From the Cataloger’s Desk: Cracking Mental Nuts

February 7, 2018

This month’s blog post is short, but sweet!

I love a good, challenging puzzle. Therefore, I was instantly captivated by Mental Nuts: Can You Crack ‘Em?, a tiny pamphlet published in 1897, compliments of Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, South Bend, Indiana. The title page describes it as “a book of old time catch or trick problems” with “regular old puzzlers that kept your granddad up at night.” After reading the first few pages, I realized they would keep me up at night, too!

There are one hundred puzzles, some of which are accompanied by illustrations or diagrams. Fortunately, there is also an answer key at the end! Try these three mind-benders, and in next month’s blog, I will share the correct answers.

If you love puzzles, come to the IHS library and try to crack a few more mental nuts! The catalog record for this item can be found here.

Lindsay Borman is the cataloger of Printed Collections at the Indiana Historical Society. Her claim to fame: She can name all of the U.S. presidents ... in order!

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