Do you mean to say that by being "the least number not describable in under ten words" it then becomes describable in under ten words because it can be described as "the least number not describable in under ten words" which is only nine words? ...that was a long sentence, but I think I figured it out, I just had to read what you said again. Ironically, it wasnt this comment that made me think of that.
I guess then the puzzle is really "what is the least number not OTHERWISE describable in under 10 words."
Though that did bring up that question to me--by who's words and notation? I bet most numbers could be described SOMEHOW in smaller numbers of words than what is circulating in common usage, which means that the answer is only good for a certain subset of notation and mathematics.
The simple thing, for example, would just to put big numbers into base 1000 or something (Im totally guessing here, I realize this wont work for many numbers), which inherently shortens the number considerably. While one does have to tack on a "in base ____", I still think with enough computer power, one could find just the right base with just the right number to make it all work out. ...or at least for a bunch of otherwise longer numbers. That said, thats just one very common way of changing notation and artificially shortening numbers. I am sure than any number of other possibilities are there that I dont even know about.
no subject
...that was a long sentence, but I think I figured it out, I just had to read what you said again. Ironically, it wasnt this comment that made me think of that.
I guess then the puzzle is really "what is the least number not OTHERWISE describable in under 10 words."
Though that did bring up that question to me--by who's words and notation? I bet most numbers could be described SOMEHOW in smaller numbers of words than what is circulating in common usage, which means that the answer is only good for a certain subset of notation and mathematics.
The simple thing, for example, would just to put big numbers into base 1000 or something (Im totally guessing here, I realize this wont work for many numbers), which inherently shortens the number considerably. While one does have to tack on a "in base ____", I still think with enough computer power, one could find just the right base with just the right number to make it all work out. ...or at least for a bunch of otherwise longer numbers. That said, thats just one very common way of changing notation and artificially shortening numbers. I am sure than any number of other possibilities are there that I dont even know about.