How to read puzzles with commas. Rules for solving puzzles

Sometimes in a magazine there is a riddle with pictures, letters and numbers, as well as punctuation and equal signs. This is a rebus. Compared to crosswords or scanwords, not many people can solve this riddle. The question arises: “What do commas mean in puzzles?” The difficulty is that the decision rules are never printed. And if you come across some kind of instruction, it will most likely be incomplete. But in reality, everything is not so difficult.

What is a rebus

The Latin word rebus means "things". The catchphrase “not with the help of words, but with the help of things” very accurately describes the parlor game of words. It first became known in France when a collection of these riddles was published. Its compiler is E. Tamburo. The first puzzles were not distinguished by a wide range of riddles, but in subsequent years they were significantly enriched with various techniques.

Since then, musical, literary, mathematical and theatrical puzzles have appeared. The principle is the same for everyone: the encrypted concept is composed in parts from several other words, which are represented by pictures or pantomime. In the board game of rebuses, there are commas that are interspersed with images.

There are certain principles by which encryption is written. To solve the riddle, you need to know what commas mean.

Puzzles have their own laws

In short, commas indicate letters that need to be removed from a word. They can stand on one or the other side of the picture. Since the text is read from left to right, having a comma before the image means that the first letter is removed. A comma after it indicates that the last letter is not taken into account. There may be several signs. In this case, several letters are excluded from the word encrypted by the image.

What does the comma mean in the rebus at the top of the picture? Another rule says that the rebus is read from top to bottom. So, we drop the initial letter. By analogy, it is already clear what the comma in the rebus at the bottom means - dropping the final letter.

There are also inverted signs. This means that letters from the end of the word are discarded. When inverted pictures are encountered, the word is read backwards. If the picture also contains a comma drawn upside down, then the final letter is removed from the word read backwards.

For example, under the image of a cow there are two inverted commas. Below them is a lion, and below the lion the letter is "A". Solution: first, we remove the last two letters from the word “cow”, we get “koro”. Now we add "left". It turns out the word "queen".

Multiple commas

Sometimes there are not one, but two commas in a rebus. What does this code mean? Some people think these are quotes. However, this is not true.

For example, you need to guess the following riddle: there are two commas in front of the picture of the elephant on the left. Words are read from left to right, which means the first two letters will be removed. If you subtract the first two letters from the word “elephant,” you get “he.”

Another option: in front of the picture of the elephant on the left there is the syllable “mu”. After the picture on the right there are two commas and the letter "i". Solution: from the word “elephant” we subtract the last two letters, we get “sl”. Add "mu" to the beginning and "i" to the end to get the word "muesli".

But what if you need to create a puzzle yourself? Let's say you need to choose an encryption for the syllable "on". Of course, you can use different methods. But if you remember what commas mean in puzzles, then everything will become easy. The Russian language has enough words consisting of several syllables. To get the one you need, you don’t have to worry about coming up with items. For example, take a picture with a gramophone and put nine commas on the left. The task is complicated by the fact that you first need to guess which word is encrypted by the picture. Perhaps not everyone knows what a gramophone is.

The picture with a chameleon and six commas on the left can also be presented as a rebus.

What does the comma at the top of the picture mean?

This means that it is necessary to discard the first letter of the word, since the rule for reading rebuses always applies: from left to right and from top to bottom. For example, there is a rebus consisting of two pictures - a bucket and a book. Above both pictures there are three ordinary non-inverted commas. The solution is this: we subtract the first three letters from the words “bucket” and “book”. We get "ro" and "ha", that is, "horns".

Another example: a drawing of a snake with a comma above it. There is an indication: "i" = "l". The solution will be this: we subtract the first letter from the word “snake”, we get “meya”. Now we change the letter “i” to “l”. It turns out to be "chalk".

The examples with a chameleon or a gramophone, which were discussed above, could be written like this: above the picture with the image of the word, put the required number of commas to subtract them from the words “gramophone” and “chameleon”.

When the signs are under the picture

It happens that commas are at the top or bottom of the picture. What does the comma at the bottom mean in a rebus? Don't let this bother you. When reading from top to bottom, the comma located above the picture indicates that the first letter of the encoded word is being removed. And the one that stands under the image points to the latter. If there are several commas, remove several letters.

Let's say we have an image of a hammer. There is an indication: "t" = "k". This means that the letter "t" should be replaced with "k". Next, there is a comma under the picture. Solution: replace the letter and get the word “milk”. We remove the last one and “milk” comes out.

Inverted punctuation mark

Sometimes there is an inverted comma in puzzles; what does deleting the last letter mean in this case? To complicate the task, this symbol, standing upside down, may not be at the end or bottom of the picture. If the rebus is made up of several images, each of which is supplemented with commas, the following principle will help you avoid confusion.

If there is a regular comma, then the letters at the beginning of the word are removed, and if it is inverted, then the letters from the end of the word are removed. If a word is encrypted from several pictures and commas, each picture will be preceded by regular commas, and then inverted. This separates the puzzle pieces. No matter how many commas there are between the pictures, by their position you can understand where the cipher of the previous syllable ends and the cipher of the next one begins.

For example, there are two images: raspberries and an umbrella. There are two regular commas before the raspberry, then two inverted ones. After the umbrella there is another one upside down. There is an indication: "z" = "m". Let's decide in order. The entire rebus is written in a line, which means we read from left to right. We subtract two letters at the beginning and two at the end from the word “raspberry”, we get “li”. This is the first syllable. Now in the word “umbrella” we change the letter “z” to “t”, we get “mont”. We remove the last letter and get "mon". This is the second syllable, and all together it will be “lemon”.

Vertical puzzles

There are also vertical riddles where there are punctuation marks between the pictures. What do commas mean in puzzles if they are located on top of each other? Some of them, if written on a line, take up too much space. Let's say one picture shows a field, the other a road. After the field there are two inverted commas, before the road there are two more, but now ordinary ones, and after the road there is one inverted one. This rebus will not fit on the page, but it cannot be moved. What to do?

A way to write a rebus from top to bottom, in which the pictures will be placed one above the other, will help out. Under the one with the field we put two inverted commas, above the road - two regular commas, and under the road - an inverted one. We solve the rebus: subtract the last two letters from the word “field”, we get “by”. This is the first syllable. From the word “road” we subtract the first two and one last letter. We get a "horn". This is the second syllable. Together - "threshold".

How to make a beautiful puzzle with commas

To write a rebus gracefully, you should not make it too long or high. For example, you can use this method: take the middle part of the word and find a picture for it. Let it be a syllable that is easy to find as part of other words. By cutting off the extra letters above and below with commas, we get the desired syllable. Now you just need to add the missing letters before and after the picture, and the work is ready.

Example: you need to encrypt the word "deer". First, we select the middle syllable, which we will represent with a picture. In this case, it is easier to choose the syllable “le”. It is found in many words, but for beauty’s sake we’ll choose “beehive.” It is square and easy to place in the middle of the sheet. Place commas at the top and bottom of the picture with the hive. Above - normal, below - inverted. This is how we designate the syllable "le". Now on the left before the picture we put the letter “o”, and after it – the letters “n” and “b”. All together - "deer".

Try this board game. It develops logic and increases vocabulary. After a while, you will notice that you have become better at understanding the composition of words.

A rebus is a riddle in the form of a special pattern in which pictures, letters, numbers and various other symbols can be used.

The rebus is always read from left to right (except in special cases).

There are commas near the picture - this means that you need to remove as many letters in the word as there are commas. Commas to the left of the picture - you need to remove letters at the beginning, commas to the right - how many letters to remove at the end.
For example, in the word “GHOST” you need to remove 3 letters at the beginning
and 4 at the end. We get the word "VIEW".

