Brain Teasers
Five Grandsons
On 24 December 1752, George Layton returned to Boston after a voyage of two years. The next day would be Christmas. George's wife, Martha, had invited his five daughters to come and celebrate their first Christmas as a family in three years.
After two years of long grueling days, it was nice to have a night of restful sleep. George awakened around ten in the morning, hearing a lot of bustling going on downstairs. Throwing on his robe, George went downstairs. There, in the parlor, were his wife, his five daughters, and their husbands. Each daughter had a child in her arms.
His wife, Martha, said, "Merry Christmas, George. A happy Christmas, since you have returned home after two years. And each of your daughters has borne you a grandson this year. A very merry Christmas to you!"
Abigail placed her son into George's arms and said, "This is your first grandson, Samuel. He was born on February 22."
Next came Rebecca. She introduced George to her son Richard, saying, "Welcome your grandson, a spitting image of his grandfather. Richard was born on June 27."
Julia then stepped forward. She placed her son, Gregory, into George's arms. "This is Gregory, who was born on September 19."
Elizabeth kissed her father on the cheek, then introduced him to her son, Walter. "Walter was born on October 14, your birthday."
Last, came the youngest daughter, Catherine. "This is Henry, who was born just this month, on December 2."
Then Martha spoke again. "Five grandsons in one year. And truly amazing is that they were all born on the same day of the week."
George stood up and hugged each of his daughters. He then sat back down, smiled at his wife, and said, "My daughters, I know how you like to pose little riddles for me to solve. I know that one of you is lying, and you want me to figure out which one of you is trying to pull a fast one on her father. One of my grandsons was not born on the same day of the week as the other four. That grandson is ... "
The given dates are correct. What grandson was not born on the same day of the week as the other four?
After two years of long grueling days, it was nice to have a night of restful sleep. George awakened around ten in the morning, hearing a lot of bustling going on downstairs. Throwing on his robe, George went downstairs. There, in the parlor, were his wife, his five daughters, and their husbands. Each daughter had a child in her arms.
His wife, Martha, said, "Merry Christmas, George. A happy Christmas, since you have returned home after two years. And each of your daughters has borne you a grandson this year. A very merry Christmas to you!"
Abigail placed her son into George's arms and said, "This is your first grandson, Samuel. He was born on February 22."
Next came Rebecca. She introduced George to her son Richard, saying, "Welcome your grandson, a spitting image of his grandfather. Richard was born on June 27."
Julia then stepped forward. She placed her son, Gregory, into George's arms. "This is Gregory, who was born on September 19."
Elizabeth kissed her father on the cheek, then introduced him to her son, Walter. "Walter was born on October 14, your birthday."
Last, came the youngest daughter, Catherine. "This is Henry, who was born just this month, on December 2."
Then Martha spoke again. "Five grandsons in one year. And truly amazing is that they were all born on the same day of the week."
George stood up and hugged each of his daughters. He then sat back down, smiled at his wife, and said, "My daughters, I know how you like to pose little riddles for me to solve. I know that one of you is lying, and you want me to figure out which one of you is trying to pull a fast one on her father. One of my grandsons was not born on the same day of the week as the other four. That grandson is ... "
The given dates are correct. What grandson was not born on the same day of the week as the other four?
Answer
"Gregory."In 1752, the British Empire switched from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar. The Julian Calendar had created an error of 11 days over the centuries of its use. In the Julian Calendar, all years that were divisible by 4 were leap years. The Gregorian Calendar compensated for future errors by not having century years that were not divisible by 400 be leap years. This is why 1800 and 1900 were not leap years, yet 2000 was a leap year. To compensate for the 11 days already accumulated, 11 days were eliminated from 1752. In 1752, September 2 was followed by September 14. The year 1752 was a leap year, but it had only 355 days.
Julia's son, Gregory, was born on Tuesday 19 September 1752. George's other grandsons were all born on a Saturday (February 22, June 27, October 14, and December 2).
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Comments
I loved it! I didn't get it but it was very creative and fun.
Yes! Fun! I didn't get it either, but I see why it's in the trivia category.
that was fun. thanks.
I didn't know which days were removed and didn't want to look it up to answer the teaser, but at least I knew what the twist was. I knew the days were removed in the August-October time frame, so I guessed it was the October baby.
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