# Whats the deal with the number 41? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 26, 2000, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874 "2000-07-26T05:34:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MinkMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minkman/32/19170_2.png) [@MinkMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MinkMan)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2000, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/41 "2000-08-01T15:06:15Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Wonko The Sane > The scary thing is… in base 13- six by nine is forty two And we all know that what this proves is that G\_d has 13 fingers. ---
**Author:** ![Jello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@Jello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jello)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2000, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/42 "2000-08-01T15:30:46Z")
Bill Clinton is the 42nd President…there’s a list of them on a page on the 'net, it’s called Deep Thought’s something or other. In the book War and Peace, Pierre finds that with the Hebrew number/letter system le’empereur Napoleon (or however it was spelled in there, it’s been a couple years since I read it) added up to 666. So did his own name, I think. Anyone who has read this recently or has a copy on hand to help me with the spelling and such? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2000, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/43 "2000-08-01T15:37:56Z")
I didn’t know about any of the numbers brought up here, but I had heard about [http://www.lbstone.com/27/](http://www.lbstone.com/27/) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2000, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/44 "2000-08-01T17:46:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*\*Wonko The Sane \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by \*\*\*DrMatrix \*\* > > What’s even scarier… I \*checked.\*You are right. > > I must confess- I did not realize this. It is a fact easily found by those obsessed with instances of the number 42. I am a -big- **Hitch-Hiker’s Gude to The Galaxy** fan. I am honored that you checked though. Oh, good. It’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2000, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/45 "2000-08-01T20:20:57Z")
Nah, don’t worry. I checked too. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2000, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/46 "2000-08-01T21:56:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jello \* > \*\*Bill Clinton is the 42nd President…there’s a list of them on a page on the 'net, it’s called Deep Thought’s something or other. > \*\* Technically, he’s only the 41st–Grover Cleveland was both # 22 and # 24, so only 41 men have served as president. I guess Clinton is serving the 42nd period in office … or something. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2000, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/47 "2000-08-01T22:23:10Z")
I could _tell_ you the significance of 41… but then you’d know my secret, wouldn’t you? ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2000, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/48 "2000-08-02T05:34:56Z")
37 holds a special place in my heart… Dante: “My girlfriend sucked 37 dicks!” Customer: “In a row?” ---
**Author:** ![fnord1966](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ad7895/32.png) [@fnord1966](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fnord1966)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2000, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/49 "2000-08-02T06:02:26Z")
R.A.W. freaked me out too, his three numbers that keep poping up all over for me are 5, 17, and 23, and all are kinda the same. 2+3= 5 7-1=6(2x3 or 3=3(two 3’s)). All of the classes I had in highschool had numbers that either added up to 5, 17, or 23. Pointless I know, but strange none the less. I am guessing that its just a subliminal thing that I notice when I see it, but not notice other things that point out the fallacy. ---
**Author:** ![dgarci03](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8e7dd6/32.png) [@dgarci03](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dgarci03)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/50 "2012-06-01T02:35:38Z")
Hi Douglas, I logged into google to find out the same thing. For the last 6 months, I see that number everywhere. If I’m doing an excel worksheet, I have a mistake on line 41, I get caught at a light and the car in front of me has a tag with 41 on it, I go by the hwy eveyday and I’m drawn to exit 41 without even noticing 40 or 39 which I passed minutes ago… my car has a digital clock and everytime I look at the time it’s something, X:41, it’s kind of creepy and i have been searching everywhere for a meaning… wanna hear more? recently my daughter wanted me to buy her a lizard, which I found to be odd cause she’s a girly girl and she kept asking me for a lizard, so I got her the lizard to later find this out… I’m hispanic and in Cuba they have something called “La Charada”, basically what Cubans have done is given every number an association to something, for example #29 means mice, number 7 means something smelly, number 8 means death etc… Lizard is number 41.!!!.. I am a christian and at times I have prayed and asked God to reveal to me what this number means because I almost feel as if HE is trying to tell me something… I’m not trying to drag religion into this, it’s just that it’s really become annoying to see number 41 so many times in 1 day… I’m talking about at least 5 times per day without exaggeration. