Slugging four I's

Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
1

Cecil’s column: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_153.html

I think that the writer of the first Site for sore I’s has it right, 4 slugs of X, V, and 5 I’s. However, I think he has the order wrong, and that giving the right order will quash Cecil’s concern about clock numbers not being made from individual letters.

I think the order should be VIIIIIX. Note that while the V is not rotationally symmetric, I and X are. So, the four slugs would be divided something like this:

VIII-IIX
VII-II-IX
VI-III-IX
V-IIII-I-X

You can rotate/flip one of the IX pairs around to become an XI, and you now have all the numbers you need.

2

Bah, screwed up the pun. The letter I’m referring to is “Site for Four I’s”. And the IX -> XI tranformation would only be a rotation instead of a flip, since the one side of the slug meant for display would probably look a lot different than the side meant to be smack up against the clock face.