7. Oxidized iron on
a weapon. 8. "Where's the prisoner, Pat?" "Sure, your honor, he's taking
his breakfast." 9. "Come and cut our hair." 10. Deviate, fish. 11. A
goat. 12. Four.

AUNT SUE.

=PICTORIAL CHRISTMAS PUZZLE.=

[Illustration: Pictorial Puzzle.]

The puzzle is an Anagram Enigma, rather difficult, and meant for
experienced puzzle-workers. The answer is the first line of a well-known
couplet relating to Christmas.

Each of the numerals underneath the pictures represents a letter
belonging to that word of the answer indicated by the numeral,--(thus, 3
indicates a letter of the third word; 7, a letter of the seventh word,
etc.),--and each collection of numerals represents a word which will
describe the picture above it.

To solve the puzzle, find a word to describe each picture containing as
many letters as there are numerals beneath the picture. After all the
seven words have been thus found, select from them and group together
all the letters that in the numbering beneath the pictures are
designated by the same numeral (for, as already stated, all the letters
bearing the same numeral belong to that word of the answer which is
indicated by the numeral), and each group of these letters must be
transposed to form the word of the answer which corresponds with the
numeral of the group.

Thus, the word "hay" has three letters and will describe the first
picture. After words have been found to describe the other pictures, the
selection must begin, and "h," the first letter of "hay," should be
placed in a group with all the other letters bearing the numeral 7 in
the numbering beneath the pictures; "a" should be grouped with all the
other letters designated by 2, and "y" with all those designated by 3;
and so on.

When all the letters have been properly separated and grouped, transpose
all those letters belonging to group No. 1 into a word to form the first
word of the answer; those belonging to group No. 2 into the second word
of the answer, etc.

ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN DECEMBER NUMBER.

CHESS PUZZLE.--Begin at the word "Bind." The stanza reads:

"Bind me, ye woodbines, in your twines;
Curl me about, ye gadding vines;
And oh, so close your circles lace,
That I may never leave this place;
But lest your fetters prove too weak,
Ere I your silken bondage break,
Do you, O brambles, chain me too,
And, courteous briars, nail me through."--MARVELL.

(Quoted by Elia in