A few questions here for you to ponder.
Lets start with the issuer, for this does not appear on the cards, only a brand. However it is not sent off to the anonymous department at the back of the book and given a "Z" number, and the reason why is that it has already been linked to R. & J. Hill in our Reference Book to that firm, (RB.2), which was issued in 1942. The entry for our set says "Magical Puzzles (titled series) size two and eleven sixteenths by one and a half inches approximately (except it uses the numbers and fractions). Numbered 1-50. Fronts printed in three colours from halftone blocks with marginal line and white margins. Backs printed black only with descriptions and inscribed "Issued with Gold Flake Honeydew ..." No maker`s name appears (see Henry Archer & Co.) This set is similar to "Puzzle Series" chronicled later."
We show a card from the Puzzle Series elsewhere, and you have a look at that by clicking Puzzle Series.
If we go to Henry Archer & Co. we are told that it was founded in 1858 and amalgamated with R & J. Hill in 1905. And that later on some of the Henry Archer brands were used to issue anonymous sets by Hill.
In my 1950 London Cigarette Card Catalogue it says "Magical Puzzles - see Puzzle Series". And under Puzzle Series it says
Item 68. 50 Puzzle Series
A. Titled "Puzzle Series" (1937) odds 1d. each, sets 6/- each
B. Titled "Magical Puzzles" (1938) odds 6d. each, sets 30/- each
In our original World Tobacco Issues Index the two sets are listed together under H46-93 and their description is
"Puzzle Series or Magical Puzzles. Sm. 68 x 38 m/m. Nd. (50) see H.636.
A) titled "Puzzle Series" inscribed "Issued by R. & J. Hill".
B) titled "Magical Puzzles". Brand issue inscribed "Issued with Gold Flake Honeydew Cigarettes"
Now I still cannot find it in the handbook under H.636, the London Cigarette Company Handbook for 1950 finishes before that code, and our modern handbook seems to have that number occupied by another set entirely.
If anyone finds it please do let us know where