NEW YORK (PIX11) -- A clue in the New York Times's "The Mini Crossword" on Tuesday has the internet buzzing: Did Albert Einstein flunk math class in school?
The allegation was first detailed in an article in the "Ripley's Believe it or Not!" newspaper, according to a 2007 report published by TIME. The magazine alleged that in 1935, a rabbi at Princeton showed him the article, and all Einstein could do was laugh.
"Greatest living mathematician failed in mathematics...I never failed in mathematics," Einstein reportedly said. "Before I was 15, I had mastered differential and integral calculus."
The Australian Associated Press also fact-checked if Einstein failed math and could not find a credible source to confirm the bad grades.
As for the New York Times crossword prompt, "The 'fact' that Albert Einstein flunked math class, e.g.," the answer is "myth," according to mashable.com.
Jonathan Rizk is a digital journalist who has covered local news in the New York City and Washington D.C. areas. He has been with PIX11 since August 2022. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.
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