# 14 k of g in a...whatever **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 16, 2009, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293 "2009-04-16T15:29:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/21 "2009-04-17T14:13:50Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The phrase “karats of gold” does not make sense, so that can’t be part of the answer unless the teller screwed it up. Karats do not measure the weight of gold, they measure the amount of gold in a ring (on a scale of 24). Well karats as a percentage means this makes more sense, IMO. For a standard alloy of gold, the karats are the same no manner what size or shape the item is. So, assuming there’s a standard alloy used, the karats of gold are the same in every tooth filling, no matter how big the actual filling is. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/22 "2009-04-17T16:17:49Z")
> [@](#): > > So??? Dude, I hope you got no plans for the next thirty days. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/23 "2009-04-17T16:18:41Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > 14 kilos of gold in a festival prize draw. > > [http://www.ameinfo.com/106921.html](http://www.ameinfo.com/106921.html) Again, that works, but it’s not a “Of course, that’s it!!” answer. The only way that would be the right answer is if in that same Magazine they had run a big artilce about the 14 kilos of gold contest. Again, either the OP was trolling or they got some info wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/24 "2009-04-17T16:24:31Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > Well karats as a percentage means this makes more sense, IMO. Perhaps I explained poorly. [http://jewelry.about.com/cs/atozjewelry/g/karat.htm](http://jewelry.about.com/cs/atozjewelry/g/karat.htm) > [@](#): > > The karat system is used to reveal the amount of pure gold found in an item. […] 14 karat (14K) gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts another metal or metals, making it 58.3% gold. So it’s “14-karat gold,” not “14 karats of gold.” “14 karats of gold” would be like saying “100 proofs of alcohol.” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/25 "2009-04-17T16:24:35Z")
> [@](#): > > Note, a real answer to these sorts of things always has everyone going “Of course, that’s it!!”. No answer to this has come close. Thus, either the original OP was trolling us, or he got it wrong. I mentioned the possibility in the past that the phrase is some advertising tagline. It might have been relatively well-known at the time and place where the puzzle originated but it’s now too obscure to be recalled. In the sixties, people might have thought “h b s b 12 w” was obvious but how many people in 2009 remember that WonderBread “helps build strong bodies 12 ways”? ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/26 "2009-04-17T16:28:21Z")
In the original thread, the poster kept saying he would ask his friend who ‘had the answer’. But he never did. My vote is for trolling. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/27 "2009-04-17T16:38:25Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Again, that works, but it’s not a “Of course, that’s it!!” answer. The only way that would be the right answer is if in that same Magazine they had run a big artilce about the 14 kilos of gold contest. True. Also the full phrase doesn’t appear in the release. Just “14 kilos of gold,” not “festival prize draw.” And I think the thread appeared before the festival anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/28 "2009-04-17T16:47:38Z")
I am SO sorry. I didn’t mean to start all of this again. Um…plane on a treadmill, anybody? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/29 "2009-04-17T16:47:43Z")
14 kilos of goop in a fully packed diaper! ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/30 "2009-04-17T16:58:28Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I am SO sorry. I didn’t mean to start all of this again. Um…plane on a treadmill, anybody? Cats outdoors!! Cats outdoors!! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/31 "2009-04-17T17:01:40Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Cats outdoors!! Cats outdoors!! Tipping is stupid and the cure for obesity is to stop overeating! Seriously, **Anaamika** , if you like, you could ask to have this closed. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/32 "2009-04-17T17:05:18Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Tipping is stupid and the cure for obesity is to stop overeating! > > Seriously, **Anaamika** , if you like, you could ask to have this closed. Naw, I don’t mind. I don’t think I’ve ever asked for a thread to be actually closed. 🙂 Um…I think all cats should be declawed! ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/33 "2009-04-17T17:10:10Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Um…I think all cats should be declawed! Oh… no… you… _didn’t_!! ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/34 "2009-04-17T17:11:38Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Oh… no… you… _didn’t_!! Oh yes I did! Wanna make somethin’ of it??? ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/35 "2009-04-17T17:17:10Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Oh yes I did! Wanna make somethin’ of it??? No, not me. I think all cat owners are nutjob shut-ins. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/36 "2009-04-17T19:25:06Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Perhaps I explained poorly… it’s “14-karat gold,” not “14 karats of gold.” “14 karats of gold” would be like saying “100 proofs of alcohol.” I agree with your point that “14-karat gold” is better usage than “14 karats of gold”, but think that it’s possible the puzzle-writer is not as scrupulously accurate as you. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/37 "2009-04-17T21:53:44Z")
…nobody should ever breastfeed in public? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/38 "2009-04-17T22:07:22Z")
My guess is that there was a typo somewhere along the line from where **mittu** ’s friend saw it to when it ended up here. ---
**Author:** ![MJinks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@MJinks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MJinks)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/39 "2009-04-17T22:14:08Z")
The only thing I hate more than this puzzle are kids. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293/40 "2009-04-17T22:16:48Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Cats outdoors!! Cats outdoors!! Shoes indoors!! Shoes indoors!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-k-of-g-in-a-whatever/493293.md?page=3)