The picture is turned upside down - the word is read “back to front”.
For example, inverted Jester = TUSH

Letters next to the picture means these letters need to be added.
For example, the word "BISON" is encrypted here

Near the picture there is a crossed out letter, and next to it there is another one - which means that this letter in the word needs to be replaced with this one. If the letters are simply crossed out, they need to be removed from this word
ELEPHANT = BREAK

The arrow in the picture may indicate exactly what to pay attention to.

The numbers above the picture are used to number the letters in the word. The number indicates the place of the letter in a given word, and the order in which the numbers are written determines the new place of this letter. If there are fewer numbers than letters in a word, it means that not all letters of the word are used, but only data.
For example, from the word “TIGER” we get the word “THREE”.

The horizontal line between pictures or letters standing one below the other is used to encrypt letter combinations using the prepositions “ON”, “ABOVE”, “UNDER”.
For example, the word "NAST" starts with S T

Sometimes numbers are used instead of pictures :

Letter puzzles are common. Letters are depictedone after another, one inside another, some “run” to others, some “come out” of others...
For example, the word “WATER” can also be the other way around “YES IN O”. Let's see what makes sense.

If you want to practice solving puzzles, go to our section and dare!

List of puzzles in pictures:

About the inverted house and the letter "A"

It seems to be the word "gender", but it seems not...

Hint - rebus about a bird)

There is a human nose in this puzzle, why is it here..

As already mentioned, the prototypes of the rebus can be considered Egyptian hieroglyphs, Chinese writing, Mexican pictography, etc. But for all their external similarity with ancient picture writing, rebuses differ in that each object depicted in them is usually very far from what was meant cryptographer If an ancient man wanted to say that warriors, say, were walking along a road, then he would have drawn the road. In the rebus, instead of it, perhaps, the note C and horns will be depicted, that is, objects that have nothing to do with this concept. That is why it is not always easy to read a rebus without knowledge of encryption techniques.

Let's look at some of them:

1. The rebus is read from left to right, top to bottom.

2. Punctuation marks and spaces are not taken into account in the rebus.

3. The names of the depicted objects are read in the nominative case in the singular.

If several identical objects are depicted, then they are read in the plural.

4. Drawings can be interpreted in different ways. This is the main difficulty in solving puzzles. You need to choose a word that has the right meaning. For example, the sign “1” can correspond to: One, unit, count, etc.

5. If there are commas to the left of the picture, then you need to discard the first letters of the word (as many letters as there are commas). If commas are to the right of the picture, the last letters should be discarded.

6. If there are numbers above the picture, then the letters must be read in the order indicated by the numbers. Not all letters of the word may be indicated, in which case it is necessary to read only those indicated.

7. If a crossed out letter is shown above the picture, it means that this letter must be removed from the resulting word. Also, if there is a crossed out number next to the picture, then it is necessary to exclude the letter with such a serial number from the name of the item.

8. If another letter is written next to a crossed out letter, then it should be read instead of the crossed out one. Sometimes in this case an equal sign or an arrow is placed between the letters.

9. If a number, an equal sign and a letter are shown next to the picture, this means that the letter with the specified serial number must be replaced with the one indicated in the equality.

10. If a letter is inserted above the picture between the numbers, this means that this letter must be inserted into the resulting word between the letters standing in the places indicated by the numbers.

11. If the picture is turned upside down, then the word corresponding to the picture must be read from right to left.

12. If objects, numbers or letters are depicted one within the other, then their names are read with the addition of the preposition “in” (before or between the names).

13. If one letter represents another, then when reading, the preposition “by” is used (before or between names).

14. If the image of one letter is made up of another letter repeated many times, then when reading, the preposition “from” is used (before or between names).

15. If objects, numbers or letters are depicted in movement or the direction of movement is shown, as well as the actions they perform, then when solving a rebus it is necessary to take this into account.

