# Number sequence puzzle

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-sequence-puzzle/976849>\
**Category:** Thread Games\
**Created:** [December 20, 2022, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-sequence-puzzle/976849 "2022-12-20T14:19:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2022, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-sequence-puzzle/976849/1 "2022-12-20T14:19:36Z")

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Thought of this puzzle the other day, though I’m probably not the first.

To save you all some trouble. The solution is algorithmic, not algebraic.

What’s the next number in the sequence? Post just your answer and other’s can keep trying even after I confirm or reject a solution.

2211  
335  
223  
47  
22223  
77  
255  
51

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-sequence-puzzle/976849/2 "2022-12-21T14:39:07Z")

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Dang it! I just noticed the 51 should actually be 317 … How’s that for a hint?  
And following that is  
2213

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**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-sequence-puzzle/976849/3 "2022-12-21T15:18:22Z")

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> [@naita](#):
>
> The solution is algorithmic, not algebraic.

I’m not really sure what that is supposed to mean. These seem like different categories of thing, not mutually exclusive alternatives. Many algorithms would be expressed algebraically.

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**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-sequence-puzzle/976849/4 "2022-12-21T18:26:15Z")

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> [@Riemann](#):
>
> I’m not really sure what that is supposed to mean. These seem like different categories of thing, not mutually exclusive alternatives. Many algorithms would be expressed algebraically.

The algorithm involves an operation that I’m relatively certain falls outside most people’s definition of algebra.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-sequence-puzzle/976849/5 "2022-12-24T13:54:15Z")

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> [@naita](#):
>
> 2211  
> 335  
> 223  
> 47  
> 22223  
> 77  
> 255

317  
2213  
53  
2333  
511  
2227