Ballpark

Puzzle #41 · 30 October 2026

The five questions from that day's Ballpark, each with its answer, the fact behind it and a link to the source. Rather play it first? It is in the archive.

1. What is the maximum number of bitcoins that can ever exist?

21M bitcoins

21 million. The rate of new coins keeps halving until issuance stops completely. Source

Image: Marko Ahtisaari · CC BY 2.0, cropped

2. How much does the Codex Gigas, probably the world's largest surviving medieval manuscript, weigh?

75 kilograms

75 kg. Its 310 parchment leaves, probably calfskin, are 89 cm high and 49 cm wide. It is kept at the National Library of Sweden. Source

Image: Benedictine monastery of Podlažice · Public domain

3. How many stations does the New York City Subway have, according to the MTA?

472 stations

472 stations, linked by 665 miles of track and served by 6,553 subway cars, according to the MTA. Source

Image: The All-Nite Images · CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped

4. How many chromosomes are in a normal human cell?

46 chromosomes

46: 22 numbered pairs plus one pair of sex chromosomes (XX or XY). Source

Image: National Human Genome Research Institute · Public domain

5. About how many detectable earthquakes happen around the world each year, according to the USGS?

500,000 earthquakes

An estimated 500,000 a year. About 100,000 of them can be felt, and only about 100 cause damage. Source

Image: Z22 · CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped