of Hampton Court. No legendary tale is attached to it, of which we are
aware, but its labyrinthine walks occasion much amusement to the numerous
holiday parties who frequent the palace grounds. The puzzle is to get into
the center, where seats are placed under two lofty trees; and many are the
disappointments experienced before the end is attained; and even then, the
trouble is not over, it being quite as difficult to get _out_ as to get
_in_.
49. THE CHINESE PUZZLE.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
This puzzle, being one for the purpose of constructing different figures
by arranging variously-shaped pieces of card or wood in certain ways,
requires no separate explanation. Cut out of very stiff cardboard, or
thin mahogany, which is decidedly preferable, seven pieces, in shape like
the annexed figures and bearing the same proportion to each other; one
piece must be made in the shape of figure 1, one of figure 2, and one of
figure 3, and two of each of the other figures. The combinations of which
these figures are susceptible, are almost infinite; and we subjoin a
representation of a few of the most curious. It is to be borne in mind,
that all the pieces of which the puzzle consists, must be employed to form
each figure.
50. TROUBLE-WIT.
Take a sheet of stiff paper, fold it down the middle of the sheet,
longways; then turn down the edge of each fold outward, the breadth of a
penny; measure it as it is folded, into three equal parts, with compasses,
which make six divisions in the sheet; let each third part be turned
outward, and the other, of course, will fall right; then pinch it a
quarter of an inch deep, in plaits, like a ruff, so that, when the paper
lies pinched in its form, it is in the fashion represented by A; when
closed together, it will be like B; unclose it again, shuffle it with each
hand, and it will resemble the shuffling of a pack of cards; close it and
turn each corner inward with your fore finger and thumb, it will appear as
a rosette for a lady's shoe, as C; stretch it forth, and it will resemble
a cover for an Italian couch, as D; let go your fore finger at the lower
end, and it will resemble a wicket, as E; close it again, and pinch it at
the bottom, spreading the top, and it will represent a fan, as F; pinch
it half way, and open the top, and it will appear in the form shown by G;
hold it in that form, and with the thumb of your left hand turn out the
next fold, and it will be as H.
[Illustration]
In fact, by a little ingenuity and practice, Trouble-wit may be made
to assume an infinite variety of forms, and be productive of very
considerable amusement.
ANSWERS TO PRACTICAL PUZZLES.
1. THE CHINESE CROSS ANSWER.
Place Nos. 1 and 2 close together, as in Fig. 1; then hold them together
with the finger and thumb of the left hand horizontally and with the
square hole to the right. Push No. 3--placed in the same position _facing
you_ (_a_) in No. 4--through the opening at K, and slide it to the left at
A, so that the profile of the pieces should be as in Fig. 2. Now push No.
4 _partially_ through the space from below upwards, as seen in f, Fig. 2.
Place No. 5 cross-ways upon the part Y, so that the point R is directed
upwards to the right hand side; then push No. 4 quite through, and it
will be in the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. All that now
remains is to push No. 6--which is the key--through the opening M and the
cross is completed as in Fig. 3.
[Illustration:
Fig 1 Fig 2 Fig 3
]
2. ANSWER TO THE "PARALLELOGRAM."
[Illustration]
Divide the piece of card into five steps, and by shifting the position of
the pieces, the desired figures may be obtained.
3. THE DIVIDED GARDEN ANSWER.
[Illustration]
4. ANSWER TO THE ENDLESS STRING.
The string must be put through the armhole, and over the head, then
through the opposite armhole; then the hand must be put up underneath the
waistcoat, and the string drawn down around the body until the former
drops down about the waist, when the experimenter may jump out of it and
claim his coat.
5. ANSWER TO THE CHINESE MAZE.
KOONG-SEE'S WHISPERS.
A Why linger near the fence? a word or two
Would kindle up a flame for ever true.
B Beware of rivals--mischief hovers near;
Or, worse mischance, parental frowns appear.
C Favored indeed, the open door to gain--
Let no dishonor now your conduct stain.
E The ground is rough, and difficult the road;
But, faint not, thou shalt reach thy love's abode!
F Against thy course runs the opposing tide,
And waves of trouble cast thy hopes aside.
G A modest competence thy lot will be;
But richer joys than wealth are stored for thee.
A Take heed! take heed! a strange transforming doom
May fix thy love, but never let it bloom.
J Be not too rash--nor leap the Bridge of Love,
Leaving fond eyelids, moist with tears, above.
K What dost thou on the house top? do not steal
Thy love, but win by dutiful appeal!
