Today is National Puzzle day. There are several types of puzzles that we will discuss. The first book on puzzles is “How to Win Contest Prizes” by Lee Keith, 1954. In the 1940’s and 50’s, there were a lot of contests by newspapers, magazines, and stores, that one could enter in. Some were writing jingles, lyrics, or limericks, and others involved solving word puzzles or picture puzzles. Some of these contests, would be like filling out crossword puzzles, others would be combining a picture with letters to form words or sayings, others would be identifying how many items could be found in a picture. Of course with everyone trying to answer, how can you be better, or quicker when sending in responses? This book offered advice on how to improve your chances of winning. It gave clues, secrets, and resources to improve your odds against other people. There were also tips on how to be a better writer.
The next book is called “Masquerade” by Kit Williams, 1980. The introduction explains:
“Within the pages of this book is a story told,
Of love, adventures, fortunes lost, and a jewel of solid gold.
To solve the hidden riddle, you must use your eyes,
and find the hare in every picture that may point you to the prize.”
Every page has a small story, along with a picture surrounded by a saying. There is something to decipher from each of the stories, the pictures, and the sayings. In the end, you will be know where to dig, in order to find a golden hare of 18 carat gold, buried somewhere in Britain. It took three years to figure out this puzzle, and retrieve the golden hare.
There are other puzzles than those which are read-the jigsaw puzzle. My father-in-law was a big jigsaw puzzle fan. He would sit in their dining room, with a cigar and a scotch in hand, and his puzzle spread across the entire table. He was never in a hurry, they had a full table protector to cover the puzzle, if there was to be a formal dinner to interrupt the completion progress. Many a time I had to present myself before I took his daughter out on a date. She would always be working on the puzzle with him. I had to complete at least one puzzle piece before we could leave.
My wife still loves her puzzles. I have included the last two that she has completed. They are both of places we visited on our last vacation-to Rome! The staircase is at the Vatican, and who doesn’t know the iconic leaning tower of Pisa. She has three more puzzles from our trip to complete: Trevi fountain, the Coliseum, and Park Güell in Barcelona.
One night after my wife had completed the border of the staircase puzzle, and then went to bed, I sat down just to put in a piece or two. It was for old times sake. I looked up at the clock and was startled to see 4:30 AM. I looked back down and saw a puzzle almost a quarter completed.
For National Puzzle Day you don’t have to read, just do a puzzle.
Librarytomes 