Man's-laughter.
The next specimen we give is by William Pitt, first Earl of Chatham.
"To discover the name that my verse would express A letter you'll first from the alphabet guess; Which letter, by this may be easily known, Its shape is the very reverse of your own. My next, if a fair one too rashly exposes A beauteous complexion of lilies and roses, What the beams of the sun will infallibly do To deaden their lustre and sully their hue. Add to these, what induces the amorous swain To persist in his vows, though received with disdain. These, joined all together, will make up the name Of a family known in the annals of fame."
_Answer_: S-tan-hope (Stanhope).
Robert B. Brough, the dramatist, was in early life most sensitive to criticism, and gave vent to his spleen in this somewhat bitter logogram:--
"Cut off my head, and you will quickly see Something disliked by you and me; Cut off my tail, and then it is clear The past of a verb will quickly appear; Cut off my head and my tail also, You'll have a conjunction then, I trow. Whole, I'm an insect, not over clean, Dreaded at picnics in meadows green; To critics, to publishers, intimate friends, My name a most delicate piquancy lends; When they smile in their guile, and hiss as they sing, And hide under flatteries a venomous sting."
_Answer_: Wasp, Asp, Was, As.
The following words will be found suitable for use in puzzles of this nature:--
Span. (Snap, spa, asp, pan, nap.) Price. (Rice, ice, rip, rep.) Lady. (Lad, day, lay.) Angel. (Angle, glean, leg, glen, lane, gale, Lea.) Degrade. (Grade, dare, dear, ear, are, dad, gear.) Legate. (Eaglet, eagle, gale, lag, gat, get, let.) Copper. (Pope, Poe, Po, core.)
METAGRAMS.
This riddle is formed by changing the initial letter of a particular word again and again, so as to produce as many words as possible of different meanings. Our first example affords a good illustration of the process to be pursued.
Well known to all as a covering for the head; Cap. Change my initial, a doze I mean instead. Nap. Once more, and an opening you will see; Gap. Exchange again, I'm found inside a tree. Sap. Once more, I mean then to befall. Hap. Again, I'm used by travellers, one and all. Map. Again, in this my mother often nursed me. Lap. Exchange again, and this my food would be. Pap. Again, and a sharp blow you've spelled. Rap. Once more, and a blow that's hardly seen or felt. Tap.
The following clever Metagram is from the pages of the "Modern Sphinx," a book which contains upwards of a thousand different examples of the various kinds of riddles and puzzles in existence:--
There's a word, you'll agree, commencing with B } That expresses a cool pleasant shade; } BOWER. But remove letter B and substitute C, } Apprehensively shrinking 'tis made; } COWER. Take away letter C, replace it by D, } It will name what's bestowed on a bride; } DOWER. Now if D is erased and by G replaced, } A Welsh word, meaning crooked, is spied; } GOWER. Thus far very well, now substitute L, } We are going down now you will say; } LOWER. Letter L shall be gone, and M be put on, } There's a man cutting grass to make hay; } MOWER. But when M shall have fled put P there instead, } It will name what is mentioned of steam; } POWER. Pray just now P erase, put R in its place, } There's a man gliding down with the stream; } ROWER. But now take R away, put S there, we say, } That a farmer at work then it names; } SOWER. If for S you put T you surely will name } A noted place close by the Thames. } TOWER.
The following is a good specimen metagram:--
Of letters four, I do denote A man of wisdom great, But cooks do often me devote To share--alas!--a goose's fate; But change my head, and then, instead, Part of a book you'll find; And if again I'm carefully read, A youth who walks behind; Change once again, and then you will A furious passion see, Which reason vainly tries to still, Keep far removed from me; Another change, and you will then See I'm remuneration Earned by all grades of working men Throughout the British nation; But change my head once more, and then A prison I appear, From which sweet sounds oft issue forth That pleasant are to hear.
_Answer_: SAGE. PAGE. RAGE. WAGE. CAGE.
Below is a list of some words suitable for Metagrams, together with the various changes which each word allows:--
Bear, Tear, Lear, Gear, Wear, Hear, Pear, Year, Rear, Fear, Sear, Dear, and Near. Book, Cook, Hook, Look, Nook, Rook, Took. Waste, Taste, Paste, Caste, Baste. Bine, Fine, Kine, Dine, Line, Mine, Nine, Pine, Vine, Wine. Bound, Found, Hound, Mound, Pound, Round, Sound, Wound. Cork, Pork, Fork, York. Dame, Fame, Game, Came, Lame, Name, Same, Tame. Cake, Lake, Rake, Sake, Take, Wake. Tent, Rent, Lent, Kent, Dent, Cent, Bent. Vast, Mast, Last, Fast, Cast, Past. Heather, Feather, Leather, Weather. Palter, Falter, Salter, Halter. Basket, Casket, Gasket.
WORD CAPPING.
Word puzzles under this name are to be found in some old riddle books, but such puzzles are now usually known, and have been here described under the more modern name of Metagrams. (_See_ previous page.)
PARAGRAMS.
The meaning of Paragram is a play upon words, otherwise a pun, a paragrammatist and a punster being convertible terms. The word Paragram may further be explained as a word or phrase which admits of a double meaning, the effectiveness of which consists in the incongruity and consequent humour caused by the word or phrase being used in totally different senses to that customarily attributed to it. Punning is only effective when impromptu, and can hardly be classed among the social round of word puzzles; but, on the other hand, Paragrams may be constructed which bring out the different meaning of the same word, giving rise to the exercise of ingenuity, and at the same time affording fun and amusement. The following illustrations will show in what the peculiarity of Paragrams consists, and how far superior as a puzzle Paragrams are to mere puns:--
I strengthen the weak, I cross the wide sea, I frighten the thief, and I grow on a tree.
