To give something light and amusing for the benefit of such as are interested in tricks or what might he termed sleight-of-hand feats. I will give a puzzle which can be used advantageously to amuse the guests after a banquet or at an evening party. In the former case eight wine glasses ” four empty and four partially filled ” illustrate the trick to perfection.
In this, as in all exhibitions of a similar character, everything depends upon the skill and clever acting of the performer. He must have his little book down to perfection, so as to be able to do the trick forwards or backwards without the slightest hesitation, while by the aid of a ceaseless flow of conversation he impresses upon his hearers the fact of its being the most simple little trick that ever happened, which any one can do unless he be a natural born mutton-head or hopelessly befuddled. It really looks so simple, apparently working itself out correctly, no matter how or when the exhibitor commences, that almost any one will lured into accepting an invitation to step up and test his sobriety by showing how readily he can perform the feat and then the fun begins ” for it will rattle ninety-nine out of a hundred.
To aid our young friends in describing their answers, the glasses are numbered, so that they can be referred to by numbers.
That odd little sleight-of-hand performance with the four empty and four full glasses can readily be remembered by the following rule: First, why one long move, then two short ones and then one long one, viz.: First move 2 and 3 to the extreme end: then fill the gap with 5 and 6. Fill gap with 8 and 2: then finish with 1 and 5. Counting the original numbers of the glasses.
2. Decapitation Puzzle.
Now. If you wish.
Behead a fish,
“To listen" you’ll discover;
Once more behead,
And find instead
A small close chest, or coffer.
Shark.
3. One on Charlie.
“Say, Charlie, did you see the translation of Aguinaldo's cipher dispatch:
BBBBBB
Do We
32541
+27340
------
59881
Limburger Cheese.
It has been found to read 'Sigsbee sent Dewey some Limburger cheese.'”
“Why, it is awfully clever, isn't it? ” replied Charlie. "But really I don't see just where they get the ‘sent, ’ do you?
"Why, the scent is in the cheese, " replied his friend.
4. Animals Enigmatically Expressed.
1. To decline, and to declare.
2. Approached and an animal.
3. To gorge and a weight.
4. A rod and an animal.
5. To injure and a number.
6. A letter and a grain.
7. An insect and to run away.
Beaver, chameleon, glutton, pole cat, marten, goat, antelope.
5. A Numerical Enigma.
How strange a city this would be,
If we had not our 1, 2, 3;
But, in this wondrous 6, 7. 8,
Had learned the air to navigate.
Ourselves with 7, 6, 9 inflate
And skyward 4, 5, 9, 8!
Cipher Answer.” 3, 1, 18, 18, 9, 1, 7, 5, 19.
CARRIAGES
6. Comical Conundrums
Who gave the tar-tar? The jackal gave the Jack all.
Why did the wood-saw? Because it saw the lamb-chop.
Why did the butter-fly? Because it saw the cake-walk.
Why did the fly fly? Because the spider spied her.
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