16. If objects, numbers or letters are depicted one on top of the other, then their names are read with the addition of the preposition “on”, “above” or “under” (before or between the names).

17. If one object, number or letter is depicted behind another, then their names are read with the addition of the preposition “before” or “for” (before or between the names).

How to solve puzzles: Rules

Who among us is not familiar with puzzles? These entertaining encryptions are familiar to everyone, young and old. In rebuses, words are encrypted using a sequence of pictures and various symbols, including letters and numbers. The word "rebus" is translated from Latin as "with the help of things." The rebus originated in France in the 15th century, and the first printed collection of rebuses, published in this country in 1582, was compiled by Etienne Taboureau. Over the time that has passed since then, the technique of composing rebus problems has been enriched with many different techniques. To solve a rebus, it is important not only to know what is drawn, but also to take into account the location of the drawings and symbols relative to each other, and this is achieved with practice. There are some unspoken rules by which puzzles are composed, and it is easier to solve them using the same rules, and the rules are as follows:

A word or sentence in a rebus is divided into parts, which are depicted as a picture or symbol. The rebus is always read from left to right, less often from top to bottom. Spaces and punctuation marks are not read. What is drawn in the pictures in the rebus is read in the nominative case, usually in the singular, but there are exceptions. If several objects are drawn, an arrow indicates which part of the entire image is used in this rebus. If the riddle is not just one word, but a sentence (proverb, catchphrase, riddle), then in addition to nouns it contains verbs and other parts of speech. This is usually specified in the task (for example: “Guess the riddle”). A rebus must always have a solution, and only one. The ambiguity of the answer should be specified in the conditions of the rebus. For example: “Find two solutions to this puzzle.” The number of techniques and their combinations used in one rebus is not limited.

Name all objects sequentially from left to right in the nominative singular case.

Answer: trail experience = tracker

Answer: ox window = fiber

Answer: eye of the face = outskirts

If an object is drawn upside down, its name should be read from right to left. For example, “cat” is drawn, you need to read “current”, “nose” is drawn, you need to read “dream”. Sometimes reading directions are shown with an arrow.

Answer: sleep

Often an object drawn in a rebus can be called differently, for example “meadow” and “field”, “leg” and “paw”, “tree” and “oak” or “birch”, “note” and “mi”, in such cases, you need to select a suitable word, such that the rebus has a solution. This is one of the main difficulties in solving puzzles.

Answer: rava oak = oak grove

Sometimes the name of the depicted object cannot be used in its entirety and it is necessary to discard one or more letters at the beginning or end of the word. Then a comma is used. If the comma is to the left of the picture, the first letter of its name is discarded; if it is to the right, the last letter is discarded. How many commas are there, so many letters are discarded.

Answer: ho ball k = hamster

For example, 3 commas and a “feeder” are drawn, you only need to read “fly”; “sail” and 2 commas are drawn, you only need to read “steam”.

Answer: umbrella p = pattern

Answer: li sa to por gi = boots

Such letter combinations as before, above, on, under, behind, at, y, in, as a rule, are not depicted in rebuses with a picture, but are revealed from the corresponding position of the letters and pictures. Letters and letter combinations with, to, from, from, by, and are not shown, but the relationships of letters or objects, or direction are shown.

If two objects or two letters, or letters and numbers are drawn one inside the other, then their names are read with the addition of the preposition “in”. For example: “in-oh-yes”, or “in-oh-seven”, or “not-in-a”. Different readings are possible, for example, instead of “eight” you can read “seven-v-o”, and instead of “water” - “yes-v-o”. But such words do not exist, so such words are not a solution to the rebus.

Answers: v-o-yes, v-o-seven, v-o-lk, v-o-ro-n, v-o-rot-a

If one object or symbol is drawn under another, then we decipher it by adding “on”, “above” or “under”, you need to choose a preposition according to its meaning. Example: “fo-na-ri”, “pod-u-shka”, “over-e-zhda”.

