Can you solve these time puzzles from the ancient world?

Time is a fascinating concept that we often take for granted, but measuring it can be quite challenging. As we prepare for Daylight Saving Time, many of us find ourselves doing some mental math to adjust our schedules. In most parts of the United States, clocks spring forward by one hour in the spring. However, Arizona and Hawaii do not participate in this time change, which can create confusion for those living in the Navajo Nation in Arizona, as they follow a different time than the rest of the state. If you are making calls to Europe, you might notice that the time difference is a bit smaller for a few weeks because Europe does not switch to summer time until later in March. Even in London, the Royal Observatory's clocks can be a source of confusion for visitors. In ancient times, the way people kept track of time was even more complicated. The Romans, for instance, made significant changes to their calendars that led to puzzling situations. To get your brain warmed up for the upcoming weeks, we have created some time-related riddles for you to solve. You can find the answers at the end of the article. Puzzle 1: The impossible letter A woman in France writes a letter on November 8, 1582. However, three days earlier, the letter arrives in England. What could have happened? Puzzle 2: The mystery of the missing birthdays In 46 BC, a child is born in Rome during the spring. She lives to be 60 years old but never celebrates another birthday. How is this possible? Puzzle 3: The strangely ageing farmhand After finishing his work on December 31, 800 BC, a farmworker goes to bed. When he wakes up on the first day of the new year, he finds that he is two months older. How can this be? Answers: The impossible letter – Puzzle 1 In the 1500s, the Julian calendar was replaced by the Gregorian calendar. Different countries in Europe adopted the new calendar at different times, which caused some days to be out of sync. The mystery of the missing birthdays – Puzzle 2 The Romans used to add extra months, known as intercalary months, to keep their 355-day calendar aligned with the solar year. The child was born in the intercalary month of Mercedonius, which was last used in spring 46 BC, so she never had another birthday. The strangely ageing farmhand – Puzzle 3 The pre-Julian calendar only had ten months and did not account for the winter days when no agricultural work was done. During this winter period, there was no real concept of months. Even in our modern world, there are quirks in the calendar that allow some people to live in multiple time zones, making it possible for them to be different ages at the same time. With a little travel, you could even journey back to the 1300s or leap forward to the 26th Century.