Question of the day

[CatmanV2]

I'm not being funny, look you, but that is surely the least helpful clue ever."
" Who invented the equals sign? "
" I have absolutely no idea. "
" Well he also introduced the plus sign to the English speaking world. "
" Oh, well, why didn't you say so? Now it is totally obvious.!"

Hence 'clue'

Not sure what else I can say, we have two people that know....

C

 

[CatmanV2]

Did he invent it, or reintroduce it? Still doesn't really help me as I can't remember either.

Invent, apparently

C

 

[JonW]

Ok - here are some other “clues”.

This man was born in Tenby, and if cars had been invented when he was alive he would probably have driven a Rolls-Royce or a Range Rover.

As well as being a professor in maths at both Oxford and Cambridge, he had a degree in medicine from Cambridge, and was the royal physician to King Edward VI and Queen Mary. Finally, he was also controller of the Royal Mint and served as "Comptroller of Mines and Monies" in Ireland.

Bizarrely, despite all this, he died, penniless, in the King's Bench Prison, Southwark...

 

[Navcorr]

A very impressive CV with, I'd guess, initials RR. Still not a Scooby for me. Interesting demise - was he caught with his hand in the till so to speak?

 

[CatmanV2]

A very impressive CV with, I'd guess, initials RR. Still not a Scooby for me. Interesting demise - was he caught with his hand in the till so to speak?

Got the initials correct!

C

 

[zagatoes30]

Robert Recorde invented the = sign but I am not convinced he invented the ?

 

[CatmanV2]

Robert Recorde invented the = sign but I am not convinced he invented the ?

Not sure anyone suggested he did. I think it was a shepherds crook indicated a welshman

So Andy once again demonstrates a terrifying degree of knowledge and will ask a (probably) 37 part question that no-one will get but with bonus points

Over to you, Andy!

C

 

[zagatoes30]

Totally mis-read the original question but I was art work and had spent the day arguing with my boss.

Heh ho

 

[zagatoes30]

Simple question then.

The merchant ship Savannah was the first what?

 

[MarkMas]

Coal-powered ship?
Paddle-wheel ship?

 

[Navcorr]

Coal-powered ship?
Paddle-wheel ship?

Power source is the right thought - but the wrong answer.

 

[CatmanV2]

Power source is the right thought - but the wrong answer.

Steam?
(Yes I'm aware that steam is not a fuel, so steam 'driven')
C

 

[zagatoes30]

Coal-powered ship?
Paddle-wheel ship?

Both incorrect

 

[zagatoes30]

Steam?
(Yes I'm aware that steam is not a fuel, so steam 'driven')
C

Not steam either

 

[zagatoes30]

Power source is the right thought - but the wrong answer.

I think you know the answer

 

[spkennyuk]

Not really many options left.

Solar electric
Nuclear
Diesel / diesel electric.

 

[zagatoes30]

Not really many options left.

Solar electric
Nuclear
Diesel / diesel electric.

So are you going to choose one?

 

[spkennyuk]

I will plump for nuclear on the basis that its probably deemed a more significant first than the others.

 

[CatmanV2]

I will plump for nuclear on the basis that its probably deemed a more significant first than the others.

This would be interesting. I was under the (possibly entirely false) impression that nuclear technology was not available to civilian applications except in very proscribed circumstances. Power stations being obviously one of those sets of circumstances


C

 

[zagatoes30]

I will plump for nuclear on the basis that its probably deemed a more significant first than the others.

Correct it was the first nuclear powered merchant vessel built in the late 50s and entered service in 1962, ran for 10 years without a hitch before being mothballed and in my opinion one of the best looking ships ever