a puzzle sequence that is going around

[David Wilson]

At http://mathforum.org/dr.math/ask/submit.html, we are told that
that the sequence is from a contest at http://www.neopets.com/.
neopets.com is gaming site devoted to virtual pets for children.
The sequence generates a few other Google hits, one of them
references http://www.neopets.com/games/conundrum.phtml,
a page I cannot read because the neopets.com site is member-only.
Presumably this latter page is the Internet source of the sequence.
It seems odd that such a tough chestnut would be aimed at such
a young audience.

So where did you get your purported answer, Dr. Guy?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Guy" <rkg at cpsc.ucalgary.ca>
To: <ham>; "N. J. A. Sloane" <njas at research.att.com>
Cc: <seqfan at ext.jussieu.fr>
Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2005 4:45 PM
Subject: Re: a puzzle sequence that is going around


> Evidently  42  but no reason given.
> 
> Come in, `Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' fans.   R.
> 
> On Sat, 15 Jan 2005, N. J. A. Sloane wrote:
> 
>>
>> Does anyone know the answer to this puzzle?
>>
>> Fill in the missing term:
>>
>> 2616, 3, 11, 10850, ________, 25, 2038
>>
>> Several people have asked me.  If you Google 2616, 3, 11, 10850 you
>> will find several web pages that mention it.  I only looked briefly,
>> and did not find the solution.
>>
>> NJAS
>>