242 NUMERICAL PALINDROMES: PART 1 SUSAN THORPE Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, England At first sight, RESEDACEAE (the plant family to which the mignonette belongs) is not a palindrome. But it is--in disguise! When its ten letters are split into two equal groups of five letters each, and the letters assigned the values A=l, B=2, ... RESED- totals 51 whilst -ACEAE totals 15. RESEDACEAE can thus be written 51.15 which is a numerical palin- drome. The Romanian anatomist and surgeon, Dumitru GEROTA (12.33.21) and that useful garden tool, the WIDGER (32.11.23), are also numerical palindromes, but ones in which the word has been split into three equal groups of letters. Thus, assigning A=l, B=2, ... a numerical palindrome can be defined as a word which, when split into n groups each having the same number of letters, and the letter values of each group totalled, provides a number series whose digits read the same backwards as forwards. H'ere, however, I concentrate exclusively on splitting words (and phrases) into two groups (n=2) each of which consists of two digits. As a genre, numerical palindromes have largely escaped the attention of Word Ways although EMBOLISM (35.53) was mentioned as such in "All Words Are Interesting" by Pamela Brang in the August 1977 issue. The current item seeks to redress this situation, not least because their counterparts, the numerical tautonyms--words such as MICROPHONE (58.58)--have long since received extensive coverage; see Leslie Card's "Six-Letter Numerical Tautonyms" in the November 1970 Word Ways, and It Eight-Letter Numerical Tautonyms 0' in the August 1971 issue. Incident- ally, some words can lay claim to being both numerical palindromes and numerical tautonyms. These include CHEF (11.11), RACIAL (22.22), SAMPLE (33.33), CUTEST (44.44), SOURLY (55.55), INTERLOPER (66.66), GYNO- PLASTY (77.77), STEPMOTHERLY (88.88) and TRANSVERSARIUM (99.99). GAMBIA (21.12), HISPANIA (52.25) and COPENHAGEN (53.35) are all palindromic locations. SAMANTHA (34.43), FERNANDO (43.34), APPLETON (45.54) and CONRAD (32.23) are palindromic names. So is PANDORA, but only when she is in her Box-possessive mood: PANDORA'S (35.53). Descartes had palindromic aspirations too. He said "I think, therefore I am". But he wasn't. Short of an E, he could only contribute towards DESECRATES (36.63), his andagram! Numerical palindromes boast a sequence of superlatives. BARN-, BUFF- FOAM-, FOGG-, MANG-, PECK-, SCAL-, SEDG- and TACK- each accommo- date -lEST (53) to make (35.53). Similarly, the -OLOGY (74) set ACTIN-, FEMIN-, MONAD- and REACT- ea ch make (47.74).
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242
NUMERICAL PALINDROMES PART 1
SUSAN THORPE Great Missenden Buckinghamshire England
At first sight RESEDACEAE (the plant family to which the mignonette belongs) is not a palindrome But it is--in disguise When its ten letters are split into two equal groups of five letters each and the letters assigned the values A=l B=2 RESED- totals 51 whilst -ACEAE totals 15 RESEDACEAE can thus be written 5115 which is a numerical palinshydrome The Romanian anatomist and surgeon Dumitru GEROTA (123321) and that useful garden tool the WIDGER (321123) are also numerical palindromes but ones in which the word has been split into three equal groups of letters Thus assigning A=l B=2 a numerical palindrome can be defined as a word which when split into n groups each having the same number of letters and the letter values of each group totalled provides a number series whose digits read the same backwards as forwards Here however I concentrate exclusively on splitting words (and phrases) into two groups (n=2) each of which consists of two digits
