Luxury Mathematical Problem

[Runaway]

(Not for dumbos). This is a serious challenge, not a trick.

Solve the following puzzle:

?5?3 + 2?42 = 697?

[Sir William]

What do the question marks mean?

[Runaway]

Replace them with numbers, to gett*en the answer.

► Show Spoiler

I did say it wasn't for dumbos...

[Sir William]

It's 3.9

Assuming all the question marks are the same number, of course.

[Runaway]

It isn't. And they're not.

Allow me to give you an example:

?2?4 + 2?47 = 284?

Solution:
0294 + 2547 = 2841

[Sir William]

Here's a better example:

??? + ???? = ?????

[Runaway]

Come on, you claim to be clever, and I'm sure you are, so solve the puzzle.

[Sir William]

Well that's easy.

It's 4533 + 2442 = 6975.

[Runaway]

How did you do it?

[Sir William]

Quite simple. From columns correct to left:

3+2 = 5
7-4 = 3
9-5 = 4
6-4 = 2

[Runaway]

I bet the other dumdum members wouldn't have of a clue. Especially the Russian ones.

[Sir William]

All members (apart from me) are simpletons of the highest quality.

[Runaway]

[Sir William]

[Runaway]

One must not debase the members. Even the dumdum ones, for they are the future of our forum. They shall rise like the chaff from the wheat, and take over the earth, as a seed from the sunflower shall bloom over the dullest ground.

So it is written.

[Sir William]

Not in Holy Scriptures, it isn't.

Do not manufacture a mountain into a churchill.

[Runaway]

Not in Holy Scriptures, it isn't.

I didn't say it was.
I writ it.

[Sir William]

'Tis writ then.

[Runaway]

It wasn't very good though, so I just un-writ it.

[Sir William]

With hindsight then, it is a good job that it wasn't writ in Holy Scriptures, as they can never be unwrit.

[Runaway]

Your wisdom is ineffable.

[Sir William]

[Runaway]

Do you actually know what "ineffable" means?

[Sir William]

[Runaway]

Clearly not, otherwise you’d be thanking me.