Our Puzzle Man John Chaneski’s been working at the Museum of Math in New York City and it’s got him thinking about number words. For this game, each clue leads to a certain number spelled out. For example, can you guess which number between one and ten can be anagrammed to something that means to pull something with a rope? This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Number Word Game”
You’re listening to A Way with Words. I’m Grant Barrett.
And I’m Martha Barnette. And joining us now is our quiz guy, John Chaneski. Hi, John.
Hi, Martha. Hi, Grant.
What’s up, buddy?
I have just started something brand new and wonderfully interesting for myself. I want to share it with you guys. I am working at the National Museum of Mathematics opening up in New York City.
I don’t think I knew there was one.
It’s going to open up very soon. And I’m part of the team that’s sort of connecting the museum to the community. And we’re doing programs. And it’s going to be a lot of fun. There’s all these interesting little exhibits that illustrate different mathematical concepts, and it’s going to be great.
Oh, cool.
In that spirit, I’ve created a puzzle that has to do with number words.
You know, we can’t do math puzzles here.
We can talk about the words that represent numbers.
Okay.
For example, what number word can be anagrammed to a word that means pull something with a rope?
Pull something with a rope.
Yes.
Number word in English?
Toe.
Yes.
Toe and to.
T-W-O.
Oh, very good.
That’s right. The answer is two can be anagrammed to or transposed to toe.
Very good.
So that’s how this is going to work.
You ready?
Okay, yeah.
If you want to write out the numbers in front of you, that might help.
Okay.
Okay.
Here’s the first one. Counting upwards, what is the first number that becomes an uncapitalized singular English word when reversed?
Oh.
Ten?
Ten is correct. It is net, backwards.
Good.
Now, we’re talking about the numbers between 1 and 100 here, mostly. We’re not going to go far afield, if that’s okay.
Between 1 and 100, what’s the longest number whose only vowel is E?
Let’s narrow it down.
It’s between 1 and 20.
Okay.
Oh, so there could be more than 1 in there.
Yeah, it could be.
But 17 is exactly correct, Martha.
Good work.
This is kind of tricky.
Ready?
Okay.
What number becomes nine when you remove its first letter?
I get it.
Six.
Six is correct. We take off the S. It’s the Roman numeral nine.
Very good.
I told you it was tricky.
All right.
Let’s get away from Roman numerals and try something else.
What number is odd unless you remove its first letter?
Between one and ten.
Seven.
Seven is right.
Very good.
Take off the S. You got even, right?
I feel like I should have learned some of these when I was in grade school, but I didn’t.
Well, I have kids that are in grade school. That’s how I learn them.
Okay.
How about this?
What is the first number word counting up that becomes a homophone of itself if you remove one vowel?
Oh, you remove a vowel, so it’s not going to be two.
Oh, it’s not?
Oh, it’s four.
It is four. Because you would remove a consonant to make two sound like to be T-W-O-B-T-O, but in four, you remove the U to make F-O-U-R become F-O-R.
Oh, oh, oh, oh.
Exactly right.
Well done.
What is the only number you can multiply by 10 just by adding one letter to the end of it?
The answer to this is between 1 and 10.
Eight.
Eight is correct.
What letter do you add?
Y.
Y.
It becomes 80.
80.
Very good.
Can’t do that with the five. You get fivey. With the four, you get foury. It doesn’t work.
What two numbers are the only two between 1 and 100 that begin and end with the same consonant?
19.
19 is what?
And numpteen.
And numpteen.
By the way, 11D12 will not be an answer on any one of these.
40Lim.
97.
97 is correct.
Very good.
Oh, it’s confusing to think about numbers as words and not as numbers.
It’s hard.
You’re not supposed to do math on the radio.
I don’t have that lobe.
I know.
Bring that lobe to work today.
I did not say there would be math.
But if you come to the Museum of Mathematics, I can promise you there will be math.
What’s the highest number between 1 and 100 that is a word, even if you remove its first and last letters?
This one’s between 60 and 100.
60 and 100.
Oh, 70.
Oh, look at that.
Okay, very good.
You got the S and Y. You got a little vent in there.
Yeah.
Sitting right in there, between there.
These last two are related, okay? And they’re kind of classic, so here we go.
Okay.
What number has all of its letters in alphabetical order?
Ooh.
Ooh.
This one’s between 20 and 60.
Oh, between 20 and 60.
Yeah.
I’ll give you a hint. It begins with F.
Not four.
And it goes on from there.
40?
40 is correct.
Very good.
Oh, nice.
Okay.
Very good.
And finally, what number has all of its letters in reverse alphabetical order?
It’s between 1 and 10.
6?
No.
Reverse alphabetical order.
It will be the number 1.
Number 1 is correct.
And the first shall be last.
And that is our last question.
Thank you very much for the quiz.
You’re always welcome.
Bye bye.
And the Twitter handle is Wayword.
