Make 59 with four 9s

The classic four nines puzzle: build an expression from exactly four 9s that equals 59. 59 cannot be made with + - × ÷, concatenation, or decimals (the solver checked every expression) — solutions need square roots, factorials, or exponents.

Solutions using only + - × ÷

No expression made of four plain 9s and + - × ÷ reaches 59 — the solver checked every possible expression.

Solutions with concatenation and decimals

Concatenation and decimals do not help for 59 either — every combination was checked.

Solutions with square roots, factorials, exponents

(9 × sqrt(9)! - .9) / .9 = 59
9! / 9 / sqrt(9)!! + sqrt(9) = 59
9! / sqrt(9)!! / 9 + sqrt(9) = 59
9! / (9 × sqrt(9)!!) + sqrt(9) = 59

4 distinct solutions found in total, after removing trivial rearrangements.

How 59 compares

59 has 4 distinct solutions across all three tiers — #13 scarcest of all 100 targets. Next door, 58 has 3 solutions and 60 has 230 solutions.

If 59 went down easily, make 61 with four 9s — 2 solutions, the nearest step up in scarcity.

Make 58 with four 9s · Make 60 with four 9s

The Number Lab

Same idea, different constraints: four 9s, four 4s, or any four digits you like.

Four Nines — the daily puzzle
Four Nines solver — every target, solved
Four Fours — the 1881 original
Four Fours solver — including the impossible five
Make 24 solver — any four digits
Today's 24 — one new hand a day

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Four Nines — the daily puzzle: four 9s, one target, new at midnight
The Reflex Lab — nine ways to measure your hands and memory, none of them polite about it
hand me something weird — a random pick from the directory. Could be the horse.

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