I love British Academia

The odds against Hamlet
Frank Kermode, Anthony Holden, Robin Marris, Ken Follett, Linden Stafford and Daniel Marciano

Frank Kermode: Looking for problems to talk about in a lecture, I lit upon the duel at the end of Hamlet. Relaying Claudius’s challenge to Hamlet, Osric tells him that the King has “laid on twelve for nine” (in terms of “hits”) in favour of Laertes. But nobody (including Arden editor Harold Jenkins, in an extremely long note) seems to have figured out the odds. You, Tony, may be able to do so, after all those sweaty nights playing poker in Las Vegas. Quite a problem, I warn you. But you will handle it.