Milford chronicle., 1891-02-20
HE INVENTS PUZZLES
A MAN WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
MANY BRAIN PACKERS.

Ne Is a Mathematician, Chess Expert,
Ventriloquist, Prestidigitator and Jour
naIist-His Most Notable Invention Is
the ''Trick Donkey"
When Sancho Panza, Of Don Quixote
celebrity, uttered his famous benedic-
ton, blessed be the man that invented
sleep" it was reserved for an individual
of far more modern antecedents to in
vent something that has caused the ban
ishment Of sleep from the eyes Of hun
dreds Of his victims, who have at vari-
ous times become martyrs to his invent
i've genius.
The person referred to is a mathema-
tician, a chess expert, a venTiloquist, a
a prestidigitator and journalist. He is
also member of the New York Press
club, and has provided entertainment
for hundreds of thousands Of persons.
His genius, however, is more especially
employed in inventing puzzles, both Of a
mechanical and mental kind. His name
is Samuel Lloyd He has during the
past twenty-five years invented over 500
various problems, the names Of the lead
ing games having become famous
throughout the length and breadth Of
the United States and even in Europe.
This gentleman is the inventor Of the
celebrated 14-15 puzzle. parchesi, the
pony puzzle, the trick donkey puzzle,
the pigs in clover and many others. He
has recently copyrighted his latest in
vention which he calls "blind luck, "
and which he pronounces to be the best
Of them all.
HOW HE THOUGHT OF ONE.
Mr.. Lloyd recently gave several inter
esting particulars in relation to his many
games. Parchesi was invented in 1865,
and the idea came about in rather curl
ous way. A Broadway merchant had
bought a quantity of gayly tinted paper
remarkably cheap, and not knowing what |
to do with it had suggested to the puzzle |
inventor that the colors might be utilized |
in making up an attractive game. In a
few hours the various combinations of
colOrs were deftly utilized and par |
chesi" was the result.
In 1869 the "trick donkey" came to /
light. This was developed by accident. |
The inventors father and himself were
crossing from Europe in the company Of
a distinguished Pennsylvania. The lat
ter's daughter, Annie, then a little girl
about12 years old, being in need Of some
amusement, the inventor took pair of
scissors and a rough silhouette outline of
a donkey, cut it away from the body of
the paper, and left it to little Annie to
put together again. With a few later
the puzzle assumed the
form made familiar to many thousands
of young people.
Although this happened twenty-five
years ago the reporter saw a letter writ
ten quite recently by a New Jersey firm
requesting that 100000 copies Of this
puzzle be sent to them. OF the three
puzzles considerably over 100000 each
were sold at a profit of about 100 per
cent.
HIS LATEST INVENTION.
"Pigs in clover" was introduced about
twenty-five years ago, under the name
of "la petite bagatelle," and it had quite
an extensive run. It was copyrighted,
but after the expiration Of the copyright
some enterprising individual named it
''pigs in clover" and its popularity re-
vived.
The famous 14-15 puzzle was originally
designed as an advertising medium, and
some 100000 were utilized for that
purpose before it was sold as a game.
His latest invention is ''blind luck.
1t has occupied the originator eight
years of study, and has passed through
some hundred various forms before the
present one was finally selected. Its
name is a peculiarly happy one, and tits
the most simple looking affair it is pos
sible to imagine. There is nothing
in its appearance. The
game consists in placing half dozen
little sticks upon numbers from one to
six, arranged upon horseshoe design.
The numbers have the appearance Of the
face Of dice, there being four ones and
so on until four skies are reached. The
game is to try and make ffty-one or pre-
vent your opponent from making it.
Each player plays alternately.
The mystery in the game is to explain
why it is that the more you look at it I
and study it, the greater is the certainty
Of your being beaten by one who plays '
haphazard and depends entirely upon =
his luck to win.
p T. Barnum invested thousands of
dollars in advertising his show through
the medium Of the pony puzzle and the
trick donkey puzzle. So did many others,
though not on the same colossal scale.
There is scarcely novelty publishing
house that is not more or less familiar
with this puzzle inventing genius.-New !
York News. I