The last puzzler of the season was about the couple trying to get a free meal at a restaurant, claiming it was their wedding anniversary.
For bonus points: If the same thing happened 100 years earlier, in 1914 instead of 2014, would the result be the same?
I looked at the http://www.cartalk.com/content/puzzlers#lastweekspuzzler and did not see that puzzle. What were the details of the puzzle?
It’s the 7.3.2014 show’s puzzler. Click above on “our show”, then “puzzler”, then “archives” (for 2014).
Note: You might be confused b/c there’s puzzlers posted after that date on the website, but those were not recently broadcast. They’re for listeners who want to do a puzzler once week even if the “Puzzler” doesn’t appear on the show during the summer.
Answer: It wouldn’t work in 1914 because 1900 wasn’t a leap year.
That’s true because a centennial year must be divisible by 400.
For double bonus points: If the same thing happened in 1914 in St. Petersburg, Russia, would the result be the same?
Thu 7/23/1885; Fri 7/23/1886 (+28 years) = Thu 7/23/1914; Wed 7/23/2014
You are right @insightful and @missileman , and as verified by @ArlHtsMelissa . For the repeat to work, all years evenly divided by four in the time interval of interest must be a leap year. But the way the calendar works to keep the seasons matching to the months, years ending in “00” – centennial years – are only a leap year if they are evenly divisible by 400. 2000 is. 1900 isn’t.
Good job everybody!
" years ending in “00” are only a leap year if they are evenly divisible by 400."
True, it may be a little out of sync by then, but I’m not doing much worrying about it … lol …
For triple bonus points: Why won’t the calendar ever get out of sync again?
Edit: Trick question; @Mechaniker gives a clue.