L A barren path this way thy footsteps tread;
Thy heart will soon grow cold, thy love be fled.
M Thou hast a friend can help thy onward way--
And such a friend will ne'er thy trust betray.
D Joy! thou hast reached, at length, the wedding ring;
Let white-robed maidens orange blossoms bring;
Oh may your years of happy wedlock be
Bright as your hopes, and from misgiving free.
6. ANSWER TO VERTICAL LINE PUZZLE.
[Illustration:
|\ | | |\ | +-----
| \ | | | \ | |
| \ | | | \ | +-----
| \ | | | \ | |
| \| | | \| +-----
]
7. THE THREE RABBITS, ANSWER.
[Illustration]
8. THE ACCOMMODATING SQUARE.
[Illustration]
9. ANSWER TO THE CIRCLE PUZZLE.
Thrust it upwards from the other side.
10. ANSWER TO THE CUT CARD PUZZLE.
[Illustration]
Double the cardboard or leather lengthways down the middle, and then cut
first to the right, nearly to the end, (the narrow way,) and then to the
left, and so on to the end of the card; then open it and cut down the
middle, except the two ends. The diagram shows the proper cuttings. By
opening the card or leather, a person may pass through it. A laurel leaf
may be treated in the same manner.
11. ANSWER TO THE BUTTON PUZZLE.
Draw the narrow slip of the leather through the hole, and the string and
buttons may be easily released.
12. ANSWER TO THE QUARTO PUZZLE.
[Illustration]
Divide the figure in the direction shown by the lines, and you will have
four pieces of the same size and shape.
13. ANSWER TO THE PUZZLE OF FOURTEEN.
[Illustration]
14. ANSWER TO THE SQUARE AND CIRCLE PUZZLE.
[Illustration:
+---------------+
|o o | o|
|-------+ | |
| o|o | |
|o +---+---+ o|
| | o|o |
| | +-------|
|o | o o|
+---------------+
]
15. THE SCALE AND RING PUZZLE.
The puzzle consists in releasing the ring; to effect which, you have only
to reverse the former process, by passing the loop through the holes D, C,
B, and A, in the manner before described.
16. ANSWER TO THE HEART PUZZLE.
Loosen the string, and draw the loop through the hole No. 2; pass it
behind, and bring it through No. 1, and slip it over the smaller heart;
then the string may be easily drawn out.
17. ANSWER TO THE CROSS PUZZLE.
[Illustration]
18. ANSWER 10 THE YANKEE SQUARE.
[Illustration]
Arrange the pieces as shown in the figure above.
19. ANSWER TO THE CARD PUZZLE.
In order to take the pipe off, the card must be doubled (as in Fig. 2),
the slip passed through it, until there is sufficient of the loop below
the pipe to allow one of the square ends of the slip (Fig. 3) being passed
through it. Fig. 3 is then to be taken away, and the pipe slipped off.
The card for this puzzle must be cut very neatly, the puzzle handled
gently, and great care taken that, in doubling the card to put on the pipe
no creases are made in it, as they would in all probability spoil your
puzzle, by betraying to an acute spectator the mode of operation.
[Illustration: _Fig. 2_]
[Illustration: _Fig. 3_]
20. ANSWER TO THE THREE SQUARE PUZZLE.
Takeaway the pieces numbered 8, 10, 1, 3, 13, and three squares only will
remain.
21. ANSWER TO THE CYLINDER PUZZLE.
Take a round cylinder of the diameter of the circular hole, and of the
height of the square hole. Having drawn a straight line across the end,
dividing it into two equal parts, cut an equal section from either side
to the edge of the circular base, a figure like that represented by the
woodcut in the margin would then be produced, which would fulfill the
required conditions.
[Illustration]
22. ANSWER TO THE FOUR TENANTS.
[Illustration]
My ground is divided,
My tenants at work,
And he'll profit most
Who does not labor shirk
So let them toil on
Till cabbages rise,
And carrots and turnips
To gladden their eyes.
Gooseberries and currants,
And raspberries too,
Shall amply repay
The work they may do.
23. THE PUZZLE WALL.
[Illustration]
24. ANSWER TO THE NUN'S PUZZLE.
[Illustration]
25. HORSE SHOE PUZZLE.
By cutting off the upper circular part containing two of the pins, and by
changing the position of the pieces, another cut will divide the horse
shoe into six portions, each containing one pin.
26. ANSWER TO CARD SQUARE PUZZLE.
[Illustration]
27. THE DOGS PUZZLE ANSWERED SEE DOTTED LINES.
[Illustration]
28. PUZZLE OF THE TWO FATHERS.
The first father divided the land in this way:
[Illustration]
The second father divided the land in the following manner:
[Illustration]
The different colors represent the several sons' portions.
