Consider a valid English word without hyphens or spaces, which is not a proper noun. Assign the values a=0, b=1, c=2, d=3, e=4, f=5, g=6, h=7, i=8 and j=9.

A date corresponding to a valid English word in consonance with the above assignment in mm/dd/yy format is called a "spell date". For example,the word "deface" generates 34/50/24 which is not a valid date in the mm/dd/yy format, and consequently not a spell date.

(A) Determine the respective first and last spell dates in the period covering January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2100 inclusively.

(B) What would have been the respective answers to (A) if the definition of a spell date involved a dd/mm/yy format instead?

(In reply to re(3): computer solution by Charlie)

Actually, I also failed to list 'cabbed'.

The uncommon English word 'bacaba' would also meet the requirements for an mm/dd/yy Wordate within the January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2100 period. Bacaba is a common name for one and a species name for several members of the Oenocarpus genus of pinnate-leaved palms.
bacaba : 10/20/10 = October 20, 2010

Posted by Dej Mar on 2012-09-08 12:54:04