Each of these clues describes a character from a nursery rhyme, most commonly the title character. In order, the characters are:
- OLD MOTHER HUBBARD
- SIMPLE SIMON
- WEE WILLIE WINKIE
- MARY (Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary)
- LITTLE MISS MUFFET
- LITTLE BO-PEEP
- OLD KING COLE
- FRÈRE JACQUES
- KNAVE OF HEARTS
- LITTLE BOY BLUE
- MUFFIN MAN
- JACK SPRAT
- HUMPTY DUMPTY
- TOM (Tom, Tom, the Piper’s Son)
- OLD MACDONALD
- DUKE OF YORK
- LITTLE JACK HORNER
- ITSY BITSY SPIDER (or INCY WINCY SPIDER)
The letters in the boxes spell out HE WAS BORN ON A MONDAY. This is a reference to SOLOMON GRUNDY. One version of the Solomon Grundy rhyme goes like this:
Solomon Grundy,
Born on a Monday,
Christened on Tuesday,
Married on Wednesday,
Took ill on Thursday,
Worse on Friday,
Died on Saturday,
Buried on Sunday.
This is the end
Of Solomon Grundy.