As a genre numerical palindromes have largely escaped the attention of Word Ways although EMBOLISM (3553) was mentioned as such in All Words Are Interesting by Pamela Brang in the August 1977 issue The current item seeks to redress this situation not least because their counterparts the numerical tautonyms--words such as MICROPHONE (5858)--have long since received extensive coverage see Leslie Cards Six-Letter Numerical Tautonyms in the November 1970 Word Ways and It Eight-Letter Numerical Tautonyms 0 in the August 1971 issue Incidentshyally some words can lay claim to being both numerical palindromes and numerical tautonyms These include CHEF (1111) RACIAL (2222) SAMPLE (3333) CUTEST (4444) SOURLY (5555) INTERLOPER (6666) GYNOshyPLASTY (7777) STEPMOTHERLY (8888) and TRANSVERSARIUM (9999)
GAMBIA (2112) HISPANIA (5225) and COPENHAGEN (5335) are all palindromic locations SAMANTHA (3443) FERNANDO (4334) APPLETON (4554) and CONRAD (3223) are palindromic names So is PANDORA but only when she is in her Box-possessive mood PANDORAS (3553) Descartes had palindromic aspirations too He said I think therefore I am But he wasnt Short of an E he could only contribute towards DESECRATES (3663) his andagram
Numerical palindromes boast a sequence of superlatives BARN- BUFFshyFOAM- FOGG- MANG- PECK- SCAL- SEDG- and TACK- each accommoshydate -lEST (53) to make (3553) Similarly the -OLOGY (74) set ACTIN- FEMIN- MONAD- and REACT- ea ch make (4774)
The double UOIEA-w ord l numerical pali few words wi RE AC TS and i1 also the same of letters (RE drome (2442 )
The synony palindromic sy between nu me reason why a single word s numerical halv
CARD VOTE 26 DARK BOG S 34 PALM LEAF 42 WING FLAP 53 CROWN HEA DS
By way of different leng within one of
BACK GAR DEN CONY BURROW
The words 1 the mlnlnum Together with palindromic nu ular number a to find a war phrase where 2002 3003 400
Unless s p ec Websters S eclt Complete Word A Dictionary c clator Zoologic Dictiona ry ( 25t
0110 aj [Di ct i ( 0 220 aaas 0330 b ask Ol~40 a cu s 0550 baboot 0 6 60 Ab b a fot
t h e mignonette I i ts t e n letters md the letters -AC EAE totals lurnerica1 palinshyROTA (123321)
also nu merical nto three equal ~ical p alin d ro m e ps ea c h having grou p totalled b a c k wards as
splitting words onsists of two
d the attention as s u c h in All 1977 issue The
because their IS MICROPHONE e Leslie Cards Word Ways and lss u e Incidentshy)alindromes and (222 2) SAMPLE ( 6666) GYNOshy
CUM (99 99)
(5 335) are all 34 ) APPLETON PANDOR A but DO RAS (3 553) n k therefore I tribute towards
BARN- BUFFshyeach accommoshy
74) set ACTIN-
243
The double letter delights KUUANT (5335) and PUDDEE (4114) the UOIEA-word UNOCCIDENTAL (6556) and UN-AMERICAN (5445) are all numerical palindromes So is the plant DECABELONE (1551) one of the few words whose first five letters are ABC DE (DEBACLE is another) REACTS and its transposa1 CATERS not only share the same letters but also the same palindrome But they cleverly use different com binations of letters (REACAT and CTSERS) as the basis of their common palinshydrome (2442)
The synonyms KID (2 +) and BOY (42) are appropriately numericallyshypalindromic synonyms as well And they nicely serve to bridge the gap between numerically-palindromic words and phrases for there is no reason why a search for numerical palindromes should be confined to single words In these phrases the two equal-length words form the two numerical halves of the palindrome
CARD VOTE 2662 OLD AGE 3113 PEACH MELBA 3333 DARK BOGS 3443 HIND WING 3553 NE W ERA 4224 PALM LEAF 4224 BOOK F AIR 433l~ DROP GOAL 5335 WING FLAP 5335 LOVE SEAT 5445 MUSIC PAPER 6556 CROWN HEADS 7337 MUMMY CLOTH 8558