29. THE TRIANGLE PUZZLE.
[Illustration]
The solution of this puzzle may be easily acquired by observing the dotted
lines in the engraving; by which it will be seen that four triangles are
to be placed at the corners, and a small square made in the center. When
this is done, the rest of the square may be quickly formed.
30. ANSWER TO CUTTING OUT A CROSS PUZZLE.
Take a piece of writing paper about three times as long as it is broad,
say six inches long and two wide. Fold the upper corner down, as shown
in Fig. 1; then fold the other upper corner over the first, and it will
appear as in Fig. 2; you next fold the paper in half lengthwise, and it
will appear as in Fig. 3. Then the last fold is made lengthwise also, in
the middle of the paper, and it will exhibit the form of Fig. 4, which,
when cut through with the scissors in the direction of the dotted line,
will give all the forms mentioned.
[Illustration]
31. ANSWER TO ANOTHER CROSS PUZZLE.
[Illustration]
32. ANSWER TO THE FOUNTAIN PUZZLE.
[Illustration]
33. ANSWER TO THE STAR PUZZLE.
Good-tempered friends! here _nine_ stars see:
_Ten_ rows there are, in each row _three!_
[Illustration]
34. THE COUNTER PUZZLE ANSWER.
Place 4 on 7, 6 on 2, 1 on 3, and 8 on 5; _or_, 5 on 2, 3 on 7, 8 on 6, 4
on 1, &c.
35. ANSWER TO THE JAPAN SQUARE.
[Illustration]
36. ANSWER TO THE CABINET MAKERS' PUZZLE.
[Illustration]
The cabinet-maker must find the center of the circle, and strike another
circle, half the diameter of the first, and having the same center. Then
cut the whole into four parts, by means of two lines drawn at right
angles to each other, then cut along the inner circle, and put the pieces
together as in the above diagram.
37. ANSWER TO THE STRING AND BALLS PUZZLE.
Draw the loop well down, slipping either ball through it. Push it through
the hole at the extremities, pass it over the knot, and draw it through
again. The same process must be repeated with the other ball; the loop
can then be drawn through the hole in the center, and the ball will
slide along the cord until it reaches the other side. The string is then
replaced, having both balls on the same side.
There is another and perhaps a neater way of performing this trick. Draw
the loop through the central hole, and bring it through far enough to pass
one of the balls through. Having done this, draw the string back, and both
balls will be found on the same side.
38. ANSWER TO THE DOUBLE-HEADED PUZZLE.
[Illustration]
Arrange them side by side in the short arms of the cross, draw out the
center piece, and the rest will follow easily. The reversal of the same
process will put them back again.
39. ARITHMETICAL PUZZLE.
The four figures are 8888, which being divided by a line drawn through the
middle, become 0000/0000, the sum of which is eight 0s, or nothing.
40. GRAMMATICAL PUZZLE.
Take away L in the subjunctive "Let" at the beginning of the first line,
and substitute S, and so turn it into the imperative "Set," when the
changes which necessarily follow will be immediately apparent.
41. ANSWER TO THE TREE PUZZLE.
[Illustration]
42. ANSWER TO AN EPITAPH ON ELLINOR BACHELLOR, AN OLD PIE WOMAN.
Beneath in the dust
The mouldy old crust
Of Nell Bachellor lately was shoven:
Who was skilled in the arts
Of pies, custards, and tarts,
And knew every use of the oven.
When she'd liv'd long enough,
She made her last puff,
A puff by her husband much prais'd:
Now here she doth lie,
To make a dirt pie,
In hopes that her crust will be rais'd.
43. ANSWER TO A CURIOUS LETTER.
"Sir, between friends, I understand your overbearing disposition; a man
even with the world is above contempt, whilst the ambitious are beneath
ridicule."
44. ANSWER TO THE PUZZLE INSCRIPTION.
By the use of the single vowel E, the following couplet was formed,
PERSEVERE YE PERFECT MEN,
EVER KEEP THESE PRECEPTS TEN.
[Illustration]
THE MAGIC OF ART.
"Tired at first sight with what the Muse imparts,
In fearless youth we tempt the height of arts."