Answers: fo-na-ri, pod-u-shka, na-e-zhda

If behind a letter or object there is another letter or object, then you need to read it with the addition of “for”. For example: “Ka-za-n”, “za-ya-ts”.

Answer: for-i-ts

If one letter lies next to another or leans against it, then read with the addition of “u” or “k”. For example: “L-u-k”, “d-u-b”, “o-k-o”.

Answers: onion, oak

If a letter or syllable consists of another letter or syllable, then read with the addition of “from”. For example: “iz-b-a”, “b-iz-on”, “vn-iz-u”, “f-iz-ik”.

Answers: hut, bison

If another letter or syllable is written over the entire letter, read with the addition of “by”. For example: “po-r-t”, “po-l-e”, “po-ya-s”. Also, “by” can be used when one letter with legs runs over another letter, number, or object.

Answer: Poland

Answers: belt, field

If an object is drawn, and a letter is written next to it and then crossed out, this means that this letter must be eliminated from the word. If there is another letter above the crossed out letter, this means that you need to replace the crossed out letter with it. Sometimes in this case an equal sign is placed between the letters.

Answer: manhole

Answer: raspberry z Mont = lemon

If there are numbers above the picture, this is a hint in what order you need to read the letters from the name of the object. For example, 4, 2, 3, 1 means that the fourth letter of the name is read first, then the second, followed by the third and first.

Answer: brig

The numbers can be crossed out, which means you need to discard the letter corresponding to this order from the word.

Answer: skate ak LUa bo mba = Columbus

Quite rarely, the action of a letter is used in rebuses - runs, flies, lies; in such cases, the corresponding verb in the third person of the present tense must be added to the name of this letter, for example “u-runs”.

Often in puzzles, individual syllables corresponding to the names of notes - “do”, “re”, “mi”, “fa”... are depicted with the corresponding notes. Sometimes the generic word "note" is used.

Notes used in composing puzzles

Answers: beans, minus

In complex puzzles, different techniques are combined with each other. In any case, to quickly solve puzzles, you need not only to know the rules, but also to practice.

Solve puzzles every day and you will become a guru in this matter.

Date: 12/19/2015 how to solve puzzles

These are the basic rules that will help you learn to solve puzzles. They are shown in the following short cartoon, and are also discussed in more detail below in the text.

Examples of puzzles enlarge when clicked.

1. A picture, geometric figure, number or musical note means that to solve the puzzle you need to read the name of what is depicted. For example, the number “100” together with the letter “L” turns into “TABLE”, the note “SI” with the addition of the syllable “LA” gives us the word “POWER”, and the figure “ROHMBUS” with the last letter taken away and the letter “G” standing in front " becomes the word "thunder":

How to solve puzzles. The rebus reads as: HUNDRED + L. It can be solved as TABLE. Rebus-1

How to solve puzzles. The rebus is read as SI (note) + LA. You can solve it like POWER. Rebus-2

How to solve puzzles. The rebus is read as G + ROM (a rhombus shape without the last letter). You can solve it like THUNDER. Rebus-3

2. A comma means that you need to remove the last letter (at the beginning or at the end) from the picture next to which there is a comma. Two commas mean removing two letters. The direction of the tail of the comma points towards the picture from which the letter must be subtracted. Puzzles containing an element with a large number of commas are undesirable, since they smear the meaning of the element used. Below is an example where the word “FENCE” with the first two letters taken away is solved as “BOR” - coniferous forest:

How to solve puzzles. Rule-2. Rebus-4

3. A crossed out letter or number above the picture means that to solve this word, this letter or the letter with the indicated number is removed from this word, and in some cases replaced with another letter. For example, the word “WHALE” turns into the word “CAT”, “TABLE” turns into “CHAIR”:

