St. Nicholas: The Riddle Box

St. Nicholas: The Riddle Box: August 1895

A page of word puzzles, including "Central Syncopations" (remove the middle letter of a word to make another word), "Double Acrostic" (the first letters and final letters of the answers to the set of clues solve two further clues), "Rhomboid" (a small crossword puzzle, but without the diagram), "Word-Square," "Numerical Enigma" (something like the Transogram puzzles that National Review used to run; solutions to clues are transcribed letter by letter into a numbered series that spells out a quotation). Found while researching future Tulsan Louise Towle (later Louise T. Ward), who was acknowledged for submitting solutions to the previous month's puzzles. Solutions to the August puzzle box are here.

The riddle for the month:

"I AM both useful and ornamental, and am found on the table, under the table, and on your father's head. I am one of twins noted in Grecian history. I am a plant yielding an oil more wholesome than palatable."

From the collection of the Baldwin Library of Historical Children's Literature at the University of Florida.