When Puzzle. A funny story. Find the Englishman first appeared in print, it quickly became a favorite among readers of illustrated magazines in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Its creator, Charles Dana Gibson, was already famed for his satirical eye and for inventing the so-called "Gibson Girl," but here he turned his wit to the subtleties of national identity and social observation. The puzzle format—inviting viewers to search for a hidden Englishman—was a popular pastime in the era, blending humor with a gentle challenge. The work’s enduring appeal lies in its playful invitation: can you spot the Englishman among the crowd? The scene is a bustling social gathering, rendered in Gibson's crisp pen-and-ink style, where a multitude of figures—each with their own distinctive dress and demeanor—fill the composition.

The challenge is to discern the Englishman, a task that relies on the viewer’s familiarity with the visual stereotypes of the day: perhaps a bowler hat, an umbrella, a reserved posture, or a certain air of detachment. Gibson’s subtlety is key; unlike the broad caricatures of George Cruikshank, he relies on nuance and wit, encouraging the viewer to look closer, to read character in gesture and costume. The humor emerges not only from the search itself but from the gentle ribbing of national clichés. As with many of Gibson's illustrations, the original drawing’s fate is not fully documented; works like this often appeared first in periodicals such as Life or Harper’s Weekly, before being reproduced in albums or as prints.

The precise date and medium of Puzzle. A funny story. Find the Englishman remain uncertain, reflecting the ephemeral nature of much commercial illustration from this period.

Today, such works are prized by collectors of American illustration and are occasionally exhibited in museums alongside other examples of Gibson’s sharp social commentary. The piece stands as a testament to Gibson's keen observation and to the playful spirit that animated popular art in the Gilded Age.