View source for Sam Loyd

{{Short description|American chess player and composer; puzzle author; and recreational mathematician (1841-1911)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name        = Sam Loyd
| image       = Samuel Loyd.jpg
| birth_name  = Samuel Loyd
| birth_date  = {{birth date|1841|01|30}}
| birth_place = [[Philadelphia]], United States
| death_date  = {{death date and age|1911|04|11|1841|01|30}}
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| known_for   = {{hlist|Chess|puzzles|mathematical games}}
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}}

'''Samuel Loyd''' (January 30, 1841 – April 10, 1911<ref>[[Harry Golombek]], ''Golombek's Encyclopedia of Chess'', 1977, {{ISBN|0-517-53146-1}}</ref>) was an American [[chess]] player, [[chess composer]], [[puzzle]] author, and [[recreational mathematics|recreational mathematician]]. Loyd was born in [[Philadelphia]] but raised in [[New York City]].

As a chess composer, he authored a number of [[chess problem]]s, often with interesting themes. At his peak, Loyd was one of the best chess players in the US, and he was ranked 15th in the world, according to [[chessmetrics]].com.

He played in the strong [[Paris 1867 chess tournament]] (won by [[Ignatz von Kolisch]]) with little success, placing near the bottom of the field.

Following his death, his book ''Cyclopedia of 5000 Puzzles''<ref>''Sam Loyd's Cyclopedia of 5000 Puzzles, Tricks and Conundrums with Answers'' {{ISBN|0-923891-78-1}}</ref> was published (1914) by his son, Samuel Loyd Jr.<ref>{{cite book |first=Sam |last= Loyd|title=Cyclopedia of Puzzles |year=1914 |publisher=Lamb Publishing Company  |place= New York  |url= https://archive.org/stream/CyclopediaOfPuzzlesLoyd/Cyclopedia_of_Puzzles_Loyd#page/n1/mode/2up |via= Internet Archive |access-date= December 14, 2017}}</ref>{{R|gardner}} His son, named after his father, dropped the "Jr" from his name and started publishing reprints of his father's puzzles.<ref name=gardner>{{cite book |last1=Gardner |first1=Martin |author-link=Martin Gardner |title=Mathematical puzzles & diversions |date=1959 |location=New York, N.Y. |publisher=Simon and Schuster |chapter=Chapter 9: Sam Loyd: America's Greatest Puzzlist |page=[https://archive.org/details/mathematicalpuzz00gard/page/83 84] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/mathematicalpuzz00gard}}</ref>
Loyd (senior) was inducted into the [[US Chess Hall of Fame]] in 1987.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sam Loyd|url=http://www.worldchesshof.org/hall-of-fame/us-chess/sam-loyd/|website=World Chess Hall of Fame|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404002046/http://www.worldchesshof.org/hall-of-fame/us-chess/sam-loyd/|archive-date=2017-04-04}}</ref>

==Reputation==
Loyd is widely acknowledged as one of America's great puzzle writers and popularizers, often mentioned as ''the greatest.'' [[Martin Gardner]] featured Loyd in his August 1957 [[Mathematical Games column]] in ''[[Scientific American]]'' and called him "America's greatest puzzler". In 1898, ''[[The Strand Magazine|The Strand]]'' dubbed him "the prince of puzzlers". As a chess problemist, his composing style is distinguished by wit and humour.

He is also known for lies and self-promotion, however, and he has been criticized on these grounds—Martin Gardner's assessment continues "but also obviously a hustler". Canadian puzzler Mel Stover called Loyd "an old reprobate", and Matthew Costello called him "puzzledom's greatest celebrity... popularizer, genius", but also a "huckster" and "fast-talking [[snake oil]] salesman".<ref>{{Citation
| publisher = Courier Dover Publications
| isbn = 978-0-486-29225-0
| last = Costello
| first = Matthew J.
| title = The Greatest Puzzles of All Time
| date = 1996-09-16
| page = [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZpUCdrMdKN4C&pg=PA45 45] (Sam Loyd and the Vanishing Puzzle)
}}</ref>

He collaborated with puzzler [[Henry Dudeney]] for a while, but Dudeney broke off the correspondence and accused Loyd of stealing his puzzles and publishing them under his own name. Dudeney despised Loyd so intensely that he equated him with the [[devil]].<ref>[[Alex Bellos]], ''Alex's Adventures in Numberland'' (2010)</ref>

