Vanishing Leprechaun, Disappearing Dwarf and Swinging Sixties Pin-up Girls – puzzles in pictures

A pictorial history of a much-loved, much-imitated geometrical illusion

Blogpost: The Vanishing Leprechaun puzzle explained

Tue 1 Apr 2014 02.00 EDT Last modified on Thu 2 Apr 2020 11.14 EDT

  • The Vanishing Leprechaun is a puzzle that became popular in the late 60s and early 70s. There are 15 leprechauns in the top image, but when the two cut-out pieces are swapped over, one of the leprechauns vanishes. The illustration was drawn in the late 60s by Pat Lyons and sold in magic and novelty shops. Illustration: Pat Lyons

  • The earliest version of the leprechaun-style vanishing puzzle that I have been able to find is The Magic Egg Puzzle, from 1880. The card is cut into four pieces, and they can be rearranged to make 8, 9 or 10 eggs. I printed out a copy of this and it really is very ingenious. Try it! On the back of the card is an advertisement for Wemple and Company, a US firm. It was common for promotional flyers to have puzzles like this on the back. Image courtesy of the Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

  • In 1907 Theodore L DeLand Jr, an amateur magician from Philadelphia, copyrighted La Mystérieuse. This version was used as a business card by the American magician John Percival (1888-1974). Image courtesy of the Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

  • Jim Holdaway, the British artist most famous for illustrating the Modesty Blaise comic strip, drew this fantastic vanishing puzzle of pin-up girls in the late 60s. He was commissioned by John Henley, the London magician and magic entrepreneur, who used to sell a similar puzzle from Austria. Illustration: John Henley

  • John Henley, who has since moved to Canada and become a movie actor, told me he sold thousands of Vanishing Lady puzzles in the 60s and 70s. Illustration: John Henley

  • The puzzle goes stratospheric in 1978. Image courtesy of the Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

  • Swedish gnomes get in on the act. Image courtesy of the Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

  • Another Swedish variant, with apes, from the 90s. Who knew the Swedes were so into geometrical puzzles? Image courtesy of the Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

  • Canadian magician Mel Stover made this version in 1991. Image courtesy of the Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

  • The Chinese vanish. Image courtesy of the Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

  • Another one, by British comedy magician Ali Bongo. I would love to publish a gallery of new examples by Guardian readers … so email me please alexanderbellos@gmail.com. For tips on how to draw them read my blogpost. Follow me on Twitter @alexbellos. Illustration: John Henley
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