# Lost 1.18 "Numbers" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 2, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600 "2005-03-02T15:48:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/241 "2005-03-04T16:36:09Z")
> [@watsonwil](#): > > Walt’s luck, while good for him, has been bad for others as well. Well, it’s hasn’t **all** been good for him. Namely, the last polar bear incident. It worked out for him in the end, since daddy and Locke came to the rescue, but the polar bear was in the mood for a “little round” hors d’euvre that day… ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/242 "2005-03-04T16:42:23Z")
> [@watsonwil](#): > > Interesting. Are you speculating the numbers can be benign but that Hurley’s power over them manifested itself negatively because he was expecting it to? > > Also, would anyone be surprised if Walt had seen those numbers before? > > Walt’s luck, while good for him, has been bad for others as well. I wouldn’t call his mother’s death good for him. It’s not like she was an evil harpy who locked him in closets, starved him and pulled his toenails out with pliers. Sure she kept him away from his real dad and even kept him from communicating with him but that’s not exactly deserving of death. ---
**Author:** ![Pazu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pazu/32/15522_2.png) [@Pazu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pazu)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/243 "2005-03-04T19:29:49Z")
I can’t claim credit for this interesting bit of arithmetic interest, but: ## 04 + 08 + 42 - 16 - 23 = 15 + 08 + 42 + 04 - 23 - 15 = 16 + 42 + 04 + 08 - 15 - 16 = 23 ## 16 + 23 + 15 - 08 - 04 = 42 # 23 + 15 + 16 - 04 - 42 = 08 15 + 16 + 23 - 42 - 08 = 04 Kind of reminds me of a “magic square”, such as the classic: S A T O R A R E P O T E N E T O P E R A R O T A S I’ve heard that the above “magic square” was of Templar (?) origin, but I learned about it in a Manly Wade Wellman story in which it was used to summon ghosts from the past. Coupled with Sawyer’s reading of ]i]A Wrinkle In Time\*, I’m starting to wonder if the crux of the matter is going to involve alternate universes/probability manipulation/time travel, etc. Also, Hurley’s backstory kind of reminded me of the movie _Intacto_. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/244 "2005-03-04T19:48:06Z")
Pazu: :eek: That’s amazing! Wouldn’t it be funny if it was also a coincidence? ---
**Author:** ![sj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@sj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sj2)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/245 "2005-03-04T21:04:22Z")
> [@Severian](#): > > Man, I get no respect (See post #59). I saw you saw it 1st! Totally agree to that point AND… I was thinking about the battery here. Hurley bringing it back with his “luck” has got to open _something_ up with any new transmits or even the journey to get it going again. I sooooo cannot wait until a new ep. is on. ---
**Author:** ![Severian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@Severian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Severian)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/246 "2005-03-04T21:48:40Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Pazu: :eek: > > That’s amazing! Wouldn’t it be funny if it was also a coincidence? Any set of balanced numbers, where a + b + c = x + y + z, could be put into that “magic square”. So the only real question here is whether or not it’s coincidence that 4 + 8 + 42 = 16 + 15 + 23. ---
**Author:** ![Severian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@Severian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Severian)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/247 "2005-03-04T21:55:33Z")
> [@Severian](#): > > Any set of balanced numbers, where a + b + c = x + y + z, could be put into that “magic square”. So the only real question here is whether or not it’s coincidence that 4 + 8 + 42 = 16 + 15 + 23. Or, maybe more appropriately, is it a coincidence or by design that: 4 + 8 - 15 - 16 -23 + 42 = 0 Interesting indeed. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/248 "2005-03-04T22:35:48Z")
> [@Pazu](#): > > Coupled with Sawyer’s reading of ]i]A Wrinkle In Time\*, I’m starting to wonder if the crux of the matter is going to involve alternate universes/probability manipulation/time travel, etc. So the island is one big starship powered by an infinite improbability drive? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/249 "2005-03-04T22:54:59Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > So the island is one big starship powered by an infinite improbability drive? 😃 Yet another reason to panic if _THHGttG_ shows up somewhere on that damned island. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/250 "2005-03-04T22:57:29Z")
> [@rockle](#): > > Yet another reason to panic if _THHGttG_ shows up somewhere on that damned island. No need to panic as long as you have your towl. If you don’t have one, see Sawyer…I am sure he has some extras. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/251 "2005-03-04T23:06:07Z")
[QUOTE=zev\_steinhardt] Those numbers (4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42\*) are all retired uniform numbers on the New York Yankees. Maybe one of the writers is a Yankees fan? [QUOTE] Not particularly meaningful; haven’t the Yankees retired virtually every number except the ones on the backs of the current team? [/snarky] Now if the numbers were 3, 4, 11, 24, 27, 30 and 44 – that would be something. Giants retired numbers. ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2005, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/252 "2005-03-05T02:02:12Z")
