Merry's First Book of Puzzles

MERRY'S teOOK OF PUZZLES. i44J

EDITED BY ROBERT MERRY.

NEW YORK: THOMAS O'KANE, PUBLISHER, .130

NASSAU STREET.

Republished by

The Pencil Puzzle Connection http://www.pencilpuzzles.com/ © Treasures Beyond Measure 2009

PEEFAOE. ri^HE "^

innumerable readers of Merry's

with

many

familiar faces, lighted

Museum

will here

up by pleasant

meet

smiles,

and

hear the same old jovial laughter that greeted them in the olden time.

Our motto is that of our noble State will see that

we have

—" Excelsior

Our readers

I"

not buried the talents of our contributors ia

napkins—but seek to bring them out into the bright day For Genius —like the lamp ef Aladdin—needs constant polishing to bring out :

its

lustre

and

Our

full effect.

object has been to instruct

by smiles

—not

the dear hearts of the young girlhood and boyhood

among

the necessary thorns of existence.

pages to

make

the sad

happy

—

^the

happy

frowns; to cheer ;

to strew flowers

In a word, we try in these still

happier.

Hence, pure fun will be found as beautiful in these pages, as hoa* ey amid the flowers of Hybla.

Robert Merry.

Robert Merry

to his friends

A kindly greeting sends, With a general assortment

of questional

Conundrums, Charades, Puzzles, Riddles of all shades.

And Rebuses, as aids To intellectual and social digestion. If the

young Merry host

Acquaintance should boast.

Or kindred,

or authorship pat.

With some

of our jokes.

We confess—('tis no hoax)— To amuse

We

other folks,

have riddled the Museum

Now we beg you you happen

If

to

"Chat.**

will show.

know.

Why the Editor, painstaking soul ? Is like the cold

storm

Which, in climates bright and warm.

Where Come

gallinippers swarm.

shivering

down from

the pole t

MERRY'S HOOK OF PUZZLES.

VSHORT

memmom

I

i

merey's book of puzzles.

6

Who

3.

Bible, 4. 5. 6.

man 7.

prolongs his work to as great a length as podand still completes it in time ?

Why are young ladies like arrows Why is a philanthropist like an old horse How can five persons divide five eggs, so 1

and

shall receive one,

How many

still

*

that each one remain in the dish!

soft-boiled eggs could the giant Goliah

eat upon an empty stomach 8.

What

9.

Two fathers have

fishes

?

have

?

their eyes nearest together

each a square of land.

?

One

father

divides his so as to reserve to himself one-fourth in tho

form of a square

;

thus

Tr:e other father divides his so as to reserve to himself,

one-fourth in the form of a triangle

;

thus ]

They each have four

among

sons,

and each divides the remainder

way that each son will share equally with his brother, and in similar shape. How his sons in such a

were the two farms divided ?

MEERr's BOOK OF PITZZLES.

merry's book of puzzles.

8

TVhat is that wliich but never eaten ?

12. cut,

13.

is

i

often brought to table, often

f

Mv first is four-sixths of a step that is long, My second is a person of state My whole is a thing that is known to be wrong, ;

And 14.

Why

a strong

is

my

My second Together

And am

first

you can not

beauteous

I attend

17. 18.

Why Who

19.

There

a

was the is

first

misty morning

arms

that bore

;

the

first

woman, the great woman.

of five letters.

?

?

three refers to

man, the seven a

am a word am the name

20. I

still.

be very wealthy?

in debt like a

first

;

will,

a word of seven letters

man, the

signifies a great

and I

man

to

stand,

command

your humble servant

"Why ought a fisherman is

fair

your

16.

fers to

of hate.

are your nose and chin always at variance?

"Without

15.

symptom

Take away

of what adorns the estate of

two

re-

first

four

my

first^

many

of

Take away my first and second, and I am tlie name of a place where all the world was once congregated. Take away my last, and I am the name of a bear.rifrJ mineral. Take away my two last, and I am the name of a fashionable place of resort. I the nobility of England.

am

small in stature, but capable of doing a great deal of

mischief, as I once did in

London

in the year 1666.

21. Spell eye-water four letters. 22.

23.

24.

Why is swearing like an old coat Why is a thump like a hat Why is an inn like a burial-ground I ?

?

merry's book of puzzles

pmM iCOMES

THEYGAVEiyVE jira.'.lr'rt)\lihhiflifcA^r!!!:m!taiT

mmm^i

meeby's book of puzzles.

10

27. If a fender cost six dollars,

come

it

to

what

will a ton of coal

?

28.

What word

will

make

29.

My

80.