_Answer_: BARK.
I am a letter and a word, I am a tree and Christian name; And should you me in pieces cut Yourself and act would be the same. Weigh this with care, and then no doubt You'll find its simple meaning out.
_Answer_: U. YOU. YEW. HUGH. HEW.
EXTRACTIONS.
As its name implies, this novel and interesting logogram is formed by extracting from sentences the letters of a word which has been chosen as the key to the word puzzle. Its method of construction may be thus simply explained. A certain word is to be selected, and from the letters only which compose that word, but repeated as often as found necessary, an expression of an idea or ideas is to be evolved in one or more sentences. The peculiarity of "Extractions," wherein they differ from other logograms, will be found in the ingenuity and skill necessary to be displayed in the choice of a suitable word, and more
## particularly in the composition of the diction, in which the letters of
that word shall appear.
The following illustration shows how a sentence may be constructed, solely with the letters which make up the name of an English county:--
1. A great nation is sometimes the gainer in not resorting to arms against its enemies tho' their aim is to mar its interest.--Nottinghamshire.
The puzzle is, of course, to discover the name of the county.
This puzzle may be modified by infusing a clue to its solution in the insertion of words _underlined_, which are made up of letters not all comprised in the key word, thus affording a ready means of discovering the letters which are to be discarded in the search, and it answers also another good purpose in affording the riddler more scope in composing his sentences.
Amongst the many illustrations of this style of presentment which have come under our notice we have selected the following amusing one as an example:--
2. Once in a museum at Milan _with my_ uncle Ormond _and_ cousins Malcolm, Samuel, Simeon, Susan, Anne, Emma, _and_ Ellen, I _saw_ in succession, a lion, a mule, an ass, a mole, a seal, a mouse, _and_ some _other_ animals; also, a small case _of_ snails _which I could_ smell _with my_ nose.--_The_ same noon, _we had_ a nice social meal _at_ an Inn, a clean menial _serving_ us _with_ essence _of_ Cocoa, luscious melons, salmon, soles, ale, _and_ moselle; _and we had_ a musician _to_ amuse us.--The letters comprising the words not printed in italics are to be found in a single word. What is it? _Answer._--"Miscellaneous."
TRANSPOSITIONS.
Transpositions differ from Anagrams only in the fact that the letters from the word or words selected are not formed into a sentence or other words. For example:--
_A Book and its Author._--Trdhsedstotevlfwinalohrchtiyehocfutoeeeeo by Eascepink tap.--which being interpreted reads, What led to the Discovery of the Source of the Nile, by Captain Speke.
_An Author and his Works._
Accdeehiklnrss Charles Dickens. Abccehiikllnnosy Nicholas Nickleby. Arabbdegurny Barnaby Rudge. Acdddeefiilopprv David Copperfield. Acceehiikppprstwk The Pickwick Papers. Cdehhiiloooprssttuy The Old Curiosity Shop.
A more interesting form of this puzzle is now shown, in the shape of well-known proverbs changed into other sentences.
_A rolling stone gathers no moss._ Strong lion's share almost gone. _Time and tide wait for no man._ I don't admit women are faint. _Birds of a feather flock together._ It rocks, the broad flag of the free.
But as these proverbs are changed into sentences, they come more properly under the heading of Anagrams. They are given here, however, as in some circles they will be more familiarly known as Transpositions rather than as Anagrams.
DEFINITIONS.
The proposition to define "Definitions" becomes in itself almost a play upon words, but we may explain that though "Definitions" cannot properly be classed under riddles or word puzzles, yet they are so much akin to them that they claim a place here, with "Fireside Fun," and will be found useful as a means of providing amusement. This game will necessitate the use of a table, paper, and pencil or pen and ink. One of the company proposes a word for definition, and it is for the rest of the company to write down their idea of the same in a terse, epigrammatic, poetic, or humorous manner.
A few specimens will illustrate our meaning. Let us suppose the word _Hypocrite_ to have been chosen, and the following definitions of the word to have been given in: the definitions should then be read aloud by some one of the company selected for the purpose.
"He who strives to seem and not to be; to whom reputation is everything, character nothing."
"A social spoon of polished gilt, in whom it is only possible to discern distorted reflections of the truth."
"One who wears virtue's livery for the sake of her wages, without any intention of doing her work."
"One who assumes what he has not; a showman who by a startling outside picture screens the barrenness of the entertainment within."
"Like a sugar-coated pill, he seeks to hide his true character under an artificial coating."
Again, as a contrast, take _Hero_ as the selected word to be defined--
"One whose law is love; whose master, duty; whose armour, courage, faith, and hope; and who seeks not glory."
"A victor over Self--the hardest and the noblest conquest of all, but one for which the world has no laurel wreath."
"A nobleman of Nature, who has seized his opportunities and displayed the attributes of his race."
"The true hero is the champion of truth, the servant of right, the ruler of himself, and the sworn foe of all that is ignoble."
"He who for others sacrifices Self."
"He who fears nothing but his own disgrace."
"He who is stronger than his fellows, and makes his fellows stronger by his strength."
_A Coward._
"One who does both good and evil at the bidding of fear."
"He who puts honour in peril, to take himself out of peril."
"One who has stopped the ear of manliness with the cotton-wool of Self."
_Pleasure._
"The emotion we feel after doing a great and noble action."
"The jollification overnight, leaving a headache for the morrow."