Riddle: The following number is the only one of its kind. '8,549,176,320' Can you figure out what is so special about it?

Answer next Friday.

Tinman

Write out the English words for all the numbers, in order:

Eight
Five
Four
Nine
One
Seven
Six
Three
Two
Zero

Look at all of the first letters. What order are they in?

Indeed they are. As are

Friday
Monday
Saturday
Sunday
Thursday
Tuesday
Wednesday

The fact that the numbers are in order alphabetically does not make it unique though.

quote:

Originally posted by TrossL:
The fact that the numbers are in order alphabetically does not make it unique though.

Surely it does. It can be the only number that uses all the digits in alphabetical order. That's the definition of unique. It may however not make it noteworthy, that's more a matter of opinion.

There is also the converse riddle that goes

Here is a sequence:

O, T, T, F, F, S, ...

Can you give the next letter in the sequence? and the next? and the next? and the 87th?

[and btw can you do it without giving it away to other readers? :-) I guess the 87th by itself would do it.]

I'm told that the more education you have, the harder it is to solve. First-graders have very little difficulty with it, but college grads have a lot!

S, E, N......... and E....

I can recite all the states of the US in alphabetical order. It's fun as a party trick, but not nearly as impressive as being able to tie a knot in a cherry stem without using your hands, while it's in your mouth.

To continue what KHC started (there should be a T between her N and E):

T, T, F, F, S, S, . . . .

quote:

Originally posted by Caterwauller:
there should be a T between her N and E:

Actually, her E was the 87th letter in the sequence.

Although the 11th happens to be an E also.

quote:

Originally posted by haberdasher:
... the more education you have, the harder it is to solve.

If that's true, I must be a blooming genius! I couldn't figure it out. I missed your big hint, "converse riddle." I didn't even understand it after the answer was given. I had to look it up.

Arnie easily got my riddle, so I don't need to post the answer. Actually, it wasn't my riddle. I got it off the internet.

Tinman

quote:

Actually, her E was the 87th letter in the sequence.

OH yes, of course!

I only know the answer because I've seen it before.

the "converse" or already the mentioning in the context of this thread totally gave that one away. what about the uniqueness of "8.315.906.742" or "5.289.476.310"?