What

that to

is

shorter

it

which

if

yoa add a

syllable,

?

first is a very uncomfortable state, In cold weather it mostly abounds. My second's an instrument formed of hard steel, That will cause the stout foe to stagger and reel, And when used, is a symptom of hate. My whole is an author of greatest renown, Whose fame to the last day of time will go down.

the world

the longest and yet the shortest thing in

is

the swiftest and yet the slowest

the most and the most extended the least valued and the most regretted without which nothing can be done which devours every thing, however small, and yet gives life and spirits to every object, however great? ;

divisible

;

;

;

My first

31,

is

found in every house.

From wintry winds

My

second

is

it

guards.

the highest found

In every pack of cards.

My

whole, a Scottish chief,

By

Who

for his

And, dying, 32. 83.

Why Why

fell

life,

with glory.

handsome women

are is

praised

is

and storv, country gave his

ballad, bard,

an avaricious

man

like

bread

like

?

one with a short

memory? 34. is

What

there 85.

river in Bavaria answers the question.

Who

?

Why

is

a

an even bargain

man ?

with wooden legs like one

who haa

hobby's book of pi/zzles.

11

Id

Why is

38.

What

39.

more

tliau

a parish bell like a good story

belongs to yourself, yet

is

f

used by others

yourself ?

camps about the centre I appear In smiling meadows seen throughout the year; The silent angler views me in the streams,

40. In

And

all

must trace me

in their

morning dreams

y

mob

conspicuous I stand. Proud of the lead, and ever in command.

First in the

41. The head of a whale is six feet long his tail is as long as his head and half his body, and his body is half of his whole length. How long is the whale ? ;

A

hundred stones are placed, in a straight line, a 42. yard distant from each other. How many yards must a person walk,

them

who undertakes

in a basket stationed

Is useful

44. I ;

am

my

a

an

syllables,

article in

a useful 45.

47.

stone

is

each of which

common

an animal of uncommon intelligence

46.

lirst

1

by day and by night.

word of three

first is

not an animal, is

them up, and place

My first is a part of the day, My last a conductor of light. My whole to take measure of time,

43.

word

to pick

one yard from the

;

use

my

is

second,

third,

though whole

used in carrying burdens.

My

art.

There was a man who was not born, His father was not born before him, He did not live, he did not die. And his epitaph is not o'er him.

Why is a nail, fast Why dees a miller

in the wall, like

an old

wear a white hat?

a

my

;

man ?

MEBBT

8

BOOK OF PUZZLES,

40.

miiHi

13

meeet's book of puzzles.

14 60.

My

a letter commanding to wed, your sole till it reaches your head Nothing worth as a whole, it is plain to all men That divided in halves, it is equal to ten

Or

first is

to lift

My second, though

nothing, compared to the other,

Is

worth more as a partner than

It

moans and

it

sighs,

its

double-faced brother;

and when joined

to

my

first,

Pronounces the doom of the sinner accursed.

My

third,

On

the worth and position of neighbors and friends,

you

will find his

whole value depends

And, when both the other two following fair, Changes doom to desire, and a curse to a prayer.

My

though it formeth no part of a hundred, it can justly and evenly be sundered; found in the elements everywhere present, found in all seasons, unploisant or pleasant, the chief of all lands, and yet can not wait

fourth,

Shows where 'Tis 'Tis 'Tis

On

continent, hemisphere, empire, or state.

Though

ne'er in Great Britain suspected to lower^

each quarter of that mighty power always belonged to the animal race. In the mineral kingdom they gave it a place, A.nd, being impartial, they could not deny,

'Tis the heart of It

The vegetable order

And

its

virtue to try

yet, since creation, it

In beast, bird, or

My whole Or grown

fish, root,

you'll find

never was known branch, stem, or stone.

growing

in pasture

and barns,

carpets,warm blankets, and yarns. In England, in Saxony, France, and old Wales, And in sundry more places it always prevails. Of quadrupedal origin still it is known In bipedal families oft to be shown ; [tions in coats,

—

But the strangest of all Is

its strange forms and condiseen in the covering of sage politicians.

.'

\

MEERT

S

BOOK OF PUZZLES,

51.

^

JENNY]

mm m

iMPuLiitf'S^ ^B^iiilliiitiliiii!

1 1 I

iKiili

iili!il!!li!!l

I

II

ilfii

15

mekky's book of puzzles.

16

What

is

that

54:.

When

is

a boat like a knife

65.

What

53.

Bight

which

but never out of

invisible,

is

?

part of

London

is in

?

.<

France

i

67.

How many black beans will make five white Why is a dandy like a haunch of venison

58.

What

56.

ones?

?

kin

own son

father's

59.

Why

60.

What

that child to

is

its

father

who

a rose-bud like a promissory note

is

is

not

its

?

biblical

father calling his son

name

is

?

there which expresses a

by name, and

his son replying

?