How to solve puzzles. Rule-3. Rebus-5

How to solve puzzles. Rule-3. Rebus-6

4. Letters, numbers or pictures can be in each other, one on top of the other, hide behind the other, consist of one another, then “B”, “ON”, “FOR”, “FROM” are added to the puzzle solution. For example, the letter “O”, which contains the letters “YES”, turns into the word “WATER”, the letters “KA” standing on the letter “U” turn into the word “science”, the letter “C” standing behind the letter “ I" can be solved as the word "HARE", and the large letter "A", consisting of small letters "B" must be solved as the word "HUT":

How to solve puzzles. Rule-4. Rebus-7

How to solve puzzles. Rule-4. Rebus-8

How to solve puzzles. Rule-4. Rebus-9

How to solve puzzles. Rule-4. Rebus-10

It is necessary to say separately about puzzles in which the fragments “ON” and “ABOVE” appear in solving them, as well as about puzzles in which there is variability “ABOVE” - “UNDER” and “FRONT” - “FOR”. In the example you can see that the letters “ZhDA” standing on the letters “DE” are solved as “HOPE”. The same solution is obtained when "WAIT" hangs above the letter "E". The mirror version in the case of letters “hanging” above each other may imply the position “UNDER”, as in the “BASEMENT” rebus. Similarly, a mirror solution is available in the case of placing some letters after others, then the rebus can be solved by varying the substitutions “FOR” and “BEFORE”, as in the “ALTERATION” rebus.

How to solve puzzles. Rule-4. Rebus-18

How to solve puzzles. Rule-4. Rebus-19

How to solve puzzles. Rule-4. Rebus-20

How to solve puzzles. Rule-4. Rebus-21

5. Several identical letters in a row when solving means adding a numeral forward - according to the number of these letters. For example, the seven letters “I” mean “FAMILY”:

How to solve puzzles. Rule-5. Rebus-11

6. An inverted picture or part of a word means that the puzzle must be solved by reading the word backwards. For example, an upside-down picture of a cat turns into the word “TOK”:

How to solve puzzles. Rule-6. Rebus-12

7. Inserting in the form of a “tick” means that you need to insert an additional letter into the word that the “tick” is directed to. For example, if there is this sign above the number “2”, and with the numbers “1” and “2” on the sides, then you need to insert the indicated letter into the word “TWO” - in our case “I” - between the first and second letters. And since after the two there is also the letter “N”, the whole puzzle can be solved as “SOFA”:

How to solve puzzles. Rule-7. Rebus-13

The above rules are basic, in addition to them there are some “fuzzy” additional rules: multiple selection of letters from the name of an element (when multiple numbers are indicated above the element); pointing with an arrow to a fragment of an element; unclear mutual arrangement of elements (playing on the prepositions “U”, “C”, “OT”, “PO”).
But these additional rules blur the meaning of the rebus puzzle, turning it into a multiple choice problem. If these rules are sometimes used in puzzles for older children, their use in puzzles for children is undesirable, because children first of all need to master the solution algorithms themselves, and this should be done based on clear rules.
Below are examples of “fuzzy” puzzles:

How to solve puzzles. Fuzzy rule. Rebus-14

How to solve puzzles. Fuzzy rule. Rebus-15

How to solve puzzles. Fuzzy rule. Rebus-16

How to solve puzzles. Fuzzy rule. Rebus-17

Also, sometimes puzzles use the technique of nesting, indicated by parentheses. In this case, the rebus consists of other rebuses nested within it. This technique is sometimes used in puzzles for older children. For children, such puzzles are undesirable, since children should first be given basic solving algorithms. An example of such a puzzle is in the figure below:

How to solve puzzles. Reception of nesting. Rebus-22

Puzzles (including and along with other tasks), when used correctly, are an effective tool for teaching children. By offering your child puzzles of the appropriate class, you can purposefully develop the “hardware” of the brain, consistently teaching him problem-solving algorithms and speculative design skills.
Text and illustrations: A. Fokin.