By way of contrast the two words in each of these phrases are of different lengths and the junction of the two numerical halves lies within one of the words
BACK GARDEN 2442 BAGGAGE AGENT 2552 NEWS AD 422~
CONY BURROW 5995 SERVICE HAT 7337 PRIZE WINNERS 9779
The words below have been selected from a list of 726 prepared with the mlnlnum of computer assistance and the maximum of eyestrain Together with 1111 2222 to 9999 (see above) they cover the 99 palindromic numbers from 0110 to 9999 The words ascribed to a particshyular number are of different lengths A few numbers defied my attempts to find a word In these cases I have substituted a two-word coined phrase where possible Ten numbers remain wordless 0770 0880 0990 2002 3003 4004 5005 7007 8008 and 9009
Unless specified otherwise all words can be found in one or more of Websters Second Websters Third the Oxford English Dictionary The Complete Word Game Dictionary (Tom Pulliam and Gorton Carruth 1984) A Dictionary of Flowering Plants and Ferns (JC Willis 1966) Nomenshyclator Zoologicus (Zoological Society of London) and Stedmans Medical Dictionary (25th edition)
0110 aj [Dictionary of Jamaican English (1967)] 0220 aaas 0330 bask 0440 acus 0550 baboot 0660 Abba four [a pop group]
1001 1221 1331 14+1 1551 1661 1771 1881 1991 2112 2332 2442 2552 2662 2772 2882 2992 3113 3223 3143 3553 3663 3773 3883 3993 l~114
4224 4334 4554 4664 4774 4884 4994 5115 5225 5335 5445 5665 5775 5885 5995 6006 6116 6226 6336 6446 6556 6776 6886 6996 7117
244
ja kail hackia bedab ble laze befold maut heaven deadlock hafnyl jacamars Decabelone cherry diabolos [Gk] decently dabbed powder [coined phrase] bald Suzy [coined phrase] epic braced horn emetic barbered sews hoarse bracelet pizz deploy legalize declaiming grayly ga mester bandalette celebrator academicisms bragozzo haematosis carbethoxy opal bonded gem-faced wire salami radiance sory matter enclosed bidentalia parrot shaggily abbeystede deep-damasked poetry conducts bandoliers desirous allegorize Christys filibuster backcrossing fasciaplasty ha berdasheress tuck simiad single five-leaf beholdable twos buttie impeding leaf-shaped fruity colonize ethicalism reaffirmance tincture affronting faciolingual geotropy actinology affrightedly eucaryotes acidophilous heliotropy bacteriopexy novcic fullface Cassiaceae sulpha formicid muslin Copenhagen stover operates elliptical meclofenamic plug-ugly equalizing Judaeophobes panzooty Artocarpus alexandrites phenotypes acrognostics coffee-roasting dichotomists achromatocytic toy cab [coined phrase] tutche thoracic wurmal Spiraeas overbidded syssel tetrapod antisavage gentle-handed pewterer proclaimer Gondwanaland propenyl patisserie unoccidental overgently circumlocute mammogenically brushworks noncausality bilipurpurin antidepressant tusk ache [coined word] what the elephant got
7227 7337 7447 7557 7667 7887 7997 8118 8228 8338 8448 8558 8668 8778 8998 9119 9229 9339 9449 9559 9669 9779 9889
A form
sultanic stumbler routines oustitis 1
starringlJ mispursui homomorp huzzahed smoothabl systemas frustratel nonswlmrn zymograp synonyml preposter fusty-fac wispy hel prosplCle transvesi synoviall dysoxidiz sixty-fou sponsors]
word can a six-dig
UNINTERMITTEti words togethel two will be COl
245