61.

Why

is

an orange not like a church bell

62.

Why

is

the largest city in Ireland likely to be the

largest city in the world

?

63. Three-fourths of a cross,

An

Two

What

65.

Why

eQ. G. a.

circle complete. ?

should doctors attend to window-sashes ?

^

What

68. Spell

What ?

and a

smells most in a drug shop

is

that

one can see where

69.

circle complete,

triangle standing on feet,

semicircles,

64.

supper

and a

upright where two semicircles meet,

A rectangle

67.

?

which every one can divide, but no

it

has been divided

hard water with three letters of

the

?

letters.

alphabet come too late

for)

MERBY

8

BOOK OF PUZZLES.

17

merry's book of puzzles.

18 72.

as one letter, and written with three, are, and two only in me ; there Two letters I'm black, blue, and gray, single, I'm double, I'm

Pronounced

am read from both ends, and the same either way, restless and wandering, steady and fixed, am I And you know not one hour what I may be the next. I

I melt,

and I kindle

—beseech, and defy,

watery and moist, I am fi«ry and dry. scornful and scowling, compassionate, meek light, I am dark, I am strong, I am weak. I'm piercing and clean, I an?, heavy and dull Expressive and languid, contracted and full.

I am I am I am

I'm a globe and a mirror, a window, a door, An index, an organ, and fifty things more. I belong to all animals under the sun. And to those who were long understood to have none.

My language And

is

plain,

though

it

can not be heard,

I speak without even pronouncing a word.

Some

call

me

a diamond

Others talk of

my

—some say I am jet

water, or

how

I

am

set.

I'm a borough in England, in Scotland a stream. And an isle of the sea in the Irishman's dream. The earth without me would no loveliness wear, And sun, moon, and stars at my wish disappear.

Yet

so frail is

my

That a speck gives 73. to

"What vessel

move 74:.

is

tenure, so brittle

me

that

pain,

which

my joy.

and a drop can destroy. is

always asking leave

?

Translate the following into Latin 42, 8 rocks, e e e e e e e e e e, 46. 2. 14. 8. 0.

75.

How

is it

with a forceps with an awl ?

;

that you can work with an awl, but not while I can work with a forceps, and not

Sierrt's book of puzzles,

19

merbt's book of puzzles.

30 77.

word the master gave to Dick, Dick scratched his head, and looking rather thick, Eeplied, '-''Hereafter it would make it stickP

Add^ was

the

*^Dick," cried the master,

*'

rudeness

is

a sin

;

FU surely put you inP

Behold the stocks, ** That," answered Dick, " won't alter it a feather, Hereafter it would make it hold togetJierP " Dick," said the man, *' if you insult me so, Your shoulders and my rod I'll put in CoP " 'Tis all the same," said Dick, *' my worthy master, Hereafter

would make

it

it stick tJie

faster,

'^^

78.

Why is France

79.

"Why

is

a

80.

Why

is

the hour of noon on the dial-plate like

woodman

pair of spectacles 81.

82.

Why

is

like a skeleton

like a stage actor

the best baker most in

Whether old Homer plain for

it is

want of bread

?

is

not clear

;

—the bard, though wont to roani,

one liquid, never had

left

home.

84. 85.

What two

?

?

not proper 86.

reasons

why

whispering in company

?

My

first is found on the ocean wave. In the spring, the pit, and the mine My second below earth's surface you have, Where seldom the sun can shine.

My

whole your dinner-table must grace, seldom fails to obtain a place.

And 87.

a

tippled wine or beer,

Why is a coward like a mouse-trap Why is green grass like a mouse

83.

?

?

Julep or cider, history

But But

?

Why

is

a gooseberry pie like counterfeit

money

!

is

MEEEY 88.

8

BOOK OF PUZZLES.

21

89.

Why

does a fisherman blow his horn

90.

Why

is

?

there no danger of starving in a desert ?

Take half of the needle By which sailors steer

91.

Their ship through the water,

Be

Do

cloudy or clear

it

not really break

This of

But

this

my

makes

it,

first.

thanksgiving or Christmas,

My With

second you see

;

care well compounded,

From

My

it

things were worst

your mind take

in

And At

all

and tree. some people

grain, shrub,

whole

like

Who make great pretense, Of words have a plenty, But no great stock of 92.

How is

when he 93.

it

that Methuselah

sense.

was the

oldest

man,

died before his father ?

My first is

a negative greatly in use, people begin when they mean to refuse; second is Fashion, or so called in France,

By which

My

But, like other whims,

An

article

With

is

always in use

the servant of chance. is

my

whole.

texture and form under fashion's control

But, alas

!

not a thing can

Although many have four

it

see which goes by,

sights,

and

all

have one

eye. 94.

