Cassell's Book of In-door Amusements, Card Games, and Fireside Fun - Various

1. Compensations (Amends). 2. A favourite (Minion). 3. To assist (Enable). 4. To eat sparingly (Nibble). 5. A coin (Dollar). 6. Sarcasms (Sneers).

The riddler has to puzzle out the answers of the six words, and write down the answers as shown in the accompanying diagram, always being careful to see that the words, when written out, are the same in the columns and rows of the corresponding numbers. This illustration will completely let our readers into the mysteries of "word squares," and we will now give a few specimens selected from a large quantity which have come under our notice.

Four letters.	(1)	A river in Oxfordshire	I	S	I	S
	(2)	A portion of our body	S	I	D	E
	(3)	A thought	I	D	E	A
	(4)	A chair	S	E	A	T

	(1)	A very common male Christian name	J	O	H	N
	(2)	A river in the United States	O	H	I	O
	(3)	The noise of a serpent	H	I	S	S
	(4)	A portion of the human face	N	O	S	E

	(1)	My first has regal powers to sway,	K	I	N	G
	(2)	Is worshipped as my second, in a way;	I	D	O	L
	(3)	In harmony my third is sweet andclear;	N	O	T	E
	(4)	My fourth 'midst hills is ever near.	G	L	E	N

Five letters.	(1)	A period of time	W	E	E	K	S
	(2)	A very common female name	E	L	L	E	N
	(3)	To avoid by artifice or stratagem	E	L	U	D	E
	(4)	A small anchor	K	E	D	G	E
	(5)	A contemptuous contortion of face	S	N	E	E	R

Six letters.	(1)	A poetical name for old England	A	L	B	I	O	N
	(2)	A Portuguese province in Africa	L	O	A	N	D	A
	(3)	A town in East Prussia	B	A	R	T	E	N
	(4)	Something aimed at or designed	I	N	T	E	N	T
	(5)	A town in Denmark	O	D	E	N	S	E
	(6)	A town in France	N	A	N	T	E	S

BIRDS, FRUITS, AND FLOWERS ENIGMATICALLY EXPRESSED.

Little difficulty will be experienced in the construction or solution of this simple form of enigma. It will, however, be found to possess a charm all its own, which will add greatly to the mirth and gaiety of the social circle. The following examples will let our readers into the whole secret of this pleasant pastime:—

Birds.—What a severe attack of quinsey prohibits you from doing.

Ans.—Swallow.

An architect well known to fame.

Ans.—Wren.

A portion of a whole, and a continued range of hills.