(Superman I #20) - Lois Lane had Daily Planet pressman Carl run off a gag paper featuring an expose revealing Clark Kent as Superman in order to play a practical joke on her co-worker. Carl came down with appendicitis and without him around to stop production the paper made its way into the hands of the public. Puzzler was shocked to learn the identity of his nemesis, but Superman later put a kibosh on the story, and his secret remained safe.

(Superman I #20)-The Puzzler cheated death, and returned to crime. He entered the El Doprado club card tournament as a masked man, and challenged world champions in poker, bridge, rummy, and other games. He gave the world champs a go for their money, but narrowly lost each contest. Revealed as the Puzzler, he promised he’d kill every last one of them for wounding his pride. His first target was poker champ Harlow Gates, who he beat to death with a hot poker. Puzzler tried to run bridge champ Morton Thornton off a bridge with his car, but Superman foiled him. Superman kept observation on the remaining card champs, and foiled several more attempted ironic murders. Puzzler was sick of his interference, and challenged him to meet at his hideout. Puzzler had a maze of deadly traps prepared for the Man of Tomorrow, and promised to surrender if he made it through alive. Superman caught him, but once the Puzzler was in police custody he escaped and faked his own death. The Puzzler was more determined than ever to kill Superman.