Life, 1925-01-15 · page 15 of 36
Life — January 15, 1925 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents winning entries from a "Life's Title Contest" — a competition where readers submitted alternative titles for unspecified content (likely a cartoon or story). **The Main Illustration** shows a social gathering of well-dressed people in what appears to be early 20th-century style, seated and standing in conversation. The caption indicates the winning title was "The Cross Word That Separated Pa from Ma Jong." This references the then-popular parlor game **Mahjong**, which was a craze among American society in the 1920s-30s. The joke plays on "Ma Jong" (the game) versus "Ma" (mother), suggesting a crossword puzzle created marital discord by distracting couples from each other during leisure time. Four prize-winning titles are listed below, ranging from $500 to $50, demonstrating the contest's popularity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE'S Title Contest Here Are the Winning Answers The Cross Word That Separated Pa from Ma Jong The above answer, submitted by R. H. Morcan, J 20th Street, NW, Washington, D. C., is awarded the first prize of $500. The second prize of $300 is awarded to The third prize of $150 is awarded to Witt. Sasiy, Bor 201, Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, U.S. A., for the following: Daddy Work at the Cross-words! Frepertck L. Auten, Tuckahoe Road, Scarsdale, \ , for the following: They're longing for a Ku Klux Klen Directed at the puzzle fan, To burn a fiery cross-word for This cuss-word Cross-Word Puzzle Bore. The fourth prize of $30 is awarded to Byron G. Witper, care Mashington Club, Rochester, N. Y., for the following: Many a Cross Word Is Spoken in Gesture. The Story of the Contest Still tistics by no means disparagingly, N° matter what slight disappomiment may have been felt nd variations the: by the rest of the world over the Christmas weather, of the 13 t was certainly a white Christmas for the judges of the led the sy a cool 832. “The Pe: title contest. One hundred and thirty-eight thousand, three various combinations, came next with 701. “A Four-Letter hundred and fifty answers were received on relatively the Word” suggesting that the old gentleman was one or the same number of sheets of comparatively white paper. T! other, or both, took fourth place with 490. as you may notice, is a conservative statement. y For a while, it looked as if the dean of title contest state was heard from, as well as Alaska, the Philippine answers, Mr, Bri: “When a Feller Needs a Friend,” was Islands and Eddie Cantor. ontinued on page 30) comicbooks.com