7227 su1tanic stillehede 7337 stumb1er unmetallic Schisandraceae 7447 routines equivocacy pinnatilobed 7557 oustitis mutilative Lophiomyidae 7667 starrin gly levocardiogram 7887 mispursuit counterstamp chroaximetrics 7997 homomorphous anthraquinones 8118 huzzahed Hypericaceae 8228 s mootha b1e Amaryllidaceae 8338 systemas nostomania Tarsipedinae 8448 frustrated conveyancing mo1engraaffite 8558 nonswimmer Monocystidae hemorrhagenics 8668 zymography butterscotch compassionated 8778 synonymize eventuations allotriodontia 8998 preposterous circumvo1uting 9119 fusty-faced [coined word) 9229 wispy hedge [coined phrase) 9339 prospicience vascu10cardiac 9449 transvesica1 superangelica1 9559 synovially hysteroce1es 9669 dysoxidizing Microtrache1us 9779 sixty-fours Ostariop hyseae 9889 sponsorships trigonometries
A word can also be split into two equal-length groups of letters to form a six-digit rather than a four-digit palindrome For example UNINTERMITTENT (101101) can be found in Websters Second These words together with words split into a number of groups other than two will be covered by Rex Gooch in the sequel
t h e mignonette I i ts t e n letters md the letters -AC EAE totals lurnerica1 palinshyROTA (123321)
also nu merical nto three equal ~ical p alin d ro m e ps ea c h having grou p totalled b a c k wards as
splitting words onsists of two
d the attention as s u c h in All 1977 issue The
because their IS MICROPHONE e Leslie Cards Word Ways and lss u e Incidentshy)alindromes and (222 2) SAMPLE ( 6666) GYNOshy
CUM (99 99)
(5 335) are all 34 ) APPLETON PANDOR A but DO RAS (3 553) n k therefore I tribute towards
BARN- BUFFshyeach accommoshy
74) set ACTIN-
243
The double letter delights KUUANT (5335) and PUDDEE (4114) the UOIEA-word UNOCCIDENTAL (6556) and UN-AMERICAN (5445) are all numerical palindromes So is the plant DECABELONE (1551) one of the few words whose first five letters are ABC DE (DEBACLE is another) REACTS and its transposa1 CATERS not only share the same letters but also the same palindrome But they cleverly use different com binations of letters (REACAT and CTSERS) as the basis of their common palinshydrome (2442)
The synonyms KID (2 +) and BOY (42) are appropriately numericallyshypalindromic synonyms as well And they nicely serve to bridge the gap between numerically-palindromic words and phrases for there is no reason why a search for numerical palindromes should be confined to single words In these phrases the two equal-length words form the two numerical halves of the palindrome
CARD VOTE 2662 OLD AGE 3113 PEACH MELBA 3333 DARK BOGS 3443 HIND WING 3553 NE W ERA 4224 PALM LEAF 4224 BOOK F AIR 433l~ DROP GOAL 5335 WING FLAP 5335 LOVE SEAT 5445 MUSIC PAPER 6556 CROWN HEADS 7337 MUMMY CLOTH 8558
By way of contrast the two words in each of these phrases are of different lengths and the junction of the two numerical halves lies within one of the words
BACK GARDEN 2442 BAGGAGE AGENT 2552 NEWS AD 422~
CONY BURROW 5995 SERVICE HAT 7337 PRIZE WINNERS 9779
The words below have been selected from a list of 726 prepared with the mlnlnum of computer assistance and the maximum of eyestrain Together with 1111 2222 to 9999 (see above) they cover the 99 palindromic numbers from 0110 to 9999 The words ascribed to a particshyular number are of different lengths A few numbers defied my attempts to find a word In these cases I have substituted a two-word coined phrase where possible Ten numbers remain wordless 0770 0880 0990 2002 3003 4004 5005 7007 8008 and 9009
Unless specified otherwise all words can be found in one or more of Websters Second Websters Third the Oxford English Dictionary The Complete Word Game Dictionary (Tom Pulliam and Gorton Carruth 1984) A Dictionary of Flowering Plants and Ferns (JC Willis 1966) Nomenshyclator Zoologicus (Zoological Society of London) and Stedmans Medical Dictionary (25th edition)
0110 aj [Dictionary of Jamaican English (1967)] 0220 aaas 0330 bask 0440 acus 0550 baboot 0660 Abba four [a pop group]
1001 1221 1331 14+1 1551 1661 1771 1881 1991 2112 2332 2442 2552 2662 2772 2882 2992 3113 3223 3143 3553 3663 3773 3883 3993 l~114
