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What is the largest possible number you can write using only 2 numbers - just 2 numbers, no other mathematical symbols?

99, this is 9x9x9x9x9x9x9x9x9 or 387,420,489.

Why this works

This riddle plays on the idea of constructing the largest number using only two digits: 9 and 9. While it seems straightforward to write "99" as the largest two-digit number, it cleverly allows for a deeper interpretation by considering repeated multiplication of the digits. Here, "9" can be treated as a base in exponentiation; thus, 9 multiplied by itself repeatedly (9^9) results in the much larger number 387,420,489. The trick lies in realizing that the riddle invites you to think beyond simple concatenation and into the realm of exponential growth!

Common Wrong Answers

“11”

11 only uses two digits but does not represent the largest possible number that can be formed with two instances of the number 9.

“22”

22 is also a two-digit number, but it is still much smaller than 99, which is formed by using the number 9.

“99,999”

While this guess is larger than 99, it uses more than two digits, violating the riddle's condition of using only two numbers.

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