"The Riddler" (1829) - 07/02/01 05:57 PM
I thought I'd start a new thread with this stuff, because it's a little bit different from the more jocular dialogue on the "Riddles" thread, and I have a lot of neat material here...so I can put up a bunch every couple of days and then follow-up with the answers for whoever'd like to play along. And this also leaves more room for discussion or any other similar items others might have.
Here, now, from a book in my 19th Century schoolhouse published in 1829, "The Boy's Own Book' --
out of a chapter therein entitled "The Riddler" which features charades, conundrums, enigmas,
rebusses, anagrams, and logogriphs are the following selections (I'll come back and edit in the
answers in white in a day or so, 'cause I think you'll want a real shot at solving these...good luck!):
Enigma 1.
"Twas whispered in heaven, 'twas muttered in hell,
And echo caught faintly the sound as it fell;
On the confines of earth 'twas permitted to rest,
And the depths of the ocean its presence confess'd;
Twill be found in the sphere, when 'tis riven asunder;
'Tis seen in the lightening, and heard in the thunder;
'Twas alloted to man from his earliest breath,
It assists at his birth, and attends him in death;
Presides o'er his happiness, honor, and health,
Is the prop of his house, and the end of his wealth;
In the heap of the miser 'tis hoarded with care,
But is sure to be lost in his prodigal heir;
It begins every hope, every wish it must bound;
It prays with the hermit, with monarchs is crown'd;
Without it the soldier and seaman may roam,
But wo to the wretch that expels it from home;
In the whispers of conscience 'tis sure to be found,
Nor e'en in the whirlwind of passion is drown'd;
'Twill soften the heart, though deaf to the ear,
'Twill make it acutely and constantly hear;
But, in short, let it rest; like a beautiful flower,
(O! breathe on it softly,) it dies in an hour.
--Lord Byron (referred to in the chapter's introduction as "the late Lord Byron." Gads!)
Answer: The letter H.
And I thought this next might be fun for a certain well-known presence of the Board!
Conundrum: Why is the statute book like the Grecian army before Troy? Helen?
Answer: It has many laws (Menelaus) in it.
And here's a classic Wordsmith conundrum: (actually there's a few of these that look like direct-to-Anu
for AWADmail consideration material, but I have to get at least one out first, I can't wait!)
Conundrum: What word of ten letters can be spelled with five?
Answer: Expediency (X P D N C).
Enigma:
A word of three syllables seek till you find,
That has in it the twenty-four letters combin'd.
Answer: Alphabet.
(edit: "four" becomes "three"--I took the liberty to change this, book copy didn't correlate--have to screen more carefully in future, sorry)
Have fun! There's plenty more where these came from...
Here, now, from a book in my 19th Century schoolhouse published in 1829, "The Boy's Own Book' --
out of a chapter therein entitled "The Riddler" which features charades, conundrums, enigmas,
rebusses, anagrams, and logogriphs are the following selections (I'll come back and edit in the
answers in white in a day or so, 'cause I think you'll want a real shot at solving these...good luck!):
Enigma 1.
"Twas whispered in heaven, 'twas muttered in hell,
And echo caught faintly the sound as it fell;
On the confines of earth 'twas permitted to rest,
And the depths of the ocean its presence confess'd;
Twill be found in the sphere, when 'tis riven asunder;
'Tis seen in the lightening, and heard in the thunder;
'Twas alloted to man from his earliest breath,
It assists at his birth, and attends him in death;
Presides o'er his happiness, honor, and health,
Is the prop of his house, and the end of his wealth;
In the heap of the miser 'tis hoarded with care,
But is sure to be lost in his prodigal heir;
It begins every hope, every wish it must bound;
It prays with the hermit, with monarchs is crown'd;
Without it the soldier and seaman may roam,
But wo to the wretch that expels it from home;
In the whispers of conscience 'tis sure to be found,
Nor e'en in the whirlwind of passion is drown'd;
'Twill soften the heart, though deaf to the ear,
'Twill make it acutely and constantly hear;
But, in short, let it rest; like a beautiful flower,
(O! breathe on it softly,) it dies in an hour.
--Lord Byron (referred to in the chapter's introduction as "the late Lord Byron." Gads!)
Answer: The letter H.
And I thought this next might be fun for a certain well-known presence of the Board!
Conundrum: Why is the statute book like the Grecian army before Troy? Helen?
Answer: It has many laws (Menelaus) in it.
And here's a classic Wordsmith conundrum: (actually there's a few of these that look like direct-to-Anu
for AWADmail consideration material, but I have to get at least one out first, I can't wait!)
Conundrum: What word of ten letters can be spelled with five?
Answer: Expediency (X P D N C).
Enigma:
A word of three syllables seek till you find,
That has in it the twenty-four letters combin'd.
Answer: Alphabet.
(edit: "four" becomes "three"--I took the liberty to change this, book copy didn't correlate--have to screen more carefully in future, sorry)
Have fun! There's plenty more where these came from...
