# Slugging four I's

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slugging-four-is/281033>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [December 21, 2004, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slugging-four-is/281033 "2004-12-21T20:07:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slugging-four-is/281033/1 "2004-12-21T20:07:12Z")

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Cecil’s column: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2\_153.html](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.

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**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slugging-four-is/281033/2 "2004-12-21T20:11:06Z")

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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.