The “Missing Word" Graze.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7066, 11 February 1893, Page 3

The “Missing Word" Graze.

The Dunedin Star's London correspondent writes under date December 16th : The decision of Bir John Bridge at Bow street on Tuesday that missing word competitions were lotteries within the meaning of the Glaming Act, oame as a distinct shook to clergymen, old maids, and thousands of other ultra-serious folk who had been indulging in “a little flutter" under the comforting delusion that guessing words was a relaxation requiring skill and judgment. All sensible persons are, however, sincerely glad a stop has been put to the the: erase. It wan quite time. Even Mr Arthur Pearson himself, though, as ho said to me, “ simply ooioing money,” admitted the business was getting rather beyond him. This week he has no fewer than 200 girls' at work opening letters and sorting coupons. Of last - week’s issue of Pearson's Weekly 800,030 copies were sold in three days, and of next week’s edition (now at press), which will contain the last missing word competition, a solid million are being printed. The current circulation of Pearson’s three papers, the Weekly, the Society flews and the Companion is, their proprietor claims. 1,6t0CG3. ; The Weekly boasted a sale of close bn 800,000 before the missing word rage set in, but the flews and the Companion have thrived almost entirely upon it. Mr Poarsen expects a fall of 25 per cent with the cessation of the competitions, but I imagine be will find i his loss heavier than that. 3he man is, however, so fertile an originator of tit-bit novelties that he will probably starfle us ere long with something else equally seductive. ■ Last week the fortunate guessers of the right word (I may tell you it was "awkward”) numbered 1870 out of 315,506 solutions. The sum total of the shillings was £15,825 B>, which yielded a dividend of £8 9s 3d. Amongst the specially lucky drawers was Mr Iver (of Field and Tver), who dreamt that “ awkward” was the correct word, and sent in 100 coupons thus, incribed, consequently winning 100 times £8 9s 3d- This week the total of competitors jumped to 480,000, so that there will be £24,CCD to divide. 'Xis said (though the exact dividend wont be known till Pearson's comes out to-morrow) that only thirty six persons guessed the correct word. This was “ unaccountable.” I leave yon to compute the dividend, and likewise the feelings of an office boy in the City who sent in the right missing word, I am told, on three coupons, but spelled it “ unacountable.” The absence of the second “c” will, I imagine, cost the wretched youth over £IBOO. There is no getting out of that, it is feared, though what course Mr Pearson means to take is as yet unknown. By way of finale, and in order that your readers may comprehend the strange fascination which, even apart from the gambling interest, attaches to these competitions, I propose to quote the one now in progress—i e.f over which half middle class London is at present puzzling:— "It is no uncommon thing to sea a male ostrich strutting about followed by three or four distinct broods, all of different sizes When the incubating process is completed the cock bird leads his young ones off, and, if he meets another proud papa, engages in a terrific combat with him The vanquished bird retires without a single chick, whilst the other, surrounded by the two broods, walks away ” Observe, if you please, that simple though this “ par ” seems, it is very artfully contrived. At first the inexperienced guesssr concludes the missing word must be something like “ victorous ”or “ exultant,” and that it , will be easy with a dictionary of synonyms or a Boget’s ' Thesaurus ’ to bit the mark. Alas! it soon dawns npon him that it might equally well bo "slowly,” or " unconcernedly,” cr “crowing,” or “clucking” or “gobbling” (or whatever sort of noise an ostrich makes), or perhaps just simply “ home.” A hundred guesses is a more drop in the ocean of possible words. Two friends of mine send in 103 guesses every week. They have won twice, receiving £6 odd on one occasion, and £8 odd on the other. At present the syndicate, as they call themselves, are a few pounds to the good.