# Can't solve a find the missing number question

I found the following question on the TORN forums, and haven't been able to solve it.

$$\begin{matrix}2&9&4&4\\6&0&3&0\\1&3&0&1\\0&5&7&3\\x&8&4&8\end{matrix}$$

My attempt so far

I can see that $29$ and $44$ add to $73$, but I didn't get anywhere. I tried squaring the numbers, adding, squaring and adding, and a few other things, but I can't solve.

Can anyone help?

• Usually we like some frame of reference from puzzles that you did not create. As in, can you provide a source? Also, in the future, try to hide your attempts as this should be a question to other users, instead of an open discussion on your progress. Mar 5 '18 at 13:30
• @JasonV I found this here. How do I hide my attempts? Mar 5 '18 at 13:31
• see my revision. :) Mar 5 '18 at 13:32
• @JasonV Okay. Done. Mar 5 '18 at 13:46

Looks like

addition of four four-digit numbers.

So the number is

either 10 or 0, depending on what happens to the one that needs to be carried.

• since it is asking missing digit, it is 0 :)
– Oray
Mar 5 '18 at 14:01
• Wow! I didn't notice this at all! Mar 5 '18 at 14:06
• @Oray Actually, the original puzzle doesn't say it's a digit; I guess that was just the closest available tag. (The original instructions are "After thriving in a couple of preceded defies, the king vouchsafes the next defy where [number grid]" which, er, ... yeah. They're all words, at least!) Mar 5 '18 at 15:18
• All the other ones were carried to the next column, so it seems unexpected that the final one would attach itself to the x rather than simply overflow from the table. Mar 5 '18 at 17:12