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/51 "2012-06-01T03:09:29Z")
I few months ago a mentally disordered woman posted here claiming that she is the unknown illegitimate daughter of JFK. She based her entire thesis on numerical coincidences. It was explained to her that that is all these are—coincidences. The same thing happens with words. I was once racking my brain trying to remember the name of a guy I once worked with. It was agonizing; I was at it all morning and just couldn’t remember the guy’s name. An hour later I was at Costco and I saw it on the side of a truck: Ballard’s Painting Co. The guy’s name was Ballard. Then I saw it _two more times that day_, and once again the following day. Another time I walked into Walmart with an obscure Todd Rundgren song running through my head. The same song was playing over the PA system. These things happen. Which is finer: a 12-year-old scotch, or a 12-year-old zombie? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/52 "2012-06-01T03:17:31Z")
z - 26 o - 15 m - 13 b - 2 i - 9 e - 5 26 + 15 = 41 :eek: 13+2+9+5 = 34 34+ 5+0 (your post number) + 03 (the number you appended to your username) - 1 (your first post count!) = … _ **41** _!!! ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/53 "2012-06-01T03:26:47Z")
Well duh, the scotch of course. I’ll take the islay single malt please. Neat. Cheers! ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/54 "2012-06-01T03:46:50Z")
I actually have a glass of [Hedonism](http://www.compassboxwhisky.com/home.html)on my desk right now. It’s a blend that will change your mind about blends. The blender has a good line as well, some better than others. Wait … I have a Springbank 18, a Oban 14 and 2 bottles of Jack Daniels (Old No. 7) … 18+14+2+7 … _ **41!** _ ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/55 "2012-06-01T04:36:51Z")
I’ve got another one that will really blow your mind. I once took down a set of vertical blinds that my wife and I didn’t like, got lazy, and tossed them in the driveway. They stayed there for three years. Every time I looked at them I said “oh screw it—I’ll throw them away later.” Then one day I finally decided to shitcan them. I was carrying them to the dumpster when somebody called to me from the window of a neighboring house “hey—you throwing those away?” He was putting up an old set of vertical blinds for his mom that had been sitting in the closet since time immemorial. He set he had was missing several of the vertical slats. It was exactly the same manufacturer, exactly the same model, and _exactly the same fucking color_ as the set I was throwing away. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![3waygeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e95f7d/32.png) [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/56 "2012-06-01T19:02:36Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I went to a book signing for Douglas Adams book _Last Chance to See_ and someone asked him of the significance of the number 42. Basically, why did he choose that number? > > Adams replied that when he was writing that bit and needed a number he stared out the window for about 2 seconds and decided 42 would do nicely. No more reason than that. That, of course, was due to the same reason that Arthur Dent was able to formulate the question by pulling Scrabble tiles out of a bag. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/57 "2012-06-01T19:18:15Z")
Number of heads on Cerberus = 3 This post’s # = 57 57_3 = 171 Number of days in a leap year = 366 366-171 = 195 How many days in Hanukkah = 8 8_195 = 1560 Year of the Consulship of Verus and Augur = 121 1560+121=1681 Sqrt(1681)=41 ZOMG! ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/58 "2012-06-01T19:38:06Z")
:eek: do you realize that at the time of posting, you had 2,7 **14** posts?! If you read that backwards, it’s **41** (7,2). Mapping 7,2 in Cartesian space overlaid on my monitor points to … _post_ \*\*MinkMan’s \*\* post----and what number post was he?! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/59 "2012-06-01T20:58:47Z")
NM ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874/60 "2012-06-01T21:06:09Z")
There is a “41” in my ATM card PIN. How did you know that?? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-number-41/26874.md?page=4)