Visualize the 26 letters of the alphabet lined up like horses at the starting gate of an immensely-long racetrack. One minute after the start, letters O, N, and E each advance one mile but the remaining 23 have not budged. During the second minute, T, W and O each advance one mile, placing O in the lead at two miles and W, E and T tied for second at one mile each. During the third minute, E advances two miles, while H, T and R advance one mile, placing E in the lead of three miles.
Eckler, A. Ross
"The Alphabet Race,"
Word Ways: Vol. 33
, Article 16.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/wordways/vol33/iss1/16