# "When in doubt, Charlie out"??

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-doubt-charlie-out/41857
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 19, 2000, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-doubt-charlie-out/41857 "2000-11-19T17:45:26Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2000, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-doubt-charlie-out/41857/1 "2000-11-19T17:45:26Z")

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My mum was watching Regis a while ago, and one of the contestants, a sailor in the US Navy, used this expression when he bailed. My mum has a touching faith that her son knows everything, and asked what this saying means and where it comes from? Can anyone help me maintain my mum’s illusions about my abilities??

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### Author: ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2000, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-doubt-charlie-out/41857/2 "2000-11-19T18:51:21Z")

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The phrase refers to the multiple choice tests used for advancement in the Navy. Basically it means “if you don’t know the answer, pick ‘c’.” Charlie is phonetic alphabet for ‘c’.

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### Author: ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2000, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-doubt-charlie-out/41857/3 "2000-11-19T19:36:11Z")

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thanks, but why ‘c’? some theory that the examiners use ‘c’ more often, or it’s just the default?

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### Author: ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2000, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-doubt-charlie-out/41857/4 "2000-11-19T19:39:32Z")

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The rumor is that ‘c’ is used the most on advancement tests. Probably not true - ‘charlie’ sounds better in the rhyme than ‘alpha’ or ‘bravo’ or ‘delta’. But if you think about it, if you don’t know the answer to four questions and answer ‘charlie’ to all of them, chances are you’ll get at least one of them correct.

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### Author: ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [November 20, 2000, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-doubt-charlie-out/41857/5 "2000-11-20T04:09:17Z")

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Had supper with my mum tonight; her faith in her son’s omniscience continues. Thanks, guys.