In 1846 Edgar Allen Poe wrote a 'Valentine' poem which spelt out the name of Frances Sargent Osgood in the first letter of the first line, the second letter of the second line, etc. In the middle of the nineteenth century there was a flood of acrostic books published which not only praised kings and conquerors but were also intended to educate children in history and geography.

Probably invented in the 1850's, the double acrostic was a fad in the latter part of the 19th century. Queen Victoria was believed to be very fond of the double acrostic which, by this time, had evolved from a verse-form into a type of puzzle. This acrostic was supposedly written by her royal hand:

The first letters spell out the name of a well-known English city (NEWCASTLE) while the last letters, when read upwards, name what the city is famous for (COAL MINES).

The acrostic craze continued well into the 20th century. A typical example of these puzzles is this one published in the 1930's when movies and actors were all the rage.

Here you may see, despite the veil of haze,
A heavenly body with most moving ways.
1. A bustle that surrounds both you and me.
2. This is not lawful; still may sometimes be.
3. A priest or beast-if an odd spelling's found.
4. The dregs of vinegar maternal sound.

The solution is:

FusS
IlliciT
LamA
MotheR

A comparative rarity, the triple acrostic appeared occasionally in puzzle books, almanacs and children's magazines until the mid-20th century at which time, it seems to have faded from view. Here's an example from The Second Penguin Problem Book published in 1944.

Left, middle and right
Give us a choice of light

1. Kind of glance which he's who's lost his heart
    Bestows on her who wears the latter part.
2. Here is one with a gun.
3. This is bound to go round.
4. Simplify taste and eliminate waste.
    My meaning is made plain by my saying it again.

The solution is:

AdoRinG
MuskEteeR
BanDagE
EconOmizE
ReiteRatioN
(AMBER, RED OR GREEN)

Today the crossword puzzle has displaced the acrostic (and many other word games). However, there is at least one publication devoted entirely to acrostic puzzles. I have never seen it but a reliable source has told me this is so. Nonetheless, I don't expect the acrostic to ever regain its former popularity.

Lewis Carrol, who is called the master of acrostics, was probably one of the best known authors to devise these ingenious word games. He loved the simple diversion of puzzles and wrote many acrostic poems and puzzles dedicated to his child-friends including Alice Pleasance Liddell, the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland.

Word Squares have been around for centuries but is it possible to construct a perfect ten-letter word square? Find out in the next feature. The answer may surprise you.

See you next time!

If you enjoyed this article then you'll want to read "The Oxford Guide To Word Games" by Tony Augarde.