 | An image should appear at this position in the text. To use the entire page scan as a placeholder, edit this page and replace "{{missing image}}" with "{{raw image|Cyclopedia of Puzzles by Samuel Loyd.pdf/25}}". Otherwise, if you are able to provide the image then please do so. For guidance, see Wikisource:Image guidelines and Help:Adding images. |  |
Here is a rollicsome little puzzle for the young folkes, which presents possibilities for considerable humor and originality. The mischievous boy has been teasing the elephant at the circus, when the chain which held the elephant's hind leg broke and some- thing happened! Just what that something was is left to the imagina- tion and artistic ability of the puzzlist.
The elephant may have sat down upon that boy, or swallowed him, or stood upon his head, or in fact done anything which occurs to you. The only stipulation is that the picture must be cut into orly two pieces, which are to be fitted together so as to explain what happened in the most humorous way, and the same will be reproduced as the answer to the puzzle.
Tell the North by Your Watch.
The following bit of valuable in- formation is so closely akin to a puz- zle that it is well worth giving at this season for the benefit of those who may utilize the same during their summer outings.
| An image should appear at this position in the text. To use the entire page scan as a placeholder, edit this page and replace "{{missing image}}" with "{{raw image|Cyclopedia of Puzzles by Samuel Loyd.pdf/25}}". Otherwise, if you are able to provide the image then please do so. For guidance, see Wikisource:Image guidelines and Help:Adding images. | |
The incident occurred to me some years ago, but as the fact of every watch being a reliable compass is not generally known, it is worth telling. All you have got to do is to lay your watch flat in the palm of your hand, with the hour hand pointing in the direction of the sun, as shown in the accompanying sketch. The point exactly midway between the hour hand and the figure 12 will be due south.
It is well to remember, however, that during the time from six in the afternoon to six in the morning our rules gives the north point instead of the south. In the southern hemis- sphere the rule will be reversed. Some years ago, while taking a accosted by a stranger, who asked to walk just outside of London. I was be directed to a certain locality. I the names of the streets, but that if told him I was not acquainted with he would walk on east he would reach the desired place. I took out my watch and figured out the proper di- rection, at which he expressed great surprise, so I explained the method to him. I few days later I read the following paragraph in London Truths
"Every Watch a Compass.
"A few days ago I was standing by an American gentleman, when I expressed a wish to know which point was the north. He at once pulled out his watch, looked at it, and point- ed to the north. I asked him whether he had a compass attached to his watch. All watches,' he replied, 'are compasses. Then he explained to me how this was. (The modus operandi is explained above.) My American friend was quite surprised that I did not know this. Thinking very pos- sibly I was ignorant of a thing that every one else knew, and happening to meet Mr. Stanley, I asked that eminent traveler whether he was aware of this simple mode of discov- ering the points of the compass. He said that he had never heard of it. I presume, therefore, that the world is in the same state of ignorance. Amalfi is proud of having been the home of the inventor of the compass. I do not know what town boasts of my American friend as a citizen."
23