Loyd claimedthat he invented the [[15 puzzle|fifteen tiles in the box and one space puzzle]].<ref name=":0" /> The actual inventor was Noyes Chapman, who applied for a patent in March 1880.<ref name="slocum-sonneveld">''The 15 Puzzle'' ({{ISBN|1-890980-15-3}}): by Jerry Slocum and Dic Sonneveld</ref>

An enthusiast of [[Tangram]] puzzles, Loyd popularized them with ''The Eighth Book Of Tan'', a book of seven hundred unique Tangram designs and a fanciful history of the origin of the Tangram, claiming that the puzzle was invented 4,000 years ago by a god named Tan. This was presented as true and has been described as "Sam Loyd's Most Successful [[Hoax]]".<ref name=":0">{{cite web| url = http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/overview/puzzle_docs/Sam_Loyd_Successful_Hoax.pdf| title = Sam Loydʼs Most Successful Hoax| date = December 6, 2013}}</ref>

==Chess problems==
{{AN chess|pos=secleft}}

===Excelsior problem===
{{main|Excelsior (chess problem)}}
{{Chess diagram
|tright
|"Excelsior"
|nd|  |rd|bd|  |  |  |  
|  |pd|  |  |  |pd|  |pd
|  |pd|  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |rl|  |  |  |  |  |kl
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|pd|  |  |  |pd|  |pl|nl
|  |pl|pl|  |rl|  |  |  
|nl|  |  |  |  |  |  |kd
|Mate in 5, 2nd prize, Paris Tourney, 1867. ''See "[[Excelsior (chess problem)|Excelsior]]" for the solution.''
}}
One of his best-known [[chess problem]]s is the following, called "[[Excelsior (chess problem)|Excelsior]]" by Loyd after the poem<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/1325.html |title=RPO -- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow : Excelsior |website=rpo.library.utoronto.ca |access-date=9 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430090202/http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/1325.html |archive-date=30 April 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> by [[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]]. White is to move and [[checkmate]] Black in five moves against any defense:

Loyd bet a friend that he could not pick a piece that ''didn't'' give mate in the main line, and when it was published in 1861 it was with the stipulation that White mates with "the least likely piece or pawn".
{{clear}}

===Steinitz Gambit problem===
{{Chess diagram
|tright
|"Steinitz Gambit"  
|  |  |  |  |rd|  |bd|  
|  |pd|  |  |  |  |bl|  
|pd|nl|  |  |pd|rl|  |  
|rl|bl|  |  |kd|  |  |  
|  |pl|  |  |nl|  |  |pd
|  |  |pd|  |  |  |bd|  
|nd|  |  |pl|  |pd|  |rd
|  |  |  |  |  |kl|  |nd
|Mate in 3 moves. First Prize, Checkmate Novelty Tourney, 1903
}}

One of the most famous chess problems by Loyd. He wrote on this problem: "The originality of the problem is due to the White King being placed in absolute safety, and yet coming out on a reckless career, with no immediate threat and in the face of innumerable checks."<ref name="White-1913-SL+CP">{{cite book |last=White |first=Alain C. |title=Sam Loyd and His Chess Problems |publisher=[[Dover Publications]] |year=1962 |orig-year=Orig pub. 1913, Whitehead and Miller |page=125 |isbn=0-486-20928-8 |hdl=2027/hvd.hn4zf9?urlappend=%3Bseq=137}}</ref>
{{clear}}

===Charles XII problem===
{{Chess diagram
|tright
|
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|  |  |  |  |  |  |rl|  
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|  |  |  |  |  |bd|pl|pl
|  |  |  |  |nl|  |  |  
}}
This problem was originally published in 1859. The story involves a chess incident during the siege of [[Charles XII of Sweden]] by the [[Skirmish at Bender|Turks at Bender]] in 1713. "Charles beguiled this period by means of drills and chess, and used frequently to play with his minister, Christian Albert Grosthusen, some of the contests being mentioned by Voltaire. One day while so engaged, the game had been played to this stage, and Charles (White) had just announced checkmate in three."
:'''1. Rxg3 Bxg3'''
:'''2. Nf3 Bxh2'''
:'''3. g4{{chessAN|#}}'''
{{clear}}

