Page:Cyclopedia of Puzzles by Samuel Loyd.pdf/50

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I will take occasion to remark that the fact of same of my puzzles being well known does not imply that every one is familiar with the answers to them, for the correct answers to some of the most popular ones have never been published, and, so far as I am aware, have never really been guessed. I will illustrate this point by presenting as a seasonable problem the “Necklace Puzzle," which I showed several years apo, and which every one who sees it flatters himself that he solves it at once, and yet I do not remember any one who really found the correct answer.

It is based on an everyday business iranzaction, intended to show how the average mortal goes the wrong way about doing anything which calls for the slightest mechanical knowledge or ability. It is devoid of all semblance of cateh or subterfuge, ancl there is no “rhissing link” unystery about it, and it is intender| to be poy- erned by the ordinary brsiness nicth- ods, and yet it was given to all of the leading jewelers anil chain mak- ers of New York, who said) they would have no we for a salernan or emplover who could not sce throogh such a simple thinsaction, and yet not one of them gave the correct an- swer,

A lady bought twelve pieces of chain, as shown in the border of the picture, and wished to have them made into an endless neeklace of 100 links, as held in ler hands,

The jeweler satd it would cost 15 cents each to cut and join a small link and 20 cents to joint and cit « large link, and the question is to tell just haw much the Indy should pay to have the necklace made? That is all there is to it, and it is a pretty problem forthe young folks,

A Charade,

Twa personal pronouns, if you take And join them in due order,

An herh will name without mistake, That stents the garden border. Cipher-Answer—a2o, 8, 25, 03, 5:

A Rebus.

Entire T am capital; curtain me and I am capital still; but behead ard transpose me and T am looking for

capithl.

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