How’s this for an attention-grabber? As an opening teaser, you couldn’t wish for better. As a GUESS WHAT challenger, it isn’t too bad either. We’re presenting an acknowledged and admitted fact: it’s a grabber – but for what purpose and by whom was it used? This is the mystery for your solving pleasure. It looks like a home-schooling device to help spider parents teach their young the rudiments of taking their first baby steps.

            Made of iron, it’s manufactured; it opens when the tension is slackened, closes when hoisted. Rather large: approx. 66 inches in length by 30 inches high. Can you figure its usage – with as little help as we’re going to give you – from the following? Is it:

1) Vietnamese jungle overhead bengal tiger poacher’s drop trap
2) Farmers pumpkin truck loader
3) giant Paul Bunyanesque prize chance mechanical claw
4) Hay wagon barn loft fodder lifter
5) Divers sunken treasure grapple hook
6) Rock quarry stone lifter
7) Sewer pipe layers position placer
8) Carnival balloon stunt apparatus burster
9) Watermelon patch gang-harvester
10) Disaster aftermath debris clean-up hoist.

            The correct answer is included in the above – if it’s any consolation. Until next time.*

Thanks to Dennis Fusé of CT and VT for making this available.

September 2004
 Guess What?

Click for Large Vu

Answer to September 2004 'Guess What?'

            1867 was a vintage year for mop wringers – especially in Troy, N.Y. – as patented by A.T. Robinson. The King of Stuff, Mike Goodman can verify this. The device was hooked over the edge of the bucket, straggly ends of the mop head inserted in the center, and by twisting with the mop handle into an ever-tightening coil – squeezed out the excess water.*

 * From the in-depth collection of Mike Goodman, Vermont and Florida.