{{Chess diagram
|tright
|
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |rl|  
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|  |  |  |  |  |bd|pl|pl
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
}}
"Scarcely had he uttered the words, when a (Turkish) bullet, shattering the window, dashed the White knight off of the board in fragments. Grothusen started violently, but Charles, with utmost coolness, begged him to put back the other knight and work out the mate, observing that it was pretty enough. But another glance at the board made Charles smile. We do not need the knight. I can give it to you and still mate in four!" 
:'''1. hxg3 Be3'''
:'''2. Rg4 Bg5'''
:'''3. Rh4+ Bxh4'''
:'''4. g4#'''
{{clear}}

{{Chess diagram
|tright
|
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |rl|  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |pd
|  |  |  |  |  |kl|  |kd
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|  |  |  |  |  |bd|pl|  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
}}
Who would believe it, he had scarcely spoken when another bullet flew across the room, and the pawn at h2 shared the fate of the knight. Grothusen turned pale. "You have our good friends the Turks with you," said the king unconcerned, "it can scarcely be expected that I should contend against such odds; but let me see if I can dispense with that pawn. I have it!" he shouted with a laugh, "I have great pleasure in informing you that there is undoubtedly a mate in 5." 
:'''1. Rb7 Be3'''
:'''2. Rb1 Bg5'''
:'''3. Rh1+ Bh4'''
:'''4. Rh2 gxh2'''
:'''5. g4#'''
{{clear}}

{{Chess diagram
|tright
|
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |pd
|  |  |  |  |  |kl|  |kd
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|  |  |  |  |  |  |pd|  
|  |  |  |  |  |bd|pl|pl
|  |  |  |  |nl|  |  |  
}}
In 1900, Friedrich Amelung pointed out that in the original position, if the first bullet had struck the rook instead of the knight, Charles would still have a mate in six.
:'''1. Nf3 Be1'''
:'''2. Nxe1 Kh4'''
:'''3. h3 Kh5'''
:'''4. Nd3 Kh4'''
:'''5. Nf4 h5'''
:'''6. Ng6#'''
{{clear}}

{{Chess diagram
|tright
|
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |rl|  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |pd
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}}
In 2003, ChessBase posted a fifth variation, attributed to Brian Stewart. After the first bullet took out the knight, if the second had removed the g-pawn rather than the h-pawn, Charles would be able to mate in ten.
:'''1. hxg3 Be1'''
:'''2. Rg4 Bxg3'''
:'''3. Rxg3 Kh4'''
:'''4. Kf4 h5'''
:'''5. Rg2 Kh3'''
:'''6. Kf3 h4'''
:'''7. Rg4 Kh2'''
:'''8. Rxh4+ Kg1'''
:'''9. Rh3 Kf1'''
:'''10. Rh1#'''
{{clear}}

==Puzzles==

===Back from the Klondike===
{{main|Back from the Klondike}}
[[File:Back from the klondike.svg|thumb|300px|"Back from the Klondike" puzzle (modern rendering)]]
This is one of Sam Loyd's most famous puzzles, first printed in the ''New York Journal and Advertiser'', April 24, 1898 (as far as available evidence indicates). Loyd's original instructions were to: <blockquote>Start from that heart in the center and go three steps in a straight line in any one of the eight directions, north, south, east or west, or on the [[Bias (textile)|bias]], as the ladies say, northeast, northwest, southeast or southwest. When you have gone three steps in a straight line, you will reach a square with a number on it, which indicates the second day's journey, as many steps as it tells, in a straight line in any of the eight directions. From this new point when reached, march on again according to the number indicated, and continue on, following the requirements of the numbers reached, until you come upon a square with a number which will carry you just one step beyond the border, when you are supposed to be out of the woods and can holler all you want, as you will have solved the puzzle.</blockquote>

===Vanishing puzzles===
{{main|vanishing puzzle}}
A [[vanishing puzzle]] is a mechanical optical illusion showing different numbers of a certain object when parts of the puzzle are moved around.<ref>The Guardian, [http://www.theguardian.com/science/alexs-adventures-in-numberland/gallery/2014/apr/01/vanishing-leprechaun-disappearing-dwarf-puzzles-pictures ''Vanishing Leprechaun, Disappearing Dwarf and Swinging Sixties Pin-up Girls – puzzles in pictures'']</ref>
[[File:the_disappearing_bicyclist_vanishing_puzzle.svg|thumb|upright|left|link={{filepath:the_disappearing_bicyclist_vanishing_puzzle.svg}}|Interactive SVG of ''The Disappearing Bicyclist'' &ndash; in [{{filepath:the_disappearing_bicyclist_vanishing_puzzle.svg}} the SVG file,] move the pointer to rotate the disc]]

