US states

[Phil Reynolds]

Perhaps this is a well-known bit of trivia, perhaps not; but if you've never come across it before it's worth having a think about. The actual answer tends to surprise people.

Question: In which states of the USA would you find the country's most northerly, southerly, easterly and westerly points?

[Kevin Thurlow]

Without looking, I imagine that Hawaii and Alaska feature, and the former more than once....

[Phil Reynolds]

Without looking, I imagine that Hawaii and Alaska feature, and the former more than once....

You'd be at least partially wrong.

[Charlie Reams]

My guess would be Alaska as the most northerly and westerly, New Hampshire easterly, and Texas southerly.

[Phil Reynolds]

My guess would be Alaska as the most northerly and westerly, New Hampshire easterly, and Texas southerly.

You'd be wrong on two out of four counts.

[Jon O'Neill]

My guess is Alaska northerly, Hawaii Westerly, Hawaii Southerly, Main Easterly.

[Jon O'Neill]

Errr, Maine.

[Ben Wilson]

Alaska north and west, Hawaii south, Maine east.

[Phil Reynolds]

My guess is Alaska northerly, Hawaii Westerly, Hawaii Southerly, Main[e] Easterly.

Again, wrong on two out of four.

[Phil Reynolds]

Alaska north and west, Hawaii south, Maine east.

Getting nearer - only one wrong. Try some lateral thinking...

[Dinos Sfyris]

I'll say Alaska North, Hawaii West, either Texas or New Mexico South, I'll say Florida though! and Delaware East

[Phil Reynolds]

I'll say Alaska North, Hawaii West, either Texas or New Mexico South, I'll say Florida though! and Delaware East

Hopelessly wrong.

[David Roe]

(Helped by a map) Alaska furthest N,W & E, Hawaii furthest S. Baseb on the Greenwich meridian.

[Kai Laddiman]

This is like a game of Mastermind!

[Phil Reynolds]

(Helped by a map) Alaska furthest N,W & E, Hawaii furthest S. Baseb on the Greenwich meridian.

Correct! Alaska extends so far west that it crosses the 180 degree meridian and therefore becomes east, not west. If you base the answer purely on which state extends furthest right on the map, then the easternmost point would be in Maine, as Jono and Ben suggested.

Many people think the southernmost point is in Florida, since there is a large bollard marking the spot (the more, er, flamboyant locals call it "the giant butt plug") in Key West. However, this is the southernmost point of the continental USA, which does not include Hawaii.

[Dinos Sfyris]

On the topic of US states which are the best for anagramming? ie yield high scoring Countdown words (certainly not IOWA or OHIO) or are exact anagrams of Countdown words of any length. There's one niner for the latter criteria.

[Matt Morrison]

On the topic of US states which are the best for anagramming? ie yield high scoring Countdown words (certainly not IOWA or OHIO) or are exact anagrams of Countdown words of any length. There's one niner for the latter criteria.

got it! MINNESOTA = NOMINATES

[Jon O'Neill]

This is good trivia.

[Phil Reynolds]

Kentucky has the most amusing abbreviation.

[Eoin Monaghan]

On the topic of US states which are the best for anagramming? ie yield high scoring Countdown words (certainly not IOWA or OHIO) or are exact anagrams of Countdown words of any length. There's one niner for the latter criteria.

Oregon = ORGONE
New York = YWROKEN

[Phil Reynolds]

New York = YWROKEN

[Eoin Monaghan]

New York = YWROKEN

I checked in the SOED and ywroken means avenged, take vengeance on; punished

[Charlie Reams]

New York = YWROKEN

I checked in the SOED and ywroken means avenged, take vengeance on; punished

Putting Y- at the front of words was a Middle English way of forming the past participle, leading to some words which look pretty weird by modern standards. YCLEPT sticks in my mind for some reason.

[Jon Corby]

Putting Y- at the front of words was a Middle English way of forming the past participle, leading to some words which look pretty weird by modern standards. YCLEPT sticks in my mind for some reason.

Regardless of all that, it isn't valid in Countdown and therefore fails to fulfil Phil's criteria.

[Eoin Monaghan]

Putting Y- at the front of words was a Middle English way of forming the past participle, leading to some words which look pretty weird by modern standards. YCLEPT sticks in my mind for some reason.

Regardless of all that, it isn't valid in Countdown and therefore fails to fulfil Phil's criteria.

it was worth a try

[Phil Reynolds]

Regardless of all that, [YWROKEN] isn't valid in Countdown and therefore fails to fulfil Phil's criteria.

Dinos set the criteria for this bit of the thread, I think you'll find.

[Jon Corby]

Regardless of all that, [YWROKEN] isn't valid in Countdown and therefore fails to fulfil Phil's criteria.

Dinos set the criteria for this bit of the thread, I think you'll find.

Yeah, but that doesn't work so well with the alliteration.

[Phil Reynolds]

Regardless of all that, [YWROKEN] isn't valid in Countdown and therefore fails to fulfil Phil's criteria.

Dinos set the criteria for this bit of the thread, I think you'll find.

Yeah, but that doesn't work so well with the alliteration.

True. I was quite impressed by your assonance as well.

[Matt Morrison]

Yeah, but that doesn't work so well with the alliteration.

True. I was quite impressed by your assonance as well.

You just can't help yourself from flirting can you Phil?

[Phil Reynolds]

I was quite impressed by your assonance as well.

You just can't help yourself from flirting can you Phil?

Actually, the word "assonance" is at the forefront of my vocabulary at the moment as I'm directing a production of Educating Rita in which the word is used as the basis for a running gag.

[Chris Philpot]

Can anyone think of an amusing two word anagram of New York, USA? Some would say that it sums up the state's population!

[Kirk Bevins]

Can anyone think of an amusing two word anagram of New York, USA? Some would say that it sums up the state's population!

Wou Yankers? No....