An almost endless source of amusement, combining at the same time a
considerable amount of instruction, may be obtained in the following
manner. Take a card or piece of pasteboard, or even stiff paper, and
draw upon it the form of an egg--an oval in outline. The dimensions of
the oval are immaterial, and the experimenter may suit his own fancy in
this respect. With a stout needle, or tracing point, prick quite through
the outline, for the purposes of tracing. Some of our readers may be
unacquainted with the mode of tracing an outline, and it may be advisable
to particularize one method among many. Having pricked out the oval upon
the card, get a little red or black lead, powdered, and placing the card
upon apiece of drawing paper--any white paper will however do--rub it over
the pricked-out oval, which will be found to be transferred to the white
paper beneath, thus:
[Illustration]
The powder may be applied either with a piece of wool or wadding, or by
means of a dry camel's-hair pencil; care should be taken not to let the
tracing-powder get beyond the edge of the pricked card, as in that case a
soiled, dirty appearance is given to the tracing. The pierced card will
serve, if carefully done, for hundreds of tracings, and it is obviously
the best plan to take a little extra pains with that in the first instance.
With this traced oval for a basis, (a little further on we shall speak of
other figures, to be used singly or in combination with each other) any
one with a very little skill will be able to form an infinite number of
objects.
The best drawing tool will be found to be an ordinary black lead pencil.
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are very easy results, suggestive also of others.
The rules of procedure are the same in all. Leaving the traced-out oval
at first in its dotted form, with the pencil you draw a horizontal line
as the basis of your figure. Let this and the other lines, which serve
merely as the scaffolding of your figure, be done faintly or in dots.
Next, draw a line through the center of the oval and perpendicular to
the first. These will ensure your making the object square and properly
balanced. After this you may draw lines parallel to the others: but these
are not so material, although they serve as guides.
[Illustration]
Now the imagination and fancy may step in to produce forms having the oval
for a foundation; and not only is a very rational source of amusement
opened out, but the opportunity is given to a cultivation of the noble art
of design, whether as applied to utility or ornament.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
It is obvious to remark that the hand of many an amateur artist will
readily be able to form the oval without having recourse to the pierced
card; but as this portion of our work is intended for _all_, we have
suggested the above mode as sure to succeed under every circumstance.
Following the same plan in every particular, we subjoin some examples of
what may be done with the square.
[Illustration]
The dotted lines (_figs._ 7, 8) represent the traced or sketched square
and plan lines; the firmer lines suggest objects formed upon that figure.
In the same way the thin square outline (_fig._ 9) suggests the inner
sketch of a church.
I stated before that the size of the fundamental oval or square made
little difference; but I would recommend my younger readers to get these
as large as possible, or convenient. If a large black board, such as
is used in most schools, could be obtained, and the tracings prepared
proportionably large (pounded chalk being used instead of the black or red
powder in transferring the forms thereto), and the designs made upon these
with a piece of chalk, so much the better. However, this matters little;
and each one will suit his or her own taste in that respect. I now proceed
to submit some examples of what may be done with other rudimentary forms.
[Illustration]
Following the instructions previously given, in place of the square
suggested in Figs. 7, 8, 9, describe a circle. This may be done with a
pair of compasses, or simply sketched or traced by means of any round
object, such as a coin laid flat upon the paper. Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13,
14, 15, are given merely as suggestions, the circle forming an important
part of their figure. The mind of the experimenter will immediately revert
to other objects--thousands such are to be met with around us--having
the circle or the sphere for their basis. And it will be no mean result
of my labors, if any number of my younger readers are led thereby to a
habit of observation, whereby they will not fail to notice that nearly all
natural objects have the curved line for a basis, if they are not actually
distinguishable thereby from those that are artificial.
[Illustration]
Fig. 16 is drawn upon two circles in combination with each other. The
dotted lines of the plan will be readily perceived; but lest there should
be any difficulty, they have been drawn separately in Fig. 17. With this
duplex figure little skill will be required to present the lord of the
farm yard. The three outlines, Figs. 18, 19, 20, are based upon the square
turned diamond-wise, and will need no further remark: examples upon this
plan may be multiplied easily. Those given will serve as hints in the
several directions of flowers, foliage, and landscapes generally.
[Illustration]
Before proceeding to show what may easily be done by a simple combination
of the figures we have constructed, _i. e._, the oval, square, and circle,
let me introduce another, which enters, by a kind of natural law, into
almost all forms or groups of forms, namely, the triangle. Observe in the
annexed cut, Fig. 21, how naturally, although unconsciously, the girl
seats herself within one.
[Illustration]
A moment's reflection will show, that from the little nymph in the cut
to the great pyramid, everything that rests solidly upon the earth must
take the form, more or less, of this broad-based tapering figure. Roofs of
houses, churches, and towers, are all triangular in their form, as are all
great trees, differing from each other only in the width of their angles.
