Alright, so someone hits me with “what is 1 12”. Just like that, no context, nothing.
My first reaction? You gotta be kidding me. Is this a test? Some kind of new internet puzzle I missed the memo on? I’ve seen weirder things, believe me. People ask all sorts of stuff, expecting you to be a mind reader.
So, I sat there for a sec. “1 12”. My brain immediately started jumping through hoops. Is it a code? Like, “Agent 1, your contact is Number 12”? Or maybe it’s a typo for “1:12”, like a time? Or even “1/12”, a fraction? You wouldn’t believe the wild goose chases I’ve been on because someone couldn’t type a simple question properly. It’s like that time my old boss asked for a “summary of everything” – yeah, that was a fun week.
Anyway, back to “1 12”. I decided, okay, let’s dial back the paranoia. What’s the most straightforward way to look at this? Occam’s Razor, right? The simplest explanation is usually the best. What if… and this is a wild thought… they just missed a character? Like a little ‘+’ sign?
So, I went with that. Let’s just assume it’s basic addition. One. And twelve. Add ’em up.
I didn’t even need to find my old calculator for this one, thankfully.
One plus twelve. Drumroll, please… It’s thirteen. 1 + 12 = 13. Groundbreaking, I know.
But here’s the thing, the “practice” wasn’t really about the math. That’s kid stuff. The real practice was navigating the ambiguity. It’s about trying to figure out what people actually mean when they throw these curveballs. It’s a bit like deciphering those vague emails from clients, you know? You spend more time figuring out the question than the answer.
I guess my process was:
- Initial disbelief and overthinking. Check.
- Considering the sender – are they prone to typos or being cryptic? Usually, yes.
- Applying the “keep it simple, stupid” principle. Always a good one.
- Finally, just doing the obvious thing.
So yeah, “1 12” is probably thirteen. It’s funny, isn’t it? All that mental energy for such a simple outcome. Makes you wonder about all the other times we overcomplicate things. But hey, that’s the daily grind. You just take a breath, try to make sense of the nonsense, and move on to the next puzzle. At least this one had an easy answer, unlike trying to figure out why the coffee machine is always broken. That’s a real mystery.
