The Puzzler for March 2015: Lucky Clover of Clovoid

In a galaxy far, far away, on the tiny lush planet of Clovoid, the land masses are entirely covered by clover, from east to west and pole to pole. By sheer coincidence, the local intelligent lifeforms—called Clovoidians—consider a four-leaf clover a sign of good luck, just like a tradition we have here on Earth!

However, on Clovoid, clover comes in three varieties: Common Green Clover, Red Heart Clover, and Hopeful Blue Clover. Each of these three-leaved clover varieties has a rare version with more than three leaves, each of which are highly prized as lucky for the finder, each in their own way. Common Green Clover sometimes has 4 leaves, and than means good luck. Red Heart Clover sometimes has 5 leaves, portending true love. Hopeful Blue Clover sometimes has 56 leaves, foretelling all of one’s hopes coming true.

Once, during the Clovidian holiday of Saint Clover’s Day, with the big and little suns riding high in an orange sky, little Zindi Loo Cloo was out walking in the rolling fields near her home collecting various clovers into 3 baskets. Zindi Loo found 4 Common Green Clovers and—crossing her six fingers for good luck—put them in the first basket. She found 4 Red Heart Clovers and placed them lovingly in the second basket. She found 4 Hopeful Blue Clovers and laid them hopefully in the third basket. "Ah, exactly twelve clovers in all," thought Zindy Loo with satisfaction. "Such a nice round number, and one for each of my fingers!"



As the smaller sun set, little Zindi Loo Cloo returned home to a tantalizing aroma filling the whole house. She found her father preparing the Saint Clover’s Day feast. Papa Cloo looked at the baskets of clovers and exclaimed: “Oh my, each of your baskets contains one lucky clover. This is a wondrous omen indeed of good fortune for the entire family this year! Quick, pluck all the leaves off the stems and toss them all into my Saint Clover’s Day soup!”

Question: How many individual leaves of clover did Zindi Loo pluck and toss into the Saint Clover’s Day soup?

Bonus question: We humans have a base 10 number system. We can connect the invention of this number system to our own anatomy. What is the most likely base of the Clovoidian number system?

The answer will be revealed next month.