[Illustration]
Construct a triangle,[14] and trace it according to former directions, and
from the examples, Figs. 22, 23, 24, look around you for others, and make
various exercises upon this foundation.
[Illustration]
Now, to proceed to something more complicated. Suppose you had either in
your mind, or sketched out upon paper, the plan of a garden; that is to
say, suppose you had the dimensions of a piece of ground, and intended
to lay it out as a garden, allotting so much space to this and that bed,
so much to gravel walks, and wanted to see how such an arrangement would
look in perspective,--in other words, in reality, for perspective, however
alarming it may look in books, with its net-work of lines, cross and
across, like an insoluble riddle or a monster cobweb, is nothing more than
the actual representation of things as they meet the eye.
[Illustration: 25]
[Illustration: 26]
Let your plan be what is shown in the square portion of Fig. 25; at the
top of this plan place your triangle, draw a line through the center of
the square upwards, until it meets the top A of the triangle. Next draw
lines from the corner of the beds parallel to the center line until they
meet the base line of the triangle. From thence continue all these lines
to the point A. These give you the width of the beds _in perspective_. The
other sides of their figure may be easily enough found. Fig. 26 is the
perspective view sought, and is what your experimental drawing would be
if, having done the plan and guide-lines in pencil and the rest in pen
and ink, you had erased the former with a piece of india rubber.
[Illustration: 27]
I do not know whether my readers regard the matter in the same light, but
it appears to the present writer that this little figure--the triangle--is
capable of working wonders in the hands of an amateur draughtsman, if only
properly used. Of course, those regularly educated, or submitted to a long
course of training as artists, are not referred to, but only the general
public, which by the by, means nineteen out of every twenty individuals. I
ask whether the preceding cut is any exaggeration on the average sort of
result attained, not only amongst very juvenile experimenters, but those
of maturer age?
[Illustration: 28]
Everybody possessed of vision can tell, ordinarily, whether a building
or other object is upright, or in the position proper to it, or necessary
to its stability. By accustoming the hand to form lines, ovals,
circles, squares, and triangles, and by habituating the mind to form
comparisons between objects, and these and other figures, a person is put
imperceptibly, as it were, in the way of depicting them with accuracy.
To proceed--let us take the above misrepresented country residence, and
applying to it the previously given rules, see what we can make of it. We
would first draw or trace the parallelogram shown in dotted lines; over
this, we place a triangle; then drawing an upright line through the center
of both, make that the base of another and lengthened triangle, as shown
(see Fig. 28). Thus we get the three lines of the side and roofs; and
if we knew the proportionate height of the side window, by marking the
same at a, b, and carrying the lines from those points to the apex of the
triangle, we get its true perspective dimensions.
The difference between the two results is as great as possible.
In Fig. 29 the triangle placed at the side of the soldier in front gives
the perspective of the whole line.
[Illustration: 29]
[Illustration: 30]
Fig. 30 shows how two parallelograms in combination assist in giving the
perspective of a block of stone or bale of goods.
Fig. 31 exhibits the parallelogram and triangle in combination.
Perhaps nothing is more puzzling to the tyro in sketching than the
interior of rooms and halls. In Fig. 32 a very easy method is given. Trace
the outer parallelogram, and within it, a smaller one; then connect the
corners of the two as shown in the cut.
[Illustration: 31]
[Illustration: 32]
[Illustration: 33]
Fig. 33 is the application of the preceding.
[Illustration: 34]
[Illustration: 35]
By the present paper I intend to let you into a great secret, the secret,
namely, of Comic or "Funny" Drawing--a method, in fact, which is at
the bottom of all humorous, or caricature sketching. Don't let any one
be alarmed, and suppose that it is intended to set you quizzing and
caricaturing your friends. Far from it.
[Illustration: 36]
[Illustration: 37]
Draw the oval, Fig. 34. Divide it by transverse lines into about equal
portions. You have now the basis for a face. Let the central line (across)
mark the position of the eyes, the line above that the top of the
forehead, the one below the bottom of the nose. By Fig. 35 you will see
this worked out, and have what is considered a well proportioned face.
[Illustration: 38]
Now oddity of feature or expression is simply the result of a deviation
from this regularity; and if, as you will perceive by the other Figs.,
36, 37 and 38, these lines are placed higher or lower, or out of their,
strictly speaking, _proper places_, you have, as a necessary result
of such disarrangement, oddity, or comicality, which is founded upon
irregularity or incongruity in things.
[Illustration: 39]
[Illustration: 40]