Brief, 1881 (2nd Problem Tourney)

Forty problems by at least 19 competitors (composers of unsound problems were not identified) competed in the composition tourney. The problems were published anonymously during the time decided for the solving tourney (1881-01-07–1881-10-07). Eight problems were found to be unsound.

The judges of the tourney were the seven prize winners of the solution tourney. They were, in order, T. B. Rowland, W. Jay = W. J. N. Brown, V. Ariano, A. F. Mackenzie, Jacobus, Cousin Day, J. R. Hunter. (The identities behind the pseudonyms Jacobus and Cousin Day are unknown; they were both said to be from Leeds. Based on a later note in Sheffield Independent, Jacobus might be a pseudonym for James White.)

The special prizes were decided by the first two judges (Rowland and Brown), independently. There is no mention that voting was required.


It is not clear why a group of judges was required to decide which problems received the fewest number of correct solutions.

The column editor, F. C. Collins, also competed in the tourney.

Brief changed name several times during the period from the publication of the first announcement to publication of the awards. At the time of the announcement, the title printed on the title page was Brief: The Week's News (the second half of that title is interpreted as a subtitle). On 1881-02-26, it changed to Brief News & Opinion, and on 1881-07-02 it changed again to The Week's News. (A earlier publication The Week's News had been published until 1879-07-18, when it was incorporated with Brief.)