# What happens on May 33rd but only on leap year? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 4, 2000, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637 "2000-11-04T01:33:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![grdnsnk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/278dde/32.png) [@grdnsnk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grdnsnk)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2001, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/161 "2001-02-03T17:25:35Z")
I’ve read every post in this thread and all I got to show for all that work is a sore butt from sitting so long! Let me offer something else that is somewhat related but will give your mind a rest. Ever heard the expression, “Another day, another dollar. A million days, a million dollars”? Well, how long IS a million days? Hint: a looooong time. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2001, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/162 "2001-02-03T18:13:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Well, how long IS a million days? Hint: a looooong time. hahahaha ha ha ahhhh HA HA 😃 can i use this for my sig? ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2001, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/163 "2001-02-03T19:38:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yabob \* > **BTW, did you notice that the guy who runs the “unofficial” site is now fulminating on it about the “official” site stealing his data without asking him or giving him credit.** Their website now says "Did you know… There’s an Unofficial You Can’t Win site done by Rich Werning. He says we stole a bunch of this from him. We did. But he stole from us first (unless he came up with all the questions and prizes). But we thank him for it anyway. Keep posting away Rich. (We’d contact you but couldn’t find a way to on your site.) Check his site out here!" Pretty funny. Of course, they’re probably right–they’ve ran it by the legal department already. ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2001, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/164 "2001-02-03T20:52:09Z")
Nah. Stick with the one you already have. Has more ooommph to it. Besides, it’s from our Master. (I’ll have to take your word for it) ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2001, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/165 "2001-02-04T02:19:30Z")
How about "What happens on May [a location, say, the Isle of May off Scotland] 33d [it happens there the 33d in order, after it happens somewhere else 32 times] but only on Leap Years [so it’s an event on Feb. 29, or has to do with the Olympics or the American presidential elections. . .?]? Or something along those lines. ---
**Author:** ![IMATION](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7ab992/32.png) [@IMATION](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IMATION)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2001, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/166 "2001-02-04T05:04:40Z")
On a Leap Year, hmn. ON, a Leap Year… As someone said before, notice the CAPITAL letters… the L and the Y… could the Leap Year be a boat? So that would make the word “ON” fit in… is there a party… or does the boat fit in with greek times?? or is the boat an object in a novel?? AND, the 33 could be translated as the 30th boat, at the 3rd dock??? JUST A THOUGHT… _bite lip_ One thing i dont get though… they say “WOULD” happen…as if to say it hasnt happened/taken place, so posibly a mock up in a calender in the future which would lead to a 33rd of may?? - Please dont just read past the posts without giving them a shot … you never know, we may have already gotten the answer correct… \* And to the smart person who brang up the Tigger Bath story… I personally think this should be guessed… Anyway, thanks for reading this who ever did… 🙂 Later, IMATION ---
**Author:** ![IMATION](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7ab992/32.png) [@IMATION](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IMATION)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2001, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/167 "2001-02-04T06:12:39Z")
\*\* “…what happens on May 33rd, but only on Leap Year…” \*\* - Take the wording literally… \* ‘ON’ May, ‘ON’ Leap Year Perhaps if this made up day was on a FarSide calendar, there would be a picture ON the space of the date box?? Or if there is the wording LEAP YEAR on the calendar… maybe compare the two pictures? and then make a hypothesis of before and after? heheeee… as crap as it sounds… I will still be thinking… ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2001, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/168 "2001-02-04T06:24:12Z")
Not being a very scholarly Discordian I cannot comment precisely on this, but [here](http://jubal.westnet.com/hyperdiscordia/jusanotoron.html) is a link to a calendar system which uses letters for years. That is, MAY is a _year_. I do not have the mathematical inclination to determine if this is indeed a leap year, but every leap year has a St Tibbs Day, though this is inserted, gregorian-wise, into July. Verily! So much for all of that. ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2001, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/169 "2001-02-04T06:27:43Z")
Actually, correct that. St Tibbs day is the gregorian leap year, but in a way I am not at liberty to explain, the numbering system does not change. All days of the week fall on the same number very year, and leap years are no exception. St Tibbs day is not on a day of the week. :shrug: Hell, its the only obscure caledar system I could come up with. ---
**Author:** ![sethdallob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@sethdallob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sethdallob)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2001, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/170 "2001-02-04T07:36:47Z")
If nothing else, this proves that all hell can break loose when smart people look at the pixels of their computer screen too closely. Not that I have any idea, but I’m content to sit back and wonder if this thread will get to 10,000 views. Is this the longest thread in SDMB history, BTW? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2001, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/171 "2001-02-04T22:57:02Z")
