7
$\begingroup$

I'm a teacher at an Academy. I set my students the task of writing a history essay on a year BCE. One of my students, instead of giving me his year, gave me this slip of paper before walking out the room:

Hi, I am no longer needed at your academy. you're probably thinking 'He? well, 'E actually isn't needed'. and "'E" isn't needed, that isn't a Lie. i'm a humble Bea, A can be done without. No complaints, O time to leave. my Mug won't be seen with You anymore. oh, and my friend Ale, 'E isn't needed here either. like the number Pi when calculating one plus one, I am not needed. So my big O won't utter sound here again and shall be removed. Are, my other friend, 'E can go too. Cue for 'E and to disappear. take A away from our Bar. Rob, O no more left. Pod, O without it. A in our Pad isn't needed. Age is a 'E beyond his expiring date. i want a Cod, but i'm allergic to fish with O in their name. i'll just go Sob in a corner - O you've left. time for Tea, A can be done without.

(+)

On the back of the paper appeared to be half the periodic table:

Periodic table of Wikipedia. I take no claim for it as my own.

Which year BCE is my student doing his project on, or has he left forever?

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
1
  • $\begingroup$ @ghosts_in_the_code You might be able to get it now $\endgroup$
    – Beastly Gerbil
    Apr 30, 2016 at 16:02

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
5
$\begingroup$

481 BCE

  • 1 H: Hi, I am no longer needed at your academy.

  • 1 H: you're probably thinking 'He? well, 'E actually isn't needed'.

  • 3 Li: and "'E" isn't needed, that isn't a Lie.

  • 4 Be: i'm a humble Bea, A can be done without.

  • 7 N: No complaints, O time to leave.

  • 12 Mg: my Mug won't be seen with You anymore.

  • 13 Al: oh, and my friend Ale, 'E isn't needed here either.

  • 15 P: like the number Pi when calculating one plus one, I am not needed.

  • 16 S: So my big O won't utter sound here again and shall be removed.

  • 18 Ar: Are, my other friend, 'E can go too.

  • 29 Cu: Cue for 'E and to disappear.

  • 35 Br: take A away from our Bar.

  • 37 Rb: Rob, O no more left.

  • 46 Pd: Pod, O without it.

  • 46 Pd: A in our Pad isn't needed.

  • 47 Ag: Age is a 'E beyond his expiring date.

  • 48 Cd: i want a Cod, but i'm allergic to fish with O in their name.

  • 51 Sb: i'll just go Sob in a corner - O you've left.

  • 52 Te: time for Tea, A can be done without.

So

(+) yields 1+1+3+4+7+12+13+15+16+18+29+35+37+46+46+47+48+51+52 = 481 (BCE)

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
6
  • $\begingroup$ Seems like the next step would be to take each of those bullets and look up the corresponding number, right? $\endgroup$
    – Kate Gregory
    Apr 30, 2016 at 16:43
  • $\begingroup$ @BeastlyGerbil True, another two are the same too $\endgroup$
    – Jonathan Allan
    Apr 30, 2016 at 16:46
  • $\begingroup$ @JonathanAllan YOU'RE SO CLOSE! There is one thing left to do which can be found at the end of the letter. This will give you the year... $\endgroup$
    – Beastly Gerbil
    Apr 30, 2016 at 16:53
  • $\begingroup$ @BeastlyGerbil - You don't know Douglas Adams? $\endgroup$
    – Jonathan Allan
    Apr 30, 2016 at 17:03
  • $\begingroup$ @JonathanAllan, yes with Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy - is this to do with 'the answer to life, the universe, and everything = 42?' $\endgroup$
    – Beastly Gerbil
    Apr 30, 2016 at 17:05

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.