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        riddles >> easy >> Kings and Queens
        
(Message started by: Paul Hammond on Dec 9^th, 2002, 2:18pm)

Title: Kings and Queens
Post by Paul Hammond on Dec 9^th, 2002, 2:18pm

King Henry VIII of England ascended the throne in the year 1509, Charles X of France in 1824. But you knew that. Notice, however, that the digits of 1509 and 1824 both add up to 15. By coincidence, three other (actual, historical) monarchs, who I'll call King A, Queen B and Queen C, also each ascended the throne in years whose digits add up to 15.
One of them ascended the throne in 1491. King A ascended the throne 18 years before Queen B, who ascended the throne 288 years before Queen C.

On which dates did each of them ascend the throne?

Title: Re: NEW: Kings and Queens
Post by Speaker on Dec 10^th, 2002, 12:41am

The visionary reign of Queen C began in 1491.
The ascension of the industrious yet sweet Queen Bee was in 1473.
And the obderate and odiferous King of the A's wholeheartedly accepted his crown in 1185.

I would like to know the names and wherefores of these noble rulers. Does not one hail from far Siam?

Title: Re: NEW: Kings and Queens
Post by Paul Hammond on Dec 10^th, 2002, 10:42am

Speaker, I'm pretty sure you've got the right idea, but as it stands your answer is wrong.

Title: Re: Kings and Queens
Post by Speaker on Dec 10^th, 2002, 6:12pm

Oops.

How about
C in 1491
B in 1203
A in 1185

Which assumes that 12 + 3 = 15.

Title: Re: Kings and Queens
Post by Paul Hammond on Dec 10^th, 2002, 6:39pm

Heh, I never thought of that. But no, the individual digits must add up to 15.

Title: Re: Kings and Queens
Post by towr on Dec 11^th, 2002, 12:45am

timeline: A +18 B +288 C, and A or B or C = 1491

there are three possibilities:
1491 1509 1797
1473 1491 1779
1185 1203 1491
neither of which work out..

the first one would have worked out if 288 was fi 297 or 198, but it isn't..
the second one would have worked out if 288 was fi 279, but that's not the case either..
the third one would work if you can use 12 + 0 + 3 like Speaker suggested, but that's disallowed as well..

So I'd guess there is no answer..

Title: Re: Kings and Queens
Post by Icarus on Dec 11^th, 2002, 9:25am

Perhaps at least some of the years are expressed in a calendar other than the modern one?

Title: Re: Kings and Queens
Post by aero guy on Dec 11^th, 2002, 10:22am

Come on you guys, there is an answer. I am not sure if Icarus is guessing or giving you a hint, but here is an extra little hint... what assumptions are you making about one date he gave you and what did he say to make you think that way?

Title: Re: Kings and Queens
Post by aero guy on Dec 11^th, 2002, 11:13am

Alright, so I think I figured out who these monarchs are. King A was the utmoste ruler is his time, and when Queen B's predecessor yielded his royal hat, she puts it on. However, if they all come from the same country, as I expect, I think it was King C who would then stake his claim, not Queen C.

Title: Re: Kings and Queens
Post by Proaxiom on Dec 11^th, 2002, 11:16am

Would these happen to be noble rulers of British Columbia, who for some reason rule backwards?

Those crazy BC folks. Or did they change the name to BCE lately?

So King A ascended the throne in 1491?

Title: Re: Kings and Queens
Post by Paul Hammond on Dec 11^th, 2002, 12:11pm

Correct, both of you. aero guy, I'm desperately trying to work the name of Queen C into a suitably pun-tastic reply, but I can't think of anything. Anyway, according to my source she was Queen Tausert. The various websites out there don't agree on the precise dates though.

Title: Re: Kings and Queens
Post by towr on Dec 11^th, 2002, 1:23pm

Could someone explain it again in away I understand?

Title: Re: Kings and Queens
Post by jeremiahsmith on Dec 11^th, 2002, 1:26pm

From what I gather, the statement that "One of them ascended the throne in 1491" refers to 1491 BC, not AD.

Title: Re: Kings and Queens
Post by aero guy on Dec 11^th, 2002, 1:38pm

Yeah, they disagree on dates, but most of the sites I visited said Queen Tausert utters a farewell, thereby ending her rule, in 1186 and Setnakhte taking over in 1185.

Title: Re: Kings and Queens
Post by towr on Dec 11^th, 2002, 1:45pm

on 12/11/02 at 13:26:57, jeremiahsmith wrote:

From what I gather, the statement that "One of them ascended the throne in 1491" refers to 1491 BC, not AD.

hmm.. could be..
But then I'd argue the year 1491BC isn't the year 1491, but the year -1491. It should be noted in some way when you're counting backwards..

Title: Re: Kings and Queens
Post by Paul Hammond on Dec 11^th, 2002, 2:02pm

aero - an anagram, I should have thought of that. But you're right - I've just noticed that the website (http://touregypt.net/kings.htm) I used wrongly lists Tausert as 1185 - 1187. They mean 1187 - 1185 I guess.
towr - that's a valid point of course, but this is really little more than a trick question rather than a proper puzzle.

Title: Re: Kings and Queens
Post by Icarus on Dec 11^th, 2002, 3:41pm

Just for the record: After reading towr's post ( I hadn't bothered to work it out myself), I figured that if the obvious fails, the thing to do is re-examine your assumptions. So I thought, perhaps the dates that add up to 15 are given in different calendar systems (which would be something of a cheat). I had not thought of the dates being BC, which is a very nice solution.