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Show i Old Egyptians Found ' Enjoyment in Puzzles I Ftuzles, of which the human race I seems never to tire, were popular I forms of amusement hundreds of years before Christ, says Sam Loyd. i the puzzle expert, in an article in I.ib-I I.ib-I erty. "Our knowledge of early puzzles puz-zles is based mostly on traditions and early writings," lie points out. "The most ancient puzzles of which we actually ac-tually know the author's name date back to l."00 B. C. Tiiese are contained con-tained in an Egyptian papyrus reposing repos-ing In the British museum. The title of this prized relic is 'Directions for Knowing All Dark Things.' The author au-thor was a priest named Ahmes. His puzzles were not dirlleult, since they dealt mainly with simple arithmetic. "Frequently I am asked to name the world's first puzzle crank," Loyd continues. con-tinues. "But to identify the playful fellow who first took it upon himself to tie mental knots for his friends would be about as hopeless as trying to put my finger on the first teller of funny stories, or to isolate that intrepid in-trepid character who downed the first oyster." |