If you’re not a car fanatic, or you’re not from the UK, you might be confused and unsure of how the vehicle number plate system works.

It might seem as though the numbers and letters are random, but some of these numbers or letters do have a meaning behind them. We’re not just talking about personalised number plates that let everyone know you have a sense of humour, but the number plates that are assigned to a car once it rolls off the production line.

Explaining the numbers

Introduced in September 2001, number plates in the UK are formatted to have two letters, two numbers and three letters. The first two numbers will help you to identify when the car was manufactured, with two different possible combinations of numbers created each year to indicate whether it was produced between March and August, or September and February.

If the car was manufactured in the first period, between March and August, the first two numbers on the number plate will correspond to the exact last two digits of the year. For example, if a car has the numbers 15 at the beginning of its number plate, it means that it was produced between March and August in 2015.

If the car was made in the second period, between September and February, the first two numbers on the number plate will be the final two digits of the year, plus 50. For example, if a car was manufactured in September 2015, the first two numbers on its number plate will be 65.

Explaining the two letters

The next section of the number plate will determine where the car was registered, with the first letter representing the region, and the second letter representing the DVLA office.

These aren’t as easy to work out as the first two numbers of the number plate, and you’ll probably need to consult an online directory that breaks down the letters into regions and DVLA registration locations.

Explaining the final three numbers 

Just as a personalised number plate will be individual and unique, like these 4d number plates from Number1 Plates who ensure their 4d laser cut number plates conform to the DVLA standards, the last three numbers on a regular number plate are uniquely random.

Unlike personalised 4D number plates in recent times, however, the DVLA never used to create number plates with similar letters or numbers next to each other that could be confused with other numbers or letters, such as zero and the letter ‘o’, or one and the letter ‘l’.

If this explanation hasn’t left you baffled or confused matters even more, you should now be able to identify the age of a car by looking at its number plate. Remember that personalised number plates can be used to hide the age of a car, meaning that it is more likely to be sold at a higher value if you do not ask the vehicle owner for the car’s age before purchasing.

The basic idea behind playing blackjack isn’t getting “21”. The goal involves beating the dealer.

If the dealer loses and the player wins, then the player collects on his/her bet. Getting “blackjack” is preferred, since a face card and an ace pay 3-2 instead of 1-1, like other wagers. That said, players can beat the dealer without blackjack or numerical combinations leading to 21. The dealer could go over and “bust” or the player may win with a higher hand, as 18 beats 17.

While overall simple in terms of rules, blackjack has its complexities. Learning how to play blackjack involves understanding the odds of certain hands and understanding when it is beneficial to take advantage of rules, allowing them to increase a bet. Here are a few things to consider when playing.

Letting the dealer hit

When the dealer shows a two or a six, many players won’t hit unless they have less than 10. The idea here is to let the dealer keep taking cards, as the dealer can’t stop taking card until reaching 17. A dealer showing a six could have sixteen. Drawing a six or higher means the dealer busts. An ace to five become necessary to keep from busting. And the player can still win if the dealer ends up with 17 and the player has 18.

A player who hits with sixteen and busts might take a card away that could bust the dealer. That’s why players usually stand unless they have, say, nine or lower.

Doubling Down to Double a Win

Doubling down refers to the opportunity to double a bet with a trade-off: the player can only take one card. A player can double down at any time with any hand, but some situations make more sense than others. Doubling down with a two and a three would make no sense. The best-case scenario involves receiving an Ace, leading to a total of 16. The only way to win the hand involves the dealing busting.

Doubling down usually occurs when the player has 10 or 11. The hope here is the next card will be a 10, giving the player 20 or 21. No matter what card the player is dealt, the player wins if the dealer busts. So, if the dealer shows a low card, such as a five, the dealer must hit. Few players would risk doubling down when the dealer has a face card or ace showing.

Splitting the Hand

When a player receives a pair, he/she can double the bet and now play two separate hands. Splitting makes sense at some points rather than others. Splitting aces and eights likely makes the most sense. Two aces equal 12, which means a face card leads to a break. Two eights are 16, which has a high potential for breaking. Splitting two queens wouldn’t make much sense, since the player has 20. Splitting fives would be odd, as well. Two fives are 10, making it a potential double-down hand.

No Guarantees

The odds aren’t in the dealer’s favour when hitting on 16. Yet, the dealer could draw a five and get 21. Remember, playing smart improves the chances of winning, but blackjack comes with no guarantees.

By Jane Seymour, Royal Editor

They present themselves as the King and Queen of Social Justice, so Prince Harry and Meghan should offer their empty mansion to refugees who are seeking asylum in the UK.

Football pundit Gary Lineker revealed yesterday he wants to take in a refugee to his Surrey home.

But now observers say the Duke and Duchess of Sussex should go one further by throwing open Frogmore Cottage, their UK base, to many more.

Social justice campaigner Lorraine Fisher, 34, said: “Throwing open Frogmore Cottage will make them King and Queen of Social Justice. It’s the only royal title they want.

“Frogmore Cottage sits empty while Harry and Meghan broadcast about social injustice, the environment and goodness knows what else.

“It makes perfect sense for their UK mansion to be put to good use. You could probably fit around 50 refugees in there. It would be cheaper than housing them in hotels.”

The Sussexes now live in a $15 million mansion in California, where they have just signed a multi-million deal with Netflix to produce very interesting documentaries.

Frogmore Cottage in Windsor was meant to be Harry and Meghan’s home before they decided Royal service was not for them. They are paying back the £2.4 million in public money used to do the home up.