Puzzle Zone

It may well be doubted whether human ingenuity can construct an enigma of the kind which human ingenuity may not, by proper application, resolve. Edgar Allan Poe.

1. Heirograms

Hierograms are religious anagrams,normally in Latin. For example: �O Mater Dei memento mei�(Oh Mother of God remember me), which is an anagram of �Amo Demeter enim timeo�(I love Demeter because I fear her). Demeter is the Goddess of Fruitful Earth and the Greek equivalent of Isis. The first sentence is written on the wall of the Tower of the Prisoners in the castle of Gisers in France.

Does anyone have further information on Hierograms or further examples?

2. An Unsolved Charade

This famous charade was compiled during the 19th century by Winthorpe Mackworth Praed, an English author who is best remembered for his humorous verse. He tried his hand at puzzle compiling, composing the following charade but without ever revealing his intended solution:

Although it is generally accepted that the best answer is �good night� the charade nevertheless became quite controversial because none could really agree. In the hope that one day a more feasible solution might be put forward, I included the charade in a section of unsolved puzzles in one of my 1993 books, The Ultimate IQ Book, co-authored with Marcel Feenstra and Chris Harding. This brought a response from one of my good friends Mitzi Christiansen Kuehl

Sir Hilary charged at Agincourt;

Sooth �twas an awful day!

And though in that old age of sport

The rufflers of the camp and court

Had little time to pray,

�Tis said Sir Hilary muttered there

Two syllables by word of prayer:

My First to all the brave and proud

Who see tomorrow�s sun;

My next with her cold and quiet cloud,

To those who find their dewy shroud

Before today�s be done.

And both together to all blue eyes

That weep when a warrior nobly dies.