The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-19
A PUzzLE-1Nv aNrINq GENIUS.
He Invented the IA 10 Puzzle, Pigs In
Clover, and Many other Devices.
From the Mem York, Mems

Clover, and Many Other Devices.
From the Neto York Ne,os.
When Sanoho Panzo, of Don Quixote
celebrity, uttered his famous benediction,
blessed be the man that invented sleep, ~
it was reserved for an individual of far
more modern antecedents to invent some
thing that has caused the Punishment of
sleep from the eyes Of hundreds of his vic.
Tins, who have at various times become
martyrs to his inventive genius.
The person referred to is mathemati-
clan, a chess expert. ventriloqust, a
prestidigitateur aud journalist. He is
also member of the New York Press Club,
and has provided entertainment for hum
dreds 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 che past twenty-five
years invented over 500 various problems,
the names of the leading games having be-
come famous throughout the length and
breadth If the Uuited States, and even in
Europe. This gentleman is the inve tor 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 invention,
which he calls blind luck" and which he
pronounces to be the best of them all.
Mr.. Lloyd recently gave several interest
ing particulars in relation to his many
games. Parche was invented in 1865. and
the idea came about in rather a curious
way. A Broadway merchat had bought a
quantity of gaily 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 deity
utilized, and "Parchesi" was the result.
IN 1869 THE trick DoNKEYn
came to light. This was developed by acct
dent The inventors father and himself
were crossing from Europe in the company
of ex-Gov. Curtin, of Pennsylvania. Gov.
Curtin's daughter. Annie, then a little girl
some II years old, being in need of some
amusement, the inventor took a pair of
scissors and rough silhouette outline of a
donkey, cut it away from the body of the
paper, and left it to the little Annie to put
together again. With few later improve
ments. the puzzle assumed tie form made
familiar to many thousands Of young peo-
pie.
Although this happened twenty-five years
ago, the reporter saw a letter written quite
recently by a New Jersey firm, requesting
that 100000 copies of this puzzle be sent to
them. OF the three puzzles, considerably
over 2.000,000 Of each were sold at a profit
of about 100 per cent
"Pigs in Clovern was introduced about
twenty-five years ago under the name of
"La Petite Bagatelle,n and it had quite an
extensive run. 1t was copyrighted, but
after the expiration of the copyright some
enterprIsiag individual named it Pigs in
Clover" and its popularity revived.
The famous Fourteen-F Fifteen Puzzle"
was originally designed as an advertising
medium, and some 10, 600 of them we're utll-
lied for that purpose before it was sold as
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, as it is the most simple looking
affair it is possible to imagine. There is
nothing mathematical in its appearance.
The game consists in placing half a dozen
little sticks upon numbers from l to 8 ar
ranged upon a horseshoe design. The num-
bers 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 81 or to prevent your opponent
from making it. Each player plays alter
nately.
THE MYSTERY IN THE GAME
is to explain how it is that the more you
look at and study it the greater is the Ger.
tainty Of your being beaten by one who
plays haphazzard and depends entirely upon
his luck to win.
P. 7. Barnum invested thousands of dol
lars 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 a novelty publishing house that is
not more or less familiar with this puzzle
inyenting genius.