What

is

that which, supposing

its

to be four inches, length nine inches,

inches, contains a solid foot

?

greatest breadth

and depth three

MEBEY 95.

S

BOOK OF FUZZLE8.

d3

mekrt'b book of puzzles.

24

My

96.

tongue

And

My

voice

And

is

long,

my

yet I breed no

breath

you hear both

yet I have no

is

strong,

strife

and near,

far

life.

A

waterman rows a given distance, a, and back 97. again in h hours, and finds that he can row c miles with the current, for d miles against it. Required, the time of rowing down, the time of rowing up, the rate of '^urrftnty and the rate of rowing. 98.

As

I

Up

starts

was beating on the

far east grounds,

my

a hare before

two greyhounds

The dogs, being light of foot, did fairly run, To her fifteen rods, just twenty-one And the distance that she started up before, Was six-and-ninety rods, just and no more ; Now, I would have you Merry boys declare ;

How far 99. Is

it

they ran, before they caught the hare.

possible to put twelve pieces of

rows, and have four in a

row

money

in six

?

A

100. gentleman sent a servant with a present of nine ducks, with this direction " To Alderman Gobble, with ix. ducks."

The servant took out

three,

and contrived

direction corresponded with the

number

How

neither erased uor altered a letter. 101.

Four

As

letters all

form

who

me

it

so that the

of the ducks.

did he do

quite complete,

breathe do show

Reversed, you'll find I

am

the seat

Of infamy and woe. Transposed, you'll see I'm base and mean, Again of Jewish race ;

Transposed once more, I

To hide a lovely

face.

oft

am

seen

Hs it I

MEKKY'S BOOK OF PUZZLES. 102.

25

mebkt's book of puzzles.

fJO

My

name

an article given For ladies and dandies to put on their linen ; It comes from the forest, I've heard people say.

103.

And

My

the

first is

made from

is

second

The juice of mouth

the skin of an animal gay.

fruit that

a

is

to

sour,

it is

comes from the South, and 'twill pucker your

;

candy shops all over the town, And, stranger to say, it is almost round. 'Tis foHind in

My

whole

is

an article that is often seen fields almost covered with green;

In the gardens and It is

And

My

104.

very sweet, and also pleasant to eat, in hot summer days affords a rich treat. first is

half of

second makes sense of cry of a kitten

bined

;

my

my

;

my

fourth

what implies good-humor; first is

;

my

a consonant and vowel com-

with the addition of the initial of

fifth,

would imply silence and boys and girls prize liighly.

third,

;

105. I

am composed

My "

106. if

2, 8, 9, is

my

whole

is

my

what many

of twelve letters.

dug out of the numeral

a substance

6, 11, 12, 8, is

a

earth.

an ancient instrument of war. former times. a vowel.

*'

4, 2, 3, is

" " " "

12, 8, 1, is a vessel used in 5, is

my

third sounds like the

4, 7, 1, 9, is a

10, 9,

is

hard substance.

a pronoun.

My whole is now before you. My first is appropriate, my second

you guess

it.

'tis nine to one ^[y whole elevates the sole above the

earth.

107.

"Why

108.

What do we

is

a conundrum like a all

do when we

monkey first

?

^et into bed

?

MEERT 109.

110.

S

BOOK OF PUZZLES.

27

merkt's book of puzzles.

28

111. There is

one word in the English language which harm ; change a in it, and you make it "an act of cruelty. is

universally considered a preventive of

certain letter 112.

My

may be

first

And

fashioned of iron or wood,

window

or door for safety is placed ; In village or town it does more harm than good, Leading people their health, time, and money at

to waste.

My

second's a lady, bewitching and

And Will

fair,

and strive ; dawn, and be wearied with care,

for love of her people will labor

rise before

And

My

pursue her with ardor as long as they live. whole is what ladies admire and approve.

— — the purchaser's prize

The shopkeeper's boast

;

ninepenny chintz 'tis a one-shilling glove is something which makes people open their

'Tis a It

eyes.

113.

At what

distance must a

body have

quire the velocity of 1,600 feet per second 114.

Of

115.

Why

116-

My

w^hat trade is

is

the sun in

fallen to ac-

?

May?

a small horse like a young rausk-melon

first

With

must grace a legal deed. companion, firm and red

its

;

help in marriage, too, they need, Before the blessing can be said.

Its

My

second half a hundred

If in the shortest

is.

way you

spell

You soon must guess me after this, I may as well the secret tell.

My

whole, by his celestial strains

Bears the rapt soul to worlds above

The Great

And

Creator's

tells

power proclaims,

of the Kedeemer's love.

?

MEBBY

S

BOOK OF PUZZLES.

29

117.

118.

"^-^msi^!^

^