4224 4334 4554 4664 4774 4884 4994 5115 5225 5335 5445 5665 5775 5885 5995 6006 6116 6226 6336 6446 6556 6776 6886 6996 7117
244
ja kail hackia bedab ble laze befold maut heaven deadlock hafnyl jacamars Decabelone cherry diabolos [Gk] decently dabbed powder [coined phrase] bald Suzy [coined phrase] epic braced horn emetic barbered sews hoarse bracelet pizz deploy legalize declaiming grayly ga mester bandalette celebrator academicisms bragozzo haematosis carbethoxy opal bonded gem-faced wire salami radiance sory matter enclosed bidentalia parrot shaggily abbeystede deep-damasked poetry conducts bandoliers desirous allegorize Christys filibuster backcrossing fasciaplasty ha berdasheress tuck simiad single five-leaf beholdable twos buttie impeding leaf-shaped fruity colonize ethicalism reaffirmance tincture affronting faciolingual geotropy actinology affrightedly eucaryotes acidophilous heliotropy bacteriopexy novcic fullface Cassiaceae sulpha formicid muslin Copenhagen stover operates elliptical meclofenamic plug-ugly equalizing Judaeophobes panzooty Artocarpus alexandrites phenotypes acrognostics coffee-roasting dichotomists achromatocytic toy cab [coined phrase] tutche thoracic wurmal Spiraeas overbidded syssel tetrapod antisavage gentle-handed pewterer proclaimer Gondwanaland propenyl patisserie unoccidental overgently circumlocute mammogenically brushworks noncausality bilipurpurin antidepressant tusk ache [coined word] what the elephant got
7227 7337 7447 7557 7667 7887 7997 8118 8228 8338 8448 8558 8668 8778 8998 9119 9229 9339 9449 9559 9669 9779 9889
A form
sultanic stumbler routines oustitis 1
starringlJ mispursui homomorp huzzahed smoothabl systemas frustratel nonswlmrn zymograp synonyml preposter fusty-fac wispy hel prosplCle transvesi synoviall dysoxidiz sixty-fou sponsors]
word can a six-dig
UNINTERMITTEti words togethel two will be COl
245
7227 su1tanic stillehede 7337 stumb1er unmetallic Schisandraceae 7447 routines equivocacy pinnatilobed 7557 oustitis mutilative Lophiomyidae 7667 starrin gly levocardiogram 7887 mispursuit counterstamp chroaximetrics 7997 homomorphous anthraquinones 8118 huzzahed Hypericaceae 8228 s mootha b1e Amaryllidaceae 8338 systemas nostomania Tarsipedinae 8448 frustrated conveyancing mo1engraaffite 8558 nonswimmer Monocystidae hemorrhagenics 8668 zymography butterscotch compassionated 8778 synonymize eventuations allotriodontia 8998 preposterous circumvo1uting 9119 fusty-faced [coined word) 9229 wispy hedge [coined phrase) 9339 prospicience vascu10cardiac 9449 transvesica1 superangelica1 9559 synovially hysteroce1es 9669 dysoxidizing Microtrache1us 9779 sixty-fours Ostariop hyseae 9889 sponsorships trigonometries
A word can also be split into two equal-length groups of letters to form a six-digit rather than a four-digit palindrome For example UNINTERMITTENT (101101) can be found in Websters Second These words together with words split into a number of groups other than two will be covered by Rex Gooch in the sequel
1001 1221 1331 14+1 1551 1661 1771 1881 1991 2112 2332 2442 2552 2662 2772 2882 2992 3113 3223 3143 3553 3663 3773 3883 3993 l~114
4224 4334 4554 4664 4774 4884 4994 5115 5225 5335 5445 5665 5775 5885 5995 6006 6116 6226 6336 6446 6556 6776 6886 6996 7117
244
