h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

About yesterday's Monopoly question. Letters are people who let property, of which there are up to 6. Right?

Yes, btu how many in a pound? And what about those crowns and shillings?

B

So glad I got the answer ALMOST right.

Looks like we got two puzzles for the price of one.

I just went for a wild guess with m,o,n,p,l,y.... Cleo may be closer to the mark.

I`m still thinking about it tho... I`m hoping that you don`t forget to give us the full explanation if we don`t get it.

Princess Bride.

1 cent - 1 pence.
dime - 10 pence
dollar = pound

The basics are the same, its just the value thats different. I don`t know what it is now... maybe about 1 and a half dollars to the pound?!

a Crown was worth 5 bob. (shilling) in the old money (Sterling).

I`d better stop there or I shall get onto Guineas and Threepences, sixpences and the good old halfpenny!. (or `ape-enny`!) And what about florins?!

(I don`t remember any of these of course.)

Jane

Spare a groat?

Okay I can handle the pence and stuff. I thought all the shillings and crowns were still in use also. That's what happens when all you get your information from is books that were written in the early parts of 20th and 19th centuries. Sorry to make a fool out of myself.

There are people (in the US) who have more embarrassing preconceptions about life on the other side of the Atlantic. Don't worry. Read it up at A506350.

There's a few Candians too: A few weeks ago when there was a discussion among friends about each other's first jobs, I said mine was working down a coal pit. Couldn't keep a straight face long enough to explain about working the 25-hour day, so I had to admit I was lying.

Wow. I just read that entry about old English money, and now I think I'm even more confused! Well at least you use the metric system for measuring and not the ridiculous one we use. I'm awfully glad you've moved on from that. Although now it's the Euro. Or did you get into that? And what are the increments for the Euro?

quid: Yes, Cleo had the right answer.

And do I assume, after this farce, that Gnomon will be stepping down as temporary quiz host?

B

On the contrary, I'm going to post a really hard question concerning American money!

Most of Europe uses the Metric System, but the UK and Ireland are in the process of changing over. In Ireland, most things are changed over at this stage, but speed limits are still in miles per hour. In the UK, road signs are all still in miles, but petrol is sold in litres.

Twelve countries in Western Europe have adopted the Euro currency, but the UK hasn't. Euro coins are 1 cent, 2 cent, 5 cent, 10 cent, 20 cent, 50 cent, 1 Euro and 2 Euro. Notes are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 Euro.

Well done, Seamus O'Torridon for being first with the right answer when I finally posted the right question. One virtual point is awarded.

A660863

Good job Trillian, that article made lots of sense and was very informative. I now understand about the Euro.