# What cryptic aspect the following message has?

My manager is sending some cryptic messages for fun. Here is the message:

Mr.Black had a low value in the list followed by Mr.Brown. Sometimes, though the band in the dress they wore contained red, yellow and orange found a higher significance. Green of course was the middle one and the royals of blue and violet were naturally dearer. In spite of these, the purity of white was on the top, followed immediately by grey. In this whole representation, gold and silver had the least value. We are usually associated with Great Britain and we are of a very high standard.

As far as I know, it indirectly means something. I have only this information.

Will provide answer when my manager provides to us. Which could be probably at the end of today.

Thanks.

Sounds to me like

resistor colour-codes (also used for some other electronic components).

Mr.Black had a low value in the list followed by Mr.Brown.

Black and brown signify digits 0 and 1 respectively.

Sometimes, though the band in the dress they wore contained red, yellow and orange found a higher significance.

Red, yellow, orange are 2,3,4.

Green of course was the middle one and the royals of blue and violet were naturally dearer.

Green, blue, violet are 5,6,7.

In spite of these, the purity of white was on the top, followed immediately by grey.

Grey and white are 8,9.

In this whole representation, gold and silver had the least value.

As well as signifying digits 0-9, the colours are used to denote powers of ten: $10^0$ to $10^9$. Gold and silver aren't used for digits but extend the exponents: gold is $10^{-1}$ and silver is $10^{-2}$.

We are usually associated with Great Britain and we are of a very high standard.

Not sure quite what's going on here. There's a mnemonic for the colours that mentions Great Britain. (Mr_Green confirms that this is what he had in mind. "BB ROY Great Britain Very Good Wife".)

• As a computer engineering student, when I saw Black and Brown in the paragraph, this was the first thing which jumped to mind. :-) – Jeremy Jun 16 '16 at 13:47
• Me too, though I happen not to be a computer engineering student. – Gareth McCaughan Jun 16 '16 at 13:53
• Aah, you beat me by umm $37-2=35$ minutes :P you're fast :) – ABcDexter Jun 16 '16 at 14:24
• I just happened to look at the right moment. (But my speed is very variable...) – Gareth McCaughan Jun 16 '16 at 14:35
• The mnemonic is "BB ROY of Great Britain had a Very Good Wife who wore Gold and Silver Necklace" – Mr_Green Jun 16 '16 at 14:53

It's :

This

Mr. Black had a low value in the list followed by Mr. Brown. Sometimes, though the band in the dress they wore contained red, yellow and orange found a higher significance.
Green of course was the middle one and the royals of blue and violet were naturally dearer. In spite of these, the purity of white was on the top, followed immediately by grey. In this whole representation, gold and silver had the least value. We are usually associated with Great Britain and we are of a very high standard.

The colours were obvious, the (not so) Great Britain!

was a giveaway as

I recognised the user from the Hinduism.SE, I am sure he must have heard of this mnemonic in school/engineering.
BB ROY, Great Britain Very Good Wife GSN
Yes that's how Physics is taught in schools :P

• How is this answer different from Gareth's which was posted 30+ minutes ago? – Gordon Allocman Jun 16 '16 at 14:24
• I didn't see his answer, just saw it. Please my comment on his answer, I'll delete this if i find this obsolete. – ABcDexter Jun 16 '16 at 14:26
• Yes I heard about bbroy great Britain. Awesome :D – Mr_Green Jun 16 '16 at 14:43
• @Mr_Green The old teaching methods :) – ABcDexter Jun 16 '16 at 14:54