ja kail hackia bedab ble laze befold maut heaven deadlock hafnyl jacamars Decabelone cherry diabolos [Gk] decently dabbed powder [coined phrase] bald Suzy [coined phrase] epic braced horn emetic barbered sews hoarse bracelet pizz deploy legalize declaiming grayly ga mester bandalette celebrator academicisms bragozzo haematosis carbethoxy opal bonded gem-faced wire salami radiance sory matter enclosed bidentalia parrot shaggily abbeystede deep-damasked poetry conducts bandoliers desirous allegorize Christys filibuster backcrossing fasciaplasty ha berdasheress tuck simiad single five-leaf beholdable twos buttie impeding leaf-shaped fruity colonize ethicalism reaffirmance tincture affronting faciolingual geotropy actinology affrightedly eucaryotes acidophilous heliotropy bacteriopexy novcic fullface Cassiaceae sulpha formicid muslin Copenhagen stover operates elliptical meclofenamic plug-ugly equalizing Judaeophobes panzooty Artocarpus alexandrites phenotypes acrognostics coffee-roasting dichotomists achromatocytic toy cab [coined phrase] tutche thoracic wurmal Spiraeas overbidded syssel tetrapod antisavage gentle-handed pewterer proclaimer Gondwanaland propenyl patisserie unoccidental overgently circumlocute mammogenically brushworks noncausality bilipurpurin antidepressant tusk ache [coined word] what the elephant got
7227 7337 7447 7557 7667 7887 7997 8118 8228 8338 8448 8558 8668 8778 8998 9119 9229 9339 9449 9559 9669 9779 9889
A form
sultanic stumbler routines oustitis 1
starringlJ mispursui homomorp huzzahed smoothabl systemas frustratel nonswlmrn zymograp synonyml preposter fusty-fac wispy hel prosplCle transvesi synoviall dysoxidiz sixty-fou sponsors]
word can a six-dig
UNINTERMITTEti words togethel two will be COl
245
7227 su1tanic stillehede 7337 stumb1er unmetallic Schisandraceae 7447 routines equivocacy pinnatilobed 7557 oustitis mutilative Lophiomyidae 7667 starrin gly levocardiogram 7887 mispursuit counterstamp chroaximetrics 7997 homomorphous anthraquinones 8118 huzzahed Hypericaceae 8228 s mootha b1e Amaryllidaceae 8338 systemas nostomania Tarsipedinae 8448 frustrated conveyancing mo1engraaffite 8558 nonswimmer Monocystidae hemorrhagenics 8668 zymography butterscotch compassionated 8778 synonymize eventuations allotriodontia 8998 preposterous circumvo1uting 9119 fusty-faced [coined word) 9229 wispy hedge [coined phrase) 9339 prospicience vascu10cardiac 9449 transvesica1 superangelica1 9559 synovially hysteroce1es 9669 dysoxidizing Microtrache1us 9779 sixty-fours Ostariop hyseae 9889 sponsorships trigonometries
A word can also be split into two equal-length groups of letters to form a six-digit rather than a four-digit palindrome For example UNINTERMITTENT (101101) can be found in Websters Second These words together with words split into a number of groups other than two will be covered by Rex Gooch in the sequel
245
7227 su1tanic stillehede 7337 stumb1er unmetallic Schisandraceae 7447 routines equivocacy pinnatilobed 7557 oustitis mutilative Lophiomyidae 7667 starrin gly levocardiogram 7887 mispursuit counterstamp chroaximetrics 7997 homomorphous anthraquinones 8118 huzzahed Hypericaceae 8228 s mootha b1e Amaryllidaceae 8338 systemas nostomania Tarsipedinae 8448 frustrated conveyancing mo1engraaffite 8558 nonswimmer Monocystidae hemorrhagenics 8668 zymography butterscotch compassionated 8778 synonymize eventuations allotriodontia 8998 preposterous circumvo1uting 9119 fusty-faced [coined word) 9229 wispy hedge [coined phrase) 9339 prospicience vascu10cardiac 9449 transvesica1 superangelica1 9559 synovially hysteroce1es 9669 dysoxidizing Microtrache1us 9779 sixty-fours Ostariop hyseae 9889 sponsorships trigonometries
A word can also be split into two equal-length groups of letters to form a six-digit rather than a four-digit palindrome For example UNINTERMITTENT (101101) can be found in Websters Second These words together with words split into a number of groups other than two will be covered by Rex Gooch in the sequel
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