He aspired to be praised as a wonderful shot,
But he potted the dog, and despair was his lot!
The words in italics are spelt with the same
letters.
Return to description
284
In the doublet, as solved by Lewis Carroll,
ARMY is changed into NAVY with seven links,
and preserving the sequence while changing a
letter every time—thus: ARMY, arms, aims,
dims, dams, dame, name, nave, NAVY.
Return to description
285
The anagram puzzle—
‘I excel not by a pun’
Turn these six words into one!
is solved by Unexceptionably, which contains
exactly the same letters.
Return to description
286
The answer to the strange riddle, “When is an
onion like music?” is “When you find it smell
odious!” (it’s melodious).
Return to description
287
The bitter cry of Christianity is, by its
anagram: I cry that I sin.
Return to description
288
That a Conservative is constant to his cause is
shown by the anagram: Not vice versâ.
Return to description
289
As a rule Christmas Day and New Year’s Day
fall upon the same day of the week, but they
will not fall upon the same day of the week in
1910 (or indeed in any year), because the New
Year’s Day must be after the Christmas Day to
fulfil the conditions!
Return to description
290
“War is a game which, were their subjects wise,
Kings would not play at,” wrote the poet’s pen;
But in war’s issue will be staked the prize,
While kings and subjects are but erring men;
So Britain—native empress of the seas—
On ocean cradled, by her storm-king nursed—
Friend of the fallen, guardian of the free,
Rests on her well-tried last and trusty first.
Her first alone can well maintain her right,
Unscathed by any threat or mutinous blast;
And though, when needed, foremost in the fight,
Her first (strange paradox!) is always last!
But should the tide of war approach the shore
And threaten to engulf her island seat,
My whole, replying with defiant roar,
Would crash the audacious foe beneath her feet!
is solved by Armstrong.
Return to description
291
My first is flogged to make it move the faster,
And turns at once to satisfy its master.
My next will ripen as a pleasant fruit,
For those whose simple taste its flavours suit.
My whole, when breezes blow and pennons fly,
Stands up aloft and points us to the sky.
is solved by Top-mast.
Return to description
292
A noun there is, of plural number,
In daily use from here to Humber.
Now almost any noun you take
By adding “S” you plural make;
But if you add an “S” to this,
Strange is the metamorphosis!
Plural is plural now no more;
Useless what useful was before.
is solved by Needles, needless.
Return to description
293
First, a semi-circle make,
Add to this another
Figure of two little lines
Meeting with each other;
Then a perfect circle form,
Truly, neat, compactly,
Add another form to these,
Like the first exactly;
Then, to make it all complete,
Form a kind of angle,
With a straight line, that should meet
In a kind of tangle;
When you this have rightly done
(’Tis the truth I’m telling),
You will get an article
Useful in a dwelling:
Should you this decapitate,
You may have another
Article, which, in its place,
Is useful as the other.
is solved by Clock, lock.
Return to description
294
Veiling the leas, my first may steep
Late autumn’s listless air;
And with my tainting second creep
On idle spade and share.
When happy days link soul to soul,
And sunny faces shine,
May both combined, a subtle whole,
Be far from me and mine!
is solved by Mistrust.
Return to description
295
Mark Lemon’s charade—
Old Charlie Brown, who a big rogue was reckoned,
Was brought up at my first for making my second;
He was fined, and because he no money would pay
Had to work with my whole on the King’s highway.
is solved by Barrow.
Return to description
296
Complete, I grow within a field
And pleasant pasture often yield;
Behead me once, a suitor then
Is quickly brought before your ken;
Behead again, I am a word
That on the cricket-ground is heard.
Restore my heads, cut off my tail,
To name a spice you’ll not then fail;
Behead me now, and you will find
The master passion left behind.
Put on my head, my tail restore,
Complete me as I was before,
My second letter take away,
An envelope I am, you’ll say;
But now curtail me just once more,
I am an inlet on the shore.
is solved by Clover, lover, over, clove, love, cover,
cove.
Return to description
297
My second is double my first,
My first is but half of my second;
And I’m sure you’ll admit that my whole
Is ten times the latter when reckon’d.
is solved by Ten score.
Return to description
298
My first I went the other day,
And pretty surely reckon’d
A basket of fine fish to catch,
With hook and rod and second.
But I was out in reckoning;
A very pretty she
Of her fair face show’d just my whole—
And pretty soon hook’d me.
is solved by Outline.
