Judge, 1928-08-11 · page 2 of 36
Judge — August 11, 1928 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Scotchograms Contest This page is primarily a **contest advertisement**, not a political cartoon. Judge magazine is announcing a word-game competition called "Scotchograms"—a play on words combining "Scotch" (economical/frugal) and "anagrams." The contest invites readers to create clever, compressed messages using euphonious (fancy-sounding) words that, when translated, convey actual messages in fewer words. The sample shown demonstrates this: a wire using 16 words becomes 9 when "scotchogrammed." **The appeal**: Readers could win $1,000 in prizes by submitting witty condensed messages via Western Union telegram. This reflects early 20th-century culture where telegraph brevity was both practical and entertaining—the humor derives from linguistic cleverness and economic efficiency, fitting Judge's satirical sensibility.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Something Brand New! THIS ISA SAMPLE SCOTCHO- GRAM $1,000.00 IN PRIZES! SCOTCH O GHAI SCOTCH GRAMS Mt The idea of a Scotchogram is to send a wire with as few words as possible by the use of euphonious (or krazykrack) words as exem plified on the right. In this Scotch: ogram (when translated) sixteen words have been sent for the price of nine. Can you make up one? TE LOAMY FIFTY ECONOMY + BROKE ANIL RETURN URDAY JOHN DOE 36 Main St. Translation of above Scotchogram—Will you loan me fifty on account of me being broke and I ceil return Saturday—John Judge Will Pay $1,000.00 in Prizes for Clever Scotchograms FIRST PRIZE $500.00 SECOND PRIZE $200.00 THIRD PRIZE $100.00 FOURTH TO ELEVENTH PRIZES $25.00 EACH In addition JUDGE will pay $5.00 apiece course of the contest and these will also be contestants submit the same prize winners, RULES OF 1. This contest will run for sixteen weeks, beginning August 4th and closing midnight, November 24th. 2. The shortest and cleverest Scotchograms that say the most in the fewest words will receive the prizes. The Editors of Jupce will be the Judges. 3. Each week, beginning August 4th, several of the best Scotchograms will be printed. $5 apiece will be paid for these, and they will also be eligible for prizes the same as the ones not printed. +. Contestants may submit as many Scotchograms as they wish, 5. ALL SCOTCHOGRAMS MUST BE SENT IN BY WESTERN UNION WIRE. 6. DO NOT SEND SCOTCHOGRAMS LECT! THEY WILL NOT BEA for each Scotchogram printed during the eligible for prizes. In case two or more each will receive the prize. CONTEST 7. Scotchograms can be sent by full rate Telegram, Day Letter, Night Message or Night Letter. Each wire must bear the name and address of the contestant. Foreign readers may send Scotcho- grams by cable. Address SCOTCHC N.Y. When sending more than one Scotche on the same blank separate them by the word “period.” 8 NO SCOTCHOGRAMS WILL BE RE- TURNED. 9. The winners will be announced in the December 22nd issue of JUDGE and prize checks will be sent to the winners on that date. 10. Wire all Scotchograms to SCOTCHOGRAM EDITOR, Judge Publishing Co., Inc., 627 W. 43rd St., New York City. comicbooks.com ER ce ES TT