Loyd patented rotary vanishing puzzles in 1896 and published versions named ''Get Off the Earth'', ''Teddy and the Lion'' and ''The Disappearing Bicyclist'' (pictured). Each had a circular card connected to a cardboard backdrop with a pin, letting it rotate.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7k1xYW18mQYC&pg=PA220 | title=The Curious Book of Mind-boggling Teasers, Tricks, Puzzles & Games | isbn=9781402702143 | last1=Townsend | first1=Charles Barry | year=2003 | publisher=Sterling Publishing Company }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/puzzles-of-yore | title=Puzzles of Yore }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://themarginalian.org/2012/02/23/the-disappearing-bicyclist | title=The Disappearing Bicyclist: A Chess Champion's Vintage Puzzle to Tickle Your Brain | date=February 23, 2012 }}</ref> In ''the Disappearing Bicyclist'', when the disc is rotated such that the arrow points to A, 13 boys can be seen. When rotated so that the arrow points to B, only 12 boys appear.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://purl.dlib.indiana.edu/iudl/lilly/slocum/LL-SLO-025705 | title=Image Collections Online - "The Disappearing Bicyclist!" }}</ref>

====Vanishing area puzzle====
[[File:Loyd64-65-dis b.svg|thumb|upright=1.25|Chessboard paradox]]
A square with a side length of 8 units ("chessboard") is dissected into four pieces, which can be assembled into a 5x13 rectangle. Since the area of the square is 64 units but the area of the rectangle is 65 units, this seems paradoxical at first. It is just an optical illusion, however, as the pieces don't fit exactly to form a rectangle, but leave a small barely visible gap along the diagonal. This puzzle is also known as the [[chessboard paradox]] or [[paradox of Loyd and Schlömilch]].
{{clear left}}

===Trick Donkeys problem===
{{main|Famous Trick Donkeys}}
[[File:Sam Loyd's Trick Donkeys.svg|thumb|upright|right|"Trick Donkeys" problem]]
One of Loyd's notable puzzles was the "Trick Donkeys". It was based on a similar puzzle involving dogs published in 1857. In the problem, the solver must cut the drawing along the dotted lines and rearrange the three pieces so that the riders appear to be riding the donkeys.

==Works by Sam Loyd==
* ''Sam Loyd's Book of Tangram Puzzles'' ({{ISBN|0-486-22011-7}})
* ''Mathematical Puzzles of Sam Loyd'' ({{ISBN|0-486-20498-7}}): selected and edited by [[Martin Gardner]]
* ''More Mathematical Puzzles of Sam Loyd'' ({{ISBN|0-486-20709-9}}): selected and edited by Martin Gardner
* ''The Puzzle King: Sam Loyd's Chess Problems and Selected Mathematical Puzzles'' ({{ISBN|1-886846-05-7}}): edited by Sid Pickard
* ''[https://archive.org/details/CyclopediaOfPuzzlesLoyd Sam Loyd's Cyclopedia of 5000 Puzzles, Tricks and Conundrums with Answers]'' {{ISBN|0-923891-78-1}} – Complete 1914 book (public domain) scanned
* [http://www.tangram-channel.com/the-eighth-book-of-tan-by-sam-loyd-page-1/ ''The 8th Book of Tan''] (1903).