Return to description
299
Of mirth the parent, though the child of art,
A stranger to myself in every part;
Each India has a native in my breast,
The West my sweetness, and my fire the East.
While milder climes my virtue to complete,
Quicken my softness, and correct my heat;
My dearest friends upon my vitals prey,
And as they see me sinking, grow more gay.
is solved by Punch.
Return to description
300
When my whole takes a flight in the air you will find
That my next is not left a great distance behind;
But join them together, and plain to your view
It all is as firm and as tight as a screw.
is solved by Dovetail.
Return to description
301
To three-fourths of a cross, add a circle complete;
Then, let two semi-circles a perpendicular meet;
Next, add a triangle that stands on two feet;
Then, two semi-circles, and a circle complete.
is solved by Tobacco.
Return to description
302
Leader of Vandals and of vice
My head is reckoned;
A Turkish captain will suffice
To be my second.
My third is firm if well selected;
My whole a wanderer neglected.
is solved by Vagabond.
Return to description
303
One thousand, two hundred,
Nothing, and one,
Transposed, give a word
Expressive of fun.
is solved by COMIC.
Return to description
304
Praed’s charade—
My first was creeping on his way
Through the mists of a dull October day,
When a minstrel came to its muddy bed,
With a harp on his shoulder, a wreath on his head;
“And how shall I reach,” the poor boy cried,
“To the courts and the cloisters on t’other side?”
Old Euclid came, and he frown’d a frown,
And he dash’d the harp and the garland down;
Then he led the bard, with a stately march,
O’er my second’s long and cellar’d arch;—
“And see,” said the sage, “how every ass
Over the sacred stream must pass!”
The youth was mournful, the youth was mute,
He sigh’d for his laurel, he sobb’d for his lute;—
The youth took comfort, the youth took snuff,
And follow’d the lead of that teacher gruff;
And he sits, ever since, in my whole’s kind lap,
In a silken gown and a trencher cap.
is solved by Cambridge.
Return to description
305
Upright and honest is my first;
My second you may see
Upon the frozen lake or stream;
My whole is equity.
is solved by Justice.
Return to description
306
Never wearied, see us stand,
A glittering and a stately band—
Of sturdy stuff, but graceful form,
In summer cold, in winter warm;
From hottest duty never swerving,
Night and day our place preserving;
Each serving to a different use,
Not to be changed without abuse.
And, pray, mark well another fact—
In unison we never act,
Except, as on occasion dread,
We watch the ashes of the dead;
When we are ranged, as you may see
As awful sentries, one, two, three.
is solved by Fire-irons.
Return to description
307
My first, though naught, with others is a fruit,
My next is vital to both man and brute.
It should be dear to all who hate the devil,
For it is ever the reverse of evil.
My all, when whole, is eloquent of peace,
Divided it invokes to life that will not cease.
is solved by Olive.
Return to description
308
Guess at my first, ’tis easy to discover,
Covered with rings, and whiskered like a dandy.
Wrapped up in furs, ’tis often on the housetop,
Oft in the chimney!
See where my second, scorning to be hidden,
Stands at the head of quite a band of others,
Like a virago, straddling with feet apart,
And arms akimbo.
Surely my next is happy in its office,
Parting the lovelocks on Neæra’s forehead;
Setting the golden lines wherewith she angles
For the unwary.
If by my whole at any time you pass, you
Tread on the dust of holy saints and martyrs,
Holy the place, may holy thoughts attend you,
Peacefully dreaming!
is solved by Catacomb.
Return to description
309
Offspring of nature and of art, I stand
Chief ’midst the monuments of every land;
I may not lengthen life, but I
For centuries forbid to die.
The greatest truth in me you meet
Is but deception most complete.
Unchanged I last the changing crowds among,
And as I older grow, I grow too young.
is solved by A portrait.
Return to description
310
Pronounced as one letter, and written with three,
Two letters there are, and two only in me;
I’m double, I’m single, I’m black, blue, and gray,
I’m read from both ends, and the same either way.
is solved by Eye.
Return to description
311
My first is false as false can be;
My next old ladies wear;
My whole’s my first, as you will see,
As false, I do declare.
is solved by Falsehood.
Return to description
312
When whole I am indeed a thing
To puzzle you a bit;
Though parts of me are hard, at Bridge
The others make a hit;
Or you may make a car of some,
And fix a head to it.
is solved by Charade.
Return to description
313
A word of nine letters explains
How to mitigate bodily pains;
The five vowels are there,
And four consonants share
This function for medical brains.
is solved by Inoculate.
