# What's the Next Number in this Series? (A Game)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-next-number-in-this-series-a-game/76217
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [August 14, 2001, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-next-number-in-this-series-a-game/76217 "2001-08-14T17:18:08Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2001, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-next-number-in-this-series-a-game/76217/1 "2001-08-14T17:18:08Z")
14, 34, 42, 72, \_\_\_
Don’t confine yourself to mathematics. First one with the correct answer gets to come up with a number series of their own. And, hopefully, so on. 🙂
---
### Author:  [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2001, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-next-number-in-this-series-a-game/76217/2 "2001-08-14T17:21:13Z")
1.
The first two are some number followed by 4. The second two are some number followed by 2, which is half of 4. Therefore the next number is some number followed by 1, which is half of two.
That’s my answer.
---
### Author:  [@Briminator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briminator)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2001, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-next-number-in-this-series-a-game/76217/3 "2001-08-14T17:30:10Z")
96 is the correct answer. It is the station stops for the #2 & #3 subway cars in New York City
---
### Author:  [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2001, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-next-number-in-this-series-a-game/76217/4 "2001-08-14T17:32:08Z")
You got it, **Briminator**. 🙂 You’re up.
---
### Author:  [@Briminator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briminator)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2001, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-next-number-in-this-series-a-game/76217/5 "2001-08-14T17:35:10Z")
96 is the correct answer. It is the station stops for the #2 & #3 subway cars in New York City. I’ll figure out another puzzle in a bit.
::scurries back to work::
---
### Author:  [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2001, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-next-number-in-this-series-a-game/76217/6 "2001-08-14T17:35:55Z")
Cripes, those of us outside NYC are supposed to be able to figure that out? How about a REAL number sequence?
You New Yorkers are SO provincial! 😉
---
### Author:  [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2001, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-next-number-in-this-series-a-game/76217/7 "2001-08-14T17:47:34Z")
Slightly ‘Off Topic’ but how many bus stops are there between Oxford and Stratford? The winner gets to specify his or her bus route.
---
### Author:  [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2001, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-next-number-in-this-series-a-game/76217/8 "2001-08-14T17:52:09Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by dropzone \*
> Cripes, those of us outside NYC are supposed to be able to figure that out? How about a REAL number sequence?
>
> You New Yorkers are SO provincial! 😉
The hell you say; I’m an Oregonian! (Though I _am_, um, summering in Manhattan.) Anyway, the beauty of this board is that no matter how obscure or specialized a number sequence (retired jerseys by the Edmonton Oilers, for example), somebody will come along and figure it out.
But no more NYC-centric series from me, **dropzone** ; I promise. 🙂
---
### Author:  [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2001, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-next-number-in-this-series-a-game/76217/9 "2001-08-14T18:00:12Z")
Better not, or I’ll start on exits on the Dan Ryan. 😉
---
### Author:  [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-next-number-in-this-series-a-game/76217/10 "2001-08-15T15:07:06Z")
All right, here’s another of 'em while we’re waiting for **Brim** :
14, 15, 92, 65, \_\_\_
I got plenty. 🙂
---
### Author:  [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2001, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-next-number-in-this-series-a-game/76217/11 "2001-08-15T15:13:22Z")
Here’s an old one, but I like it:
1
11
21
1211
111221
312211
13112221
What’s the next line?
---
### Author:  [@jcgmoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jcgmoi)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2001, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-next-number-in-this-series-a-game/76217/12 "2001-08-15T15:58:47Z")
Let’s try this.
Count the digits of the first number:
one 1, one three, two one’s, three two’s, two one’s.
So next after 13112221 is 1113213211