Brain Teasers
Foney Fun
If you can think back a few years (young'uns ask your parents) or if you happen to own an old one (not a parent, but something else), you can solve the riddle and tell us WHERE The American English alphabet appeared this way.
ABC
DEF
GHI
JKL
MNO
PRS
TUV
WXY
ABC
DEF
GHI
JKL
MNO
PRS
TUV
WXY
Hint
Call an older person who lived in the USA or visited here years ago and ask them. The title is also a hint.Answer
These are the letters of the alphabet as they appeared on older USA dial-phone (and some early touch-tone) faces.Years ago phone numbers had letter-prefixes, such as ADams 4577, BErkley 3322, etc. These represented (usually) streets or sections of town and were called *exchanges*. An *exchange* was one of several locations in the phone-company area that used (at first) a mechanical switching device to connect the caller and the called. One exchange (ADams, for example) could also forward the call on to another exchange (BErkley) where the connection would be completed, or even sent on to ANOTHER exchange if appropriate.
The phone companies, for space-economy and, I suppose, visual consistency, decided to use twenty-four letters only. So they dropped the two least-used ones; Q and Z.
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Comments
i LOVED IT BUNNEE!! iT TOOK ME ALITTLE BIT TO GET IT BUT DIDNT HAVE TO ASK MY DAD. WAHOO TO ME.
shutttt UPPPP!!!! BORING
ok, sorry, kinda boring, don't get it!
Sorry, but that was kind of TOO easy... But maybe not for everybody. But it was easy for me.
Sorry, but that was kind of TOO easy... But maybe not for everybody. But it was easy for me.
Sorry, but that was kind of TOO easy... But maybe not for everybody. But it was easy for me.
Another good one. Had me going in several different directions until I looked at hint - then I finally got it. I almost thought I would have to use a lifeline and call a friend!
Hard for me. But once I saw the answer it was totally obvious(obviously).
I think I remeber those type of phones. I guess being older has some kind of advantages!
Thank you all for the visits, comments, and votes.
Ya ... this was an easy one. Especially for the 'chronologically challenged' crowd.
And ... to AuntPP ... seee !!! growing old DOES have its finer moments !!!
Now .... back up to KB123 and the decoding. I think you put ONE too many 'P's in UPPPPPPPPPPPP ....
It decrypted as 'Yellow Kangaroo' ..
??????
Ya ... this was an easy one. Especially for the 'chronologically challenged' crowd.
And ... to AuntPP ... seee !!! growing old DOES have its finer moments !!!
Now .... back up to KB123 and the decoding. I think you put ONE too many 'P's in UPPPPPPPPPPPP ....
It decrypted as 'Yellow Kangaroo' ..
??????
that was good
It was kinda easy seeing how I grew up with a telephone like that.
It was kinda easy seeing how I grew up with a telephone like that.
Nice teaser with a good visual element! And what do you mean "If I can remember back?" We've still got a couple of these in use! ( see, you stick a finger in this hole by the "G" and you use it to twirl the dial around 'til it hits the stop,then pull you finger out and let the dial spin back. Next you pit your finger inthe hole by the "R" and ....)
On a totally different matter - lighten up, katiebeth - you're staring to sound like you're perpetually pre-menstrual. This is entertainment, not seriosity
On a totally different matter - lighten up, katiebeth - you're staring to sound like you're perpetually pre-menstrual. This is entertainment, not seriosity
Thanks, unkleM, and all the rest of you for your visit, comments, and votes (if you did so). I really appreciate it.
And ... check this thread occasionally. As soon as I get kb123's message decoded (now .... WHERE did I put that decoder ring?) I'll post here in a thrice (or maybe just a twicet, depending on the import of her note).
And ... check this thread occasionally. As soon as I get kb123's message decoded (now .... WHERE did I put that decoder ring?) I'll post here in a thrice (or maybe just a twicet, depending on the import of her note).
UNfair i didnt like this 1
Yes, Strange One, I could not agree with you more. Unfair definitely it was to any age group not familiar with the device.
That's why I put in the body the suggestion that those individuals might want to check with an older person who, perhaps, had familiarity with such.
I apologize to you and hope you did not consider the teaser offensive or abusive. My alter-ego predecessor, BadBunnee (author of the teaser) was noted and censured for such behavior and I hope, in my own small way, to correct that and make amends therefore.
ylads-LBE
(exBadBunnee)
That's why I put in the body the suggestion that those individuals might want to check with an older person who, perhaps, had familiarity with such.
I apologize to you and hope you did not consider the teaser offensive or abusive. My alter-ego predecessor, BadBunnee (author of the teaser) was noted and censured for such behavior and I hope, in my own small way, to correct that and make amends therefore.
ylads-LBE
(exBadBunnee)
When I saw that there was no Q or Z I got it right off the bat.
Easy, got it right away. Thanks for the detailed explaination, that made it more interesting.
I am also "chronologically challenged" and got it
i'm not sure what you mean by "if you can remember", i didn't even realise that phones had gotten around to putting the z and q back in... (was going to say that phones still looked like that now, before actually looking at my phone on my desk and realising that it has the z and the q on there...)
I new this one w/o acnowledging the title or using the hint we still have a fone with the letters on there
Well, I may be naive, since I've never used such a phone, but what if Zarazee wanted to call Quezada? (these are real names, i know ppl with them) There's no Q or Z?
that one went over my head higher than last months phone bill. I used one of them phones for years & never rembered it. but good one. I missed it.
I got it pretty easy, but it's cuz my mom has had a phone like that my whole life,and refuses to get a new one. She thinks technology is evil I liked that one,but next time...give us something harder!
I'm starting to agree with your mom seraphim, sometimes technology wants me to think that its evil . And as for the hint I never put 2 & 2 together until reading all the comments.opsespite all the downplayers of this teaser, I thought it was a good one. But everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Nice piece of trivia, makes me grateful my phone has all letters in. Good job and this one and, keep them coming!
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