what's next?

[carol]

1

11

21

1211

111221

?

[igosaur]

1) 1

2) 11

3) 21

5) 1211

8) 111221

 

13) 111222211

[the tree]

Igosaur, where on earth did you get that from?

 

It's easily [hide]312211[/hide] this has come up here quite a few times now.

[igosaur]

I must confess, I looked the numbers up and found a puzzle website.

 

That was their answer.

 

Very now..

 

Igosaur, where on earth did you get that from?

 

It's easily [hide]312211[/hide] this has come up here quite a few times now.

[the tree]

Did it give any elaboration on why that might be the answer?

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Following the Fibonacci sequence, maybe?

[igosaur]

Yes. Quite right

 

Following the Fibonacci sequence, maybe?

[carol]

i don't think that would justify the positions of the numbers...

 

Igosaur, where on earth did you get that from?

 

It's easily [hide]312211[/hide] this has come up here quite a few times now.

 

you got it correctly but i didn't know it has come up here already. oh, well...

[river_rat]

1

11

21

1211

111221

?

 

Lol, this one is actually easy : just read the numbers out loud

 

First Line : You have One One = Second Line

Second Line : You have Two Ones = Third Line

Third Line : You have One Two and One One = 4th Line

4th Line : You have One One and One Two and Two Ones = 5th Line

5th Line = You have Three Ones, Two Two's and One One

 

so the next line is 312211

[carol]

yeah, tree already got it:)

[Severian]

I hate these sort of puzzles. Any rule which correctly matches the presented numbers provide a valid answer, but there are always multiple rules which supply the same presented numbers but diverge once you get beyond them. But you are always required to get inside the twisted little mind of the guy who set the problem and present the answer that he thought of, even if another is more logical.

 

For example, following Igosaur's lead, I could ask for the next number in the series:

 

1

11

21

1211

111221

111222211

?