Puzzle jug

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Puzzle jug.

A puzzle jug is a puzzle in the form of a jug. The challenge of the puzzle — to drink the contents without spillage — is often written on the jug. This is certainly impossible to do in the conventional way because the neck of the jug is perforated. Examples of such inscriptions include:

Come drink of me and merry be

Fill me up with licker sweet for it is good when fun us do meet.

Gentlemen now try your Skill I'll hold your Sixpence if you Will That you dony drink unless you spill.^[1]

Here Gentlemen come try your skill, I'll hold a wager if you will, That you don't drink this liquor all, Without you spill and let some fall.^[2]

The earliest example in England is the Exeter puzzle jug — a fine example of medieval pottery in Britain. The Exeter puzzle jug dates from about 1300AD and was originally made in Saintonge, Western France.^[3]

Puzzle jugs were popular in homes and taverns. Puzzle jugs were most popular during the 18th and 19th centuries. The quality of pieces varied from quite basic to very fine.

The solution to the puzzle is that the jug has a hidden tube. What looks like the spout is, in fact, one end of a tube which usually runs around the rim of the jug and then down the handle to open inside the jug near the bottom. To obtain the contents, one has to suck on the tube. To make the puzzle more interesting, it was common to provide a number of additional holes on the tube that must be closed off before the contents can be sucked up.

The puzzle jug is a descendant of earlier drinking puzzles, the fuddling cup and the pot crown; the solution to the conundrum being different in each case.