> [@Squonk](#): > > Sorry if I missed this… > > Did Locke know it was Claire’s birthday? It’s hard to believe he just happened to build a crib for her on her birthday. And if he knew, how? I think he built the crib for her, not because it’s her birthday, but because she looks like she could go into labor any second now, and the baby’s going to need a place to sleep. The birthday was just a nice coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![Rich\_Mann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@Rich\_Mann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_Mann)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/253 "2005-03-05T06:14:25Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Yeah, my bad for saying the broadcast was picked up in Australia. Got that mixed up in my brain. But still, I think it’s a valid question (so much so that I’m repeating this conversation in the Lost Questions thread). The guy was at some sort of listening post (right?? Now I’m paranoid) which to me implies that it’s at least a semi-permanent type of thing where one could expect someone to be stationed for a long time. Once the first guy left, someone else should have replaced him and been in position to pick up the CFL’s broadcast. > > But to me, the more important point is that it pretty securely demonstrates (to me, anyway) that the island is physically located on our Earth and communication with the outside world is not impossible. I think you may have been right the first time. I originally thought that the ‘listening post’ must be on a remote island or something, but on rewatching the episode I see that that is unlikely. Sam Toomeys’ wife says that he heard the transmission and “a couple of days later we were at a fair in Calgoolie…” which makes it pretty clear that the post is in Oz. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/254 "2005-03-05T22:05:52Z")
[QUOTE=jsc1953] [QUOTE=zev\_steinhardt] Those numbers (4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42\*) are all retired uniform numbers on the New York Yankees. Maybe one of the writers is a Yankees fan? [QUOTE] Oo…Oo…Didn’t Jack and Jack’s father both say,something like: That’s why the Red Socks won’t win a World Series?" ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2005, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/255 "2005-03-05T22:14:55Z")
42 isn’t really retired by the YANKEES, anyway. It was retired by Major League Baseball. (It’s Jackie Robinson’s number.) ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2005, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/256 "2005-03-06T01:36:05Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > 42 isn’t really retired by the YANKEES, anyway. It was retired by Major League Baseball. (It’s Jackie Robinson’s number.) Yes, I know. I said that in the footnote to my post. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2005, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/257 "2005-03-06T02:36:43Z")
Did anyone else notice that both writers for this episode worked for “Angel”, which explains to me why we get the kind of humor with the guy jumping out the office window. Very Buffyesque or Angel"ic". ---
**Author:** ![Rillian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rillian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rillian)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2005, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/258 "2005-03-06T04:31:32Z")
> [@Rich Mann](#): > > I think you may have been right the first time. > I originally thought that the ‘listening post’ must be on a remote island or something, but on rewatching the episode I see that that is unlikely. Sam Toomeys’ wife says that he heard the transmission and “a couple of days later we were at a fair in Calgoolie…” which makes it pretty clear that the post is in Oz. Not necessarily.Sam and Lenny could have been at their listening post in the Pacific, heard the numbers, come home on a break, and use the numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Rillian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rillian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rillian)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2005, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/259 "2005-03-06T04:36:42Z")
Five and half pages of discussion and no one has linked to the Master yet? See Cecil’s column on “[numbers stations](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_330.html).” Some highlights: [ul] [li]There are dozens of “numbers stations,” some of which have been in business for decades[/li][li] stations broadcast in a variety of formats (three, four, and five digits, etc.)[/li][li] The voice is often female and its unchanging inflection suggests that it may be machine-generated[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Rich\_Mann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@Rich\_Mann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_Mann)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2005, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600/260 "2005-03-06T07:09:11Z")
> [@Rillian](#): > > Not necessarily.Sam and Lenny could have been at their listening post in the Pacific, heard the numbers, come home on a break, and use the numbers. I’ll have to concede that point. So, I guess the location is still sorta a definite maybe…or not…I think. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-1-18-numbers/292600.md?page=14)