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I am trying to find a puzzle record. For those of you who don't know what one is, it is a normal looking 78 record usually with several titles on each side, which plays a random song or whatever, each time the needle is placed on the record. It could play songs, limericks, horse races, tangoes or anything else. Commonly, two to three songs, etc. per side, but as many as 4 or 5 per side...
Anybody have one for sale? Email me offlist at: vinyl(dot)visions(at)live(dot)com

I'm afraid I want to keep the few I have, but check Columbia's CLARION label of the 30's. Some of them are marked "Double Track" and will contain instrumental and vocal versions of the same song.

These are also called conundrum records.

I have been trying to find one also, but they must be rare.

Here is an example of a Victor 1912 version (The Conundrum: What Will I Play Next?, Victor 35229):

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozPct-CiZK4[/youtube]


And here is the puzzle record (Puzzle Record, Victor 22745):

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9_VGYL-mzo[/youtube]

The only one of these that I own is on vinyl. It's "Monty Python's Matching Tie and Handkerchief" which has 1 "normal" side and 1 side with 2 interlocked tracks. When I bought it, I didn't know it had a double track and by concidence, only hit one of the two tracks for some time. You can imagine my surprise when it suddenly played something I had never heard before!

The videos were great. I've heard of these puzzle records, but never saw one, let alone hear one play. Thanks for sharing.
Harvey Kravitz

Fascinating! I've never seen or heard one before. Thanks for the posting the videos.

Now I want some of these!!!

52089 wrote:The only one of these that I own is on vinyl. It's "Monty Python's Matching Tie and Handkerchief" which has 1 "normal" side and 1 side with 2 interlocked tracks. When I bought it, I didn't know it had a double track and by concidence, only hit one of the two tracks for some time. You can imagine my surprise when it suddenly played something I had never heard before!

Ah, yes: that was my first experience, too......

I have the Victor Batwing "Conundrum" record, it was my first exposure to them. Now, I am obsessed...

Both The Conumdrum and the coupled side "Nightmare in the Desert" by Mark Sheridan were recorded by the Gramophone Co in 1911.

Here was a Victor Conundrum record, that went for $20 on eBay. Wish I had seen this earlier!