[Guest]

Hey all,

This hear 'riddle' isn't necessarily a riddle that makes any sense. My dad used to pester me with the question, "How many beans make 5?" for the better part of my childhood. I never got it until I memorized it.

He was born mid 1930's in Worcester, UK. The midlands of England. I'm figuring this riddle of his may be of British/Midlands origin but I've yet to find that out. I figure I'll pose this question here and see if someone knows; How many beans do make 5? Unfortunately I've been in the USA for most of my life and my dad's passed on so I can't ask him. Thanks, Deb!

Two beans, a bean; a bean and a half and half a bean. (spoken quite quickly)

Edited October 13, 2008 by Deb195

[unreality]

if you hear/interpret the last "and" as "an", that would be 4.25 beans

[akaslickster]

I hate tongue twisters so just say 4 beans and 2 halves. :-0

[Guest]

if you hear/interpret the last "and" as "an", that would be 4.25 beans

yes, but that does not make 5

I know it's silly really but maybe someone knows where it comes from... If my dad just came up with it on his own, or if it was a family riddle.... well, I'm sol aren't I?

Thanks

[andromeda]

yes, but that does not make 5

I know it's silly really but maybe someone knows where it comes from... If my dad just came up with it on his own, or if it was a family riddle.... well, I'm sol aren't I?

Thanks

Why didn't you ever try to Google the expression?!

[Guest]

It may be an english thing. My step dad is from Bristol and he says "apples and pears" when he is going up or down the stairs.

It has to do with talking so fast so that the boss wont understand. Its a code. But code for???

[Guest]

It may be an english thing. My step dad is from Bristol and he says "apples and pears" when he is going up or down the stairs.

It has to do with talking so fast so that the boss wont understand. Its a code. But code for???

i thought "apples and pears" is cockney (east london) rhyming slang. Like how people say "have a butcher's at this". it's short for "have a butcher's hook at this" which is rhyming slang for "have a look at this"

[Guest]

Urban Dictionary says this:

"how many beans make five"

An old British expression, used in the context "he knows how many beans make five", meaning "he knows his stuff" or referring to one who's good at mathematical puzzlers. Derives from the days of the abacus, when the wooden beads (beans) were moved along in various increments.

"He's a clever bloke, he knows how many beans make five"

[Guest]

Urban Dictionary says this:

"how many beans make five"

An old British expression, used in the context "he knows how many beans make five", meaning "he knows his stuff" or referring to one who's good at mathematical puzzlers. Derives from the days of the abacus, when the wooden beads (beans) were moved along in various increments.

"He's a clever bloke, he knows how many beans make five"

yeah it does sound like a very british thing to say when you word it like that.

[Guest]

My grandfather has a puzzle similar to this where he asked

the same question but the answer which i always got was

a bean, a bean, a bean and a half, half a bean and a bean

He has lived in Newcastle for the last fourty years, NE England.

[Guest]

Thanks you guys... great info.

My dad used to also say up the 'apples and pears'. That is a cockney slang for stairs... alot of the cockney rhymes with what it means. You ever tried reading Maritina Cole? All her books are written with heavy cockney expressions. I need an interpreter to read some of it.

How very cool to learn that finally... never did think to Google it.. duh!