Rebus
For the Inspector Rebus
series of novels see Rebus, and for the television adaptation see Rebus. Information on the eponymous detective, see Detective Inspector John Rebus.
A rebus (Latin: "by things") is a kind of word puzzle which uses pictures to represent words or parts of words; for example: H + = Hear
, or Here''.
The term "rebus" also refers to the use of a
pictogram to represent a
syllabic sound. This adapts pictograms into
phonograms. A precursor to the development of the
alphabet, this process represents one of the most important developments of
writing.
The writing of correspondence in rebus form became popular in the
18th century and continued into the
19th century.
Lewis Carroll wrote the children he befriended picture-puzzle rebus letters,
nonsense letters, and
looking-glass letters, which had to be held in front of a mirror to be read.[
1] Rebus letters served either as a sort of
code or simply as a
pastime.
 |
Arms of Congleton Borough Council: conger, leo, tun |
Rebuses are used extensively in
heraldry as a hint to the name of the owner of a coat of arms. This practice is known as
canting. For example, the arms of the
Borough of Congleton in Cheshire contain a
conger eel, a
lion (in Latin,
leo) and a tun (another word for a
barrel). This word sequence "conger leo tun" recalls the town's name.
Today, rebus puzzles are used as
brainteasers and placed in
IQ tests.
The more popular rebuses contain simple
English letters of the alphabet in different sizes, colors and other manipulations that often represent popular sayings and phrases.
Here are three examples of this type of rebus puzzle:
*
Puzzle 1CCCSAILINGCCCC*
Puzzle 2LIE
KING*
Puzzle 3HEAD
HEELS* Answer: Sailing in the
seven seas. The word 'sailing' lies between 7 letter
C's.
* Answer:
Lion King. The word "lie" can be found "on" top of the word "king" (i.e. "lie on king").
* Answer:
Head over heels. This last puzzle shows the word "head" over the word "heels."
Rebuses were central to the United States television
game show Concentration. Contestants had to solve a rebus, usually partially concealed, to win a game.
*
Word puzzle*
Pictogram*
Heraldry*
I ♥ NY
