New-York tribune., 1908-11-15
CHRISTMAS PUZZLES
INGENIOUS Homemade Games for
Holiday Gifts.

,r. ,o+,.r. ,,,zzIs fad has received lease OF
life which promises TO make this coming ChrAS'iii~'
a puzzle Christmas The craze Of men ana women
Of MANY ranks of ufe but chiefly fashionable peo-
Dle and brain workers for putting together INC
ntct,1re nuzzIes began last winter. and by spring
the fad was well under way. Private indlv1oualS'
largely through the exchanges for wonens "oFA'
made good incomes from their jgsaws. the puz-
zles selling as high s. or 81 apiece Every one
had pict11re plzzles and sent them 10 friends
All summer long in mountain and seaside cottage
the nicture puzzle craze ragged Its devotees were
found on hotel pazzas. and no ono went ABROAD
without half dozen picture puzzles to while away
time on the steamer Bridge whist sunereo' ana
solitaire had its nose put of Joint entirely me
interest has continued until the puzzles have Do
come wonderfully elaborate and difficult, having as
many as one thousand pieces. There are beautitu
maruuetry puzzles of colored wood from Holiaho
and lhe latest and most expensive there are silver
puzzles which cost s35 and have designs etched or
engraved upon both sides making IhS e0iu'O
much more difficult.
For Christmas gifts the puzzle which ono makes
ones self will be IN favor. for 10 IT can be i'm
parted quality of appropriateness which Is the
chief charm Of gift The work requires moro skill
than might at first be supposed ana Involves CON
siderable expense.
The little tigsaHs are inexpensive IN themselves.
but they break easily. and must be handled with
care and the work is tedious II done entirely by
hand. The foctpowcr jgsaw answers the purpose
better,
is making extremely clever puzzles purchased
one OF these saws at second hand and paid 8 for It
For the boards upon which to mount the puzzles
the thin poplar strip be obtained OF the WOOD
man. and everything n the way OF cigar boxes. tho
thin wooden in which a Jeweller sends silver
by express-anything IN the nature OF piece Of
wood which comes IN the delivery from any OF the
shops-is treasured II II can be utilized for puzzles
1t must have the quality OF cutting Ike cheese.
with no tendency to split. and Il must at the same
time be tough and durable. il is heartbreahinE
after the picture has been mounted and the WORK
IS half done to break piece and ruin tho entire
puzzle.
Selecting the picture is a source OF great amuse-
ment and a matter Of some difficulty. Already the
women who making their own puzzles are
having trouble IN finding the kind OF pictures they
want, and tho prices for those in greatest demand
have gone up The Illustrations rom the French
periodicals have done service for many puzzles.
and Il French picture. with title. Is interesting
when put together. Some OF these French picture
puzzles are a trlfo outre in appearance before
they are put together and may give the friend 70
whom thoy are sent gift slight shock
shapely ankle appears here and a decouette bodice
there but In the complete picture there is nothing
moro dreadful than lady Of the ballet as she
might appear upon any billboard
Christmas supplements in colors, Of which there
are many In the English papers. furnish delightful
puzzle pictures. There Japanese prints which
are artistic but lack the human interest ele-
ment Black and white pictures are sometimes
used. and posters are admirable.
Cant you get me that poster, three black cats
sitting on a yellow fence?'' wrote one woman. out
OF town. 10 "A friend She knew that the
masses of black in the animals and the large deep
ground Of yellow would make puzzle effective
when together.
The pictures are pasted upon the poplar board
with great care. and IN some instances vanished
| When dry the jgsaw is put 20 work. and this re-
quires infinite patience in colored picture some
OF the workers following a certain method. cut out
the different colors first and the smoothness with
| which the design is followed does much TO make a
| good effect when tho puzzle IS together One
| woman follows architectural designs and scrolls in
| her work. rSis gives added zest 10 the worker
| and may help hinder tho who puts the puzzle
! together All the pieces have the edges carefully
sandpapered after they have been saved
Exchanging puzzles has been another develop
] ment of the puzzle craze. and now woman after
| she has put puzzle together many times that
| it longer presents difficulties. exchanges 1t with
! u friend for one which is TO her. and regular
! puzzle exchanges nave becn formed. and puzzle
| may go the rounds Of entire circle Of friends.
| i; has been said that young girl In Boston
started the puzzle craze but this is denied by peo
| pie who have followed it from the beginning, and
there is every reason believe that II received it's
| first impetus Newport last winter among the
people who spend the cold months there. The story
! is that a little boy in Providence. a shut-in. began
20 make puzzles with his jigsaw to occupy his long,
| weary hours. Some of the Newport people heard Of
! the child and took the puzzles at first for his
benefit but before the winter over they became
| deeply interested in the puzzles themselves. Now
| the craze Is its height in New York city, and
| many women are busiy engaged making puzzles
for Christmas stockings.