States List Puzzle

Factual Questions
1

The hippo / TV thread got me to googling and I found this from years ago. Does anyone know what this was about or if it was ever solved

THanks

2

Oops spelled Puzzle wrong. Can a moderator please fix the spelling.

Thanks

3

I remember researching this a few months back. Nothing ever came of it. I have no idea if anyone won the prize or not but there was no discussion about this after 2004.

4

My pleasure.