It was devised in 1934 by English poet and cryptic crossword compiler Edward Powys Mathers, who wrote under the name Torquemada, and consists of 100 pages from his 1934 collection The Torquemada Puzzle Book. 

Powys Mathers claimed the pages were printed “in an entirely haphazard and incorrect order” and wrote that it was too late for him to remedy the ordering of the pages.  Therefore, the reader’s goal is to put the pages back in the correct order and figure out who kills who in the book. In total, there are six murders, which mean six victims and six murderers? Or could there only be one perpetrator? You’ll have to put on your best crime-hunting hat and channel your inner detective to find out.

There are 32 million possible combinations, and if you’re able to put the story together in the correct order, you win a reward of $1,335. At this rate, they should probably give the next lucky puzzle solver a raise!  The first two individuals to solve the puzzle were Mr. S. Sydney-Turner and Mr. W.S. Kennedy who sent their solutions to The Observer. Upon being announced correct, they received their cash prize and recognition in the paper.