Judge, 1925-01-10 · page 10 of 36
Judge — January 10, 1925 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Understanding This Judge Magazine Page This page satirizes **crossword puzzle culture** and **telephone mishaps**, popular subjects in 1920s-30s American humor. The top cartoon depicts a crowded, chaotic phone exchange where a woman confronts her husband about seeing him with another woman—a classic domestic comedy premise made absurd by operator miscommunications and crossed wires. The main article "English as She Is Wrote" mocks crossword puzzle **abbreviations**—the cryptic shorthand answers required to fit grid spaces. The author complains these abbreviations are nonsensical and contrived (e.g., "E.M.U.—Edna's married uncle"). The "Funnybones" cartoon below shows people on a beach, with the caption "A word to the puzzle fan is different"—suggesting puzzle obsession disconnects people from real life. The "Vital Statistics" joke plays on the puzzle craze's ubiquity. **Context**: Crossword puzzles were a new, wildly popular fad of the era, and Judge frequently mocked fads and their absurd conventions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Finst Bystaspnn—Whad' ya’ mean, he's “Sure, Gets his crossirord puzz Crosswords on Crossed Wires “Wwe was that big blond DT saw you with last night at the Nix on that mine home te xeuse, hubby dear upper on time or Tl come down there and fetch vou! if said Seoteh, you big bum, not shell “Tdon't giv Jarn if Mr. Winska is in conference, tell him this is his wife and be quick about it!” “Central, T wanted Rector 8960 anil not 0. You're me police once, T just shot th thought PE was in Philadelph fooled hin.” “Hello, is this the Aeme Radio Shoppe? What's the big idea of telling me the set T bought could rach from coast to coast. [can't n get the locals.” “No, you poor simp, T don't know 1 for monkey im three letters, unless it's you, 4 if it is, whi quarters at nu He bat L at’ Sthore,even of ringing ep at th kim Arthur L. Lippmann out of a sound sh o'clock in the morning sae The prohibitionists say that pro- hibition has come to stay—but they us when it is going to commence, x made to order.” fexsor Squigelem and his championship for mixed doubles. quickest while his wife works out the I" E got all hinds of respect for the people who write the crossword puzzles; in fact, a ¢ than Ihave for th but there’s one 1 deal more Ave them, TW never fe give the crossword puzzle authors for: trick abbreviations! ‘They'll work a few squares and then find it word, whereupon the far-fetched, utterly foolish tion, If this keeps up ( very much as if it will) future die. tomaries going to look somewhat like this: AS Applesanee. PT Pipe to Pumpkin Generally bum. shi all use this.) An co. Australian bird O.0.1,.—Ont of lick E.M.U.— Bdna’s married unele. Or A co-ordinating particle that muirks an alternative. —Oh, Robert! K.M.—Riss me. PAW. Preawar. ( \Funnybones / 1 word to the puzsle fan ia VITAL STATISTICS If all the crossword pucale fans were laid end to end, what's the difference how far they would reach , English as She Is Wrote | F | | n | | - | | | | | a . comicbooks.com