Sources page biographical material

EARLY ALPHABETIC VERSIONS
Embossing Co. Puzzle labelled "No. 2 Patent Embossed puzzle of Fifteen and Magic Sixteen. Manufactured by the Embossing Co. Patented Oct 24 1865". Illustrated in S&B, p. 127. Examples are in the collections of Slocum and Hordern. Hordern, p. 25, says that searching has not turned up such a patent.

Edward F. [but drawing gives E.] Gilbert. US Patent 91,737 -- Alphabetical Instruction Puzzle. Patented 22 Jun 1869. 1p + 1p diagrams. Described by Hordern, p. 26. This is not really a puzzle -- it has the sliding block concept, but along several tracks and with many blank spaces. I recall a similar toy from c1950.

Ernest U. Kinsey. US Patent 207,124 -- Puzzle-Blocks. Applied: 22 Nov 1877; patented: 20 Aug 1878. 2pp + 1p diagrams. Described by Hordern, p. 27. 6 x 6 square sliding block puzzle with one vacant space and tongue & grooving to prevent falling out. Has letters to spell words. He suggests use of triangular and diamond shaped pieces. This seems to be the most likely origin of the Fifteen Puzzle craze.

Montgomery Ward & Co. Catalogue. 1889. Reproduced in: Joseph J. Schroeder, Jr.; The Wonderful World of Toys, Games & Dolls 1860··1930; DBI Books, Northfield, Illinois, 1977?, p. 34. Spelling Boards. Like Gilbert's idea, but a more compact layout.

LOYD
Loyd prize puzzle: One hundred pounds. Tit-Bits (14 Oct 1893) 25 & (18 Nov 1893) 111. Loyd is described as "author of "Fifteen Puzzle," ...."

Loyd. Tit Bits 31 (24 Oct 1896) 57. Loyd asserts he developed the 15 puzzle from a 4 x 4 magic square. "[The fifteen block puzzle] had such a phenomenal run some twenty years ago. ... There was one of the periodical revivals of the ancient Hindu "magic square" problem, and it occurred to me to utilize a set of movable blocks, numbered consecutively from 1 to 16, the conditions being to remove one of them and slide the others around until a magic square was formed. The "Fifteen Block Puzzle" was at once developed and became a craze.

I give it as originally promulgated in 1872 ..." and he shows it with the 15 and 14 interchanged. "The puzzle was never patented" so someone used round blocks instead of square ones. He says he would solve such puzzles by turning over the 6 and the 9. "Sphinx" [= Dudeney] says he well remembers the sensation and hopes "Mr. Loyd is duly penitent."

Dudeney. Great puzzle crazes. Op. cit. in 2. 1904. "... the "Fifteen Puzzle" that in 1872 and 1873 was sold by millions, .... When this puzzle was brought out by its inventor, Mr. Sam Loyd, ... he thought so little of it that he did not even take any steps to protect his idea, and never derived a penny profit from it.... We have recently tried all over the metropolis to obtain a single example of the puzzle, without success." Dudeney says the puzzle came with 16 pieces and you removed the 16. He also says he recently could not find a single example in London.

Loyd. The 14 15 puzzle in puzzleland. Cyclopedia, 1914, pp. 235 & 371 (= MPSL1, prob. 21, pp. 19 20 & 128). He says he introduced it 'in the early seventies'. One problem asks to move from the wrong position to a magic square with sum = 30 (i.e. the blank is counted as 0). This is c= SLAHP, pp. 17 18 & 89.

G. G. Bain. Op. cit. in 1, 1907. Story of Loyd being unable to patent it.

Anonymous & Sam Loyd. Loyd's puzzles, op. cit. in 1, 1896. Loyd "owns up to the great sin of having invented the "15 block puzzle"", but doesn't refer to the patent story or the date.

W. P. Eaton. Loc. cit. in 1, 1911. Loyd refers to it as the 'Fifteen block' puzzle, but doesn't say he couldn't patent it.

Loyd Jr. SLAHP. 1928. Pp. 1 3 & 87. "It was in the early 80's, ... that the world disturbing "14 15 Puzzle" flashed across the horizon, and the Loyds were among its earliest victims." He gives many of the stories in the Cyclopedia and two of the same problems. He doesn't mention the patent story.