Yes, I am a fool to read this thread today. OK. It is **not** the French Revolutionary Calendar, as its months, or seasons, or whatever they are called, are only 30 days long. I’m gonna go with an obscure literary reference. I’m guessing any of the following: 1. Donald Duck’s Uncle Scrooge knows (there are a _lot_ of Uncle Scrooge comics). 2. It’s something like dragon poker. (Is dragon poker in any books besides _Little Myth Marker_?) 18 Oromë, Year of the Guided Forb (in utter confusion) ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2001, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/172 "2001-02-04T23:00:55Z")
Umm, “18 Oromë” was meant to be a sig, not a guess. Today is 18 Oromë according to a calendar I co-invented when I was 19. I’m stumped. ---
**Author:** ![RonA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@RonA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RonA)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2001, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/173 "2001-02-05T15:29:21Z")
The clue about libraries led me to do a search on [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com). It listed a book title _The Leap Years: Women Reflect on Change, Loss and Love_. Its “An anthology of intimate observations by 30 women on the changes and challenges they confront as they age”, edited by Mary Anne Maier and Joan Shaddox Isom. My local library doesn’t have the book, so I couldn’t check it out (pun intended). It may not be this book, since its title is _ **The** Leap Years…_". But could it be the title of another book or publication? The fact that the question says “ **on** Leap Years”…could it be something on the cover? I dunno…just more WAGing. ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2001, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/174 "2001-02-05T16:00:05Z")
> [@](#): > > Is dragon poker in any books besides Little Myth Marker? It is mentioned in other _Myth_ books besides L.M.M. but that’s the only one where they go into detail about the rules (as they need to teach Skeeve how to play). They may mention “May 33rd” in another one though. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2001, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/175 "2001-02-05T16:14:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RonA \* > \*\*The clue about libraries led me to do a search on [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com). It listed a book title _The Leap Years: Women Reflect on Change, Loss and Love_. Its “An anthology of intimate observations by 30 women on the changes and challenges they confront as they age”, edited by Mary Anne Maier and Joan Shaddox Isom. My local library doesn’t have the book, so I couldn’t check it out (pun intended). It may not be this book, since its title is _ **The** Leap Years…_". But could it be the title of another book or publication? The fact that the question says “ **on** Leap Years”…could it be something on the cover? I dunno…just more WAGing. \*\* VERY good thought, and if the question reads “Leap Year” (not plural), Powell’s and Amazon give us: “Leap Year” by Steve Ericson, nonfiction, politics “Leap Year: a novel” by Peter Cameron. “Leap Year, a Book of Lore” by Barbara Sutton-smith, a reference work “Leap Year: a Year in the Life of a Dancer” by Christopher D’Amboise ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2001, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/176 "2001-02-05T16:29:46Z")
Excuse me, that’s “Leap Year” by Steve Erickson, with a k. ---
**Author:** ![cykrider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f19dbf/32.png) [@cykrider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cykrider)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2001, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/177 "2001-02-05T19:19:07Z")
Just another thought…a calendar can also be an orderly list. ex: a list of cases to be tried in court; a list of bills or other items reported out of committee for consideration by a legislative assembly. So maybe we should look for something that lists dates? ---
**Author:** ![dreamlab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8dc957/32.png) [@dreamlab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dreamlab)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2001, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/178 "2001-02-05T22:36:51Z")
Back to the Martian calendar…One of the schemes has Mars with 16 months of 37 days each and 2 months of 38 days to make 668 days. Two out of five years on Mars must be leap years, since the year is closer to 668.4 days. If the calendar in question is this type, then May 33, (assuming the leap day has already occurred as well as one 38 day month, and at least the first five names of Mar’s months remain the same) would be 183 days into our year (37+37+38+37+leapday+33). Hmmm, exactly half of our leap year? Could the answer be that our year is half over? ---
**Author:** ![Universal\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dfb087/32.png) [@Universal\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Universal_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2001, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/179 "2001-02-06T07:06:04Z")
Pkbites, you have the answer for us yet? Im sure that members have helped you more than enough. SPill … ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2001, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637/180 "2001-02-06T07:50:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Universal Dialect \* > \*\*Pkbites, you have the answer for us yet? > > Im sure that members have helped you more than enough. > > SPill … \*\* If I had the answer I’d be up to my neck in free compact discs. Oh, wait a minute…I am up to my neck in free discs. I won this game…:D:…3 years ago next week. They even gave me a few prizes which weren’t on the prize list. 🆒 This one is a killer though. On one show one of the dj’s (not sure if it was Bob or Brian) made some comment about something else by saying “I just made it up” the other was in the background saying “Hint! Hint!” I’m wondering if this doesn’t go back to one of their older shows where one of them mentions their own calendar or something. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-on-may-33rd-but-only-on-leap-year/39637.md?page=10)