==Works about Sam Loyd==
* ''The 15 Puzzle'' ({{ISBN|1-890980-15-3}}): by Jerry Slocum and Dic Sonneveld
* ''Sam Loyd and his Chess Problems'' by Alain C. White<ref name="White-1913-SL+CP"/>
* ''Sam Loyd: His Story and Best Problems'', by [[Andrew Soltis]], Chess Digest, 1995, {{ISBN|0-87568-267-7}}
* [https://archive.today/20121211110850/http://sunburn.stanford.edu/~knuth/loyd-cyc.txt Index of Sam Loyd Math Puzzles], by [[Don Knuth]]

==Sam Loyd Award==
The ''Association for Games & Puzzles International'' (previously the ''Association of Game & Puzzle Collectors'', and prior to 1999, the ''American Game Collectors Association'', AGCA), gives the ''Sam Loyd Award'' for promoting interest in [[mechanical puzzles]] through design, development, or manufacture. The following individuals have won it:<ref>{{cite web |title=Association Awards |url=http://www.agpc.org/index.php/awards/128-association-awards |website=Association for Games & Puzzles International |access-date=2 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210623142431/http://www.agpc.org/index.php/awards/128-association-awards |archive-date=23 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Home Page |url=http://www.agpc.org/ |website=Association of Game and Puzzle Collectors |access-date=2 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000823024004/http://www.agpc.org/ |archive-date=23 August 2000 |quote=Association of Game and Puzzle Collectors formerly American Game Collectors Association}}</ref>
* (1998) Bill Ritchie
* (2000) [[Stewart Coffin]]
* (2003) [[Nob Yoshigahara]]
* (2006) [[Jerry Slocum]]
* (2009) [[Kagen Schaefer]]
* (2012) [[Will Shortz]]
* (2015) [[Gary Foshee]]<ref name="google/books=zUBZDwAAQBAJ">{{cite book |last1=Foshee |first1=Gary |author1-link=Gary Foshee |editor1-last=Wolfe |editor1-first=David |editor2-last=Rodgers |editor2-first=Tom |title=Puzzlers' Tribute: A Feast for the Mind |date=5 December 2001 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1-4398-6410-4 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zUBZDwAAQBAJ&dq=Foshee&pg=PA7 |language=en |chapter=The Eng Coin Vise}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Derbyshire |first1=John |author1-link=John Derbyshire |title=Gary Foshee 2010 Gathering for Gardner question |url=https://www.johnderbyshire.com/Opinions/Diaries/Puzzles/2010-06.html |website=John Derbyshire |access-date=2 August 2022 |date=June 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Juul |first1=Jesper |title=Tuesday Changes Everything (a Mathematical Puzzle) |url=https://www.jesperjuul.net/ludologist/2010/06/08/tuesday-changes-everything-a-mathematical-puzzle/ |website=The Ludologist |access-date=2 August 2022 |date=June 8, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Transparent Lock |url=http://puzzling-parts.thejuggler.net/?p=2881 |website=Neil's Puzzle Building Blog |access-date=2 August 2022 |date=2 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Metal Puzzles |url=https://khuong.uk/puzzle_metal_2.html |website=Khuong An Nguyen |access-date=2 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Foshee |first1=Gary |title=Take-Apart - Lunatic Lock |publisher=Puzzle World by John Rausch |url=https://johnrausch.com/PuzzleWorld/puz/lunatic_lock.htm |access-date=2 August 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Sam Loyd}}
{{Puzzles |Lists}}
* [http://www.samloyd.com/ Sam Loyd Company Site] – includes biography and his puzzles
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040708081714/http://www-gap.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Loyd.html Biography] from the School of Mathematics and Statistics website at the [[University of St Andrews]]

'''Chess'''
*{{chessgames player|id=31799}}
*[http://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?Params=199510SSSSS3S077849186810121000000000018110100 Chessmetrics entry for Loyd]
*[https://pdb.dieschwalbe.de/search.jsp?expression=A='Loyd'%20and%20FIRSTNAME='Samuel' Loyd problems] on [[PDB Server]]

'''Interactive puzzle'''
* [http://www.cut-the-knot.org/SimpleGames/RFWH.shtml Farmer and Wife to Catch Rooster and Hen] – interactive Sam Loyd's puzzle
* [http://www.invatasingur.ro/joculete/sam_lloyd.php Solve Loyd's 16 squares puzzle interactively]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Loyd, Sam}}
[[Category:1841 births]]
[[Category:1911 deaths]]
[[Category:Puzzle designers]]
[[Category:Recreational mathematicians]]
[[Category:Mathematics popularizers]]
[[Category:American chess writers]]
[[Category:American male non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Chess composers]]
[[Category:Chess players from Philadelphia]]
[[Category:American people of Welsh descent]]
[[Category:Writers from Philadelphia]]
[[Category:19th-century American chess players]]
[[Category:19th-century American sportsmen]]