# Help me with a numerical puzzle?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-a-numerical-puzzle/223069
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [January 6, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-a-numerical-puzzle/223069 "2004-01-06T19:59:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-a-numerical-puzzle/223069/1 "2004-01-06T19:59:11Z")
I was just given a math-type puzzle from my cow-orker. I’ve never been good with the math, so I turn to you, the smartest people I know of. Here’s the puzzle:
The last 3 digits in this numerical sequence are 333. Do you know why?
441211223XXX
(Obviously, the Xs represent 3s.)
Any ideas?
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### Author:  [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-a-numerical-puzzle/223069/2 "2004-01-06T20:11:03Z")
Hmmm. Perhaps the numbers correspond to musical notes, and it’s a well-known tune?
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### Author:  [@Dread\_Pirate\_Danno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Danno)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-a-numerical-puzzle/223069/3 "2004-01-06T20:11:42Z")
A little obscure, but not too difficult.
Hint: There are twelve digits. Each number represents something in a common series of 12 items.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2004, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-a-numerical-puzzle/223069/4 "2004-01-06T20:12:37Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Coldfire \*
> \*\*Hmmm. Perhaps the numbers correspond to musical notes, and it’s a well-known tune? \*\*
Strangely, I had _just_ finished converting that into notes on paper!
I thought it might be “ABACAB” but it didn’t jive 😉
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### Author:  [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2004, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-a-numerical-puzzle/223069/5 "2004-01-06T20:19:01Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Dread Pirate Danno \*
> \*\*A little obscure, but not too difficult.
>
> Hint: There are twelve digits. Each number represents something in a common series of 12 items. \*\*
I just finished trying the number of vowels in the names of each month, but crapped out 😃
This is just KILLING me! I love stuff like this that I just can’t quite see.
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### Author:  [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-a-numerical-puzzle/223069/6 "2004-01-06T20:22:04Z")
Dammit, this is scary. You typed “ABACAB”, and guess what Genesis song my WinAmp player (random, 2500 songs) selected just when I read your post?
:eek:
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### Author:  [@Dread\_Pirate\_Danno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Danno)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2004, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-a-numerical-puzzle/223069/7 "2004-01-06T20:23:55Z")
OMG. You are SOOOO close to solving this. Keep trying.
I will try to figure out spoiler boxes and post the answer in a little while.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2004, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-a-numerical-puzzle/223069/8 "2004-01-06T20:24:25Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Coldfire \*
> \*\*Dammit, this is scary. You typed “ABACAB”, and guess what Genesis song my WinAmp player (random, 2500 songs) selected just when I read your post?
>
> :eek: \*\*
THE POWER OF WINAMP COMPELS YOU!!!
That’s seriously freaky!
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### Author:  [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-a-numerical-puzzle/223069/9 "2004-01-06T20:27:39Z")
Syllables per month.
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### Author:  [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2004, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-a-numerical-puzzle/223069/10 "2004-01-06T20:30:52Z")
Of course, now it plays Denis Leary’s _Voices in my head_. Way to make a man feel at ease, after all that. 🙂
So, how about them spoiler boxes, Danno?
[spoiler] Solution here! [/ spoiler]
Minus the spaces between the brackets.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-a-numerical-puzzle/223069/11 "2004-01-06T20:31:20Z")
I think I got it RIGHT as it was being posted!
That was HARD for me! You guys continue to rock!
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### Author:  [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-a-numerical-puzzle/223069/12 "2004-01-06T20:31:33Z")
Dammit, Munch. You obviously have no life whatsoever. 😉
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### Author:  [@Dread\_Pirate\_Danno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Danno)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2004, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-a-numerical-puzzle/223069/13 "2004-01-06T20:42:30Z")
What Munch said
TaDa! Thanks, Coldfire.