Return to description
314
My second guides my first and third
For pleasure, trade, and war;
My first and second by my third
Are oft transported far.
But when my first my third doth pull,
’Tis then his lot is worst;
And should my second lack my whole,
He’s apt to leave my first.
is solved by Horsemanship.
Return to description
315
It is a fact that neither melons nor lemons
grew on elms.
The words in italics have the same letters.
Return to description
316
The completed palindrome, which reads alike
from either end, is—
DRAW NO DRAY A YARD ONWARD.
Return to description
317
The schoolboy likes me well,
For healthful sport I bring,
Yet I can harm create,
Though such a little thing:
Connubial bliss is form’d by me;
My nature is equality.
is solved by Match.
Return to description
318
What person’s name is doubly evil?
Sinbad reminds us of the devil.
Return to description
319
I’m a district near London;
If made wrong, I come undone;
O’er sweet strings I swift run,
Or appear with the bright sun,
And though by me fights were won,
I can greet you every one.
is solved by Bow.
Return to description
320
I am my first when seen with you,
My next is always bad.
A rogue in grain much harm may do
And make the farmer mad.
is solved by Weevil.
Return to description
321
When winter comes with frost and cold,
My first is welcome, as of old;
And though its grip may make you thinner,
It helps to cook your Christmas dinner.
Let me but hear my next rejoice
At early dawn with cheerful voice,
I haste to find, with eager pleasure,
Some specimen of hidden treasure.
A traveller my whole may find
Far from his English kith and kind;
Though some at home, to England’s shame,
Are this in fact, if not in name.
is solved by Heathen.
Return to description
322
It was to-morrow, and
It will be yesterday;
Now it is near at hand
What is it? Who can say?
is solved by To-day.
Return to description
323
My first doth fill with light his father’s eyes,
The second shadows all the mother’s brow;
My whole all men, all women, girls and boys,
Have had, and long to lose, and lost for ever now;
But know not, nor can know, when it was lost, and how.
is solved by Childhood.
Return to description
324
Complete, though not of human race,
A soul in me may dwell;
Behead, I held a higher place,
Until, like man, I fell.
Again behead, and in the song
Of Burns I’m all your own;
Behead once more, it would be wrong
To find me out when known.
is solved by Train, rain, ain, in.
Return to description
325
With head good for naught,
And with tail always drunk,
You know well what to say
Of the worth of my trunk.
First cut off my tail,
I am Greek, and I’m not;
Then cut off my head,
And some Latin you’ve got.
Lopping both you know best
What remains, as I said,
For I really am you
If I lose tail and head!
is solved by Out.
Return to description
326
One guiding eye I need
In running through the gaps;
My tail, as on I speed,
Is caught in many traps.
is solved by A Needle.
Return to description
327
The Chess charade—
Of all the birds that ever sought a mate,
My first is to but one appropriate,
So speak the word! nor silence shyly woo.
To find my next, go! wander in the Zoo!
My whole is a magician of the squares,
But Art, with Chess, his best affections shares,
So this, indeed, to him may be a law
When winning’s hopeless, grandly still to draw.
is solved by Boden.
Return to description
328
Though poor and humble was my birth
I sit enthroned on high;
My footsteps far above the earth,
My canopy the sky.
O’er toiling subjects thus in state
I bear despotic sway;
Yet on them hand and foot I wait
At break and close of day.
is solved by A coachman.
Return to description
329
I am not of flesh and blood,
Yet have I many a bone;
No limbs, except one leg,
And can’t stand on that alone.
My friends are many, and dwell
In all lands of the human race;
But they poke my poor nose into the mud,
And shamefully spatter my face.
Thrust me into each other’s ribs,
Stick me in gutter and rut;
I have never a window, and never a door,
Yet I often open and shut.
is solved by An umbrella.
Return to description
330
Before the crown descended on
The head of England’s Queen,
Four Kings upon that royal throne
Of the same name had been.
Now if the signs which marked their name
Be joined unto a beast,
We have a food on which the same
(A quadruped) will feast.
is solved by Grass.
Return to description
331
Fox’s enigma—
I am pretty, and useful in various ways,
Though I tempt some poor mortals to shorten their days;
Behead me, and then in my place will appear
What youngsters admire every day in the year;
Behead me once more, and without any doubt,
You must be what is left if you don’t find it out.
is solved by Glass, lass, ass.
Return to description
332