If you enjoyed this, you might also enjoy this: https://www.meversusanpost.com/
Somebody who does this for fun, normally with some kind of puzzle that needs solving to get the address.
What is the minimal possible UK address?
161–170 of 406 posts
Re: What is the minimal possible UK address?
#162In Japan, most addresses can be fully identified without any street or city names, not unlike what's described in this article.
As an example, this is an address I found using Google Maps:
〒223-0007 1-14-12
If you have an apartment number, you can append it with another -, e.g. 1-14-12-201.
Written "properly", you would not use dashes, but instead suffix each number with a kanji (except for the post code).
Written properly, it would be:
〒233-0007 神奈川県横浜市港南区大久保１丁目１４番１２号、２０１号室
The place on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/bDSFp1U1PNtBpUad6
More information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_addressing_system
Re: What is the minimal possible UK address?
#163Loved your article! >> I wrote myself a letter, headed to the nearest postbox, and posted it. >> A couple of days later, I was very happy to find this in my postbox! To make this more robust, i'd try this exercise 10-20 times. Different dates (to test for driver). Different sources (to test for source PO)
It's not necessary, in the almost 10y I was at my previous address I only used (other than the odd web form with mandatory 'address line 2' or whatever) flat number & postcode. It's not a weird niche blogging exercise, it's just how it works.
It's usual to be a bit more redundant on the front of an envelope/parcel for whatever reason, but the normal form for a return address is '12/AB3 4CD'. There's nothing magic about returning post that makes a shorter address start working! (It would have a postmark additionally by then, but that's not extra information - the postcode is already more specific, being on just one of that office's many routes).
Re: What is the minimal possible UK address?
#164Olga was a famous doorkeeper at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. Students used to send her postcards from their journeys. It became so popular that it was enough to write "Olga, Sweden" for her to get the letters [0] (source in swedish). [0]: https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olga_Boberg
I once received a letter (while at Chalmers) from the US - it was addressed to
S-41296
Re: What is the minimal possible UK address?
#165Olga was a famous doorkeeper at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. Students used to send her postcards from their journeys. It became so popular that it was enough to write "Olga, Sweden" for her to get the letters [0] (source in swedish). [0]: https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olga_Boberg
I wonder if a sufficiently famous, public, and unique name could get delivered. Would a letter simply addressed “Biden” make it to the White House?
I'll bet "Rishi Sunak" would get to 10 Downing Street.
Although that's also an address with it's own postcode, so "SW1A 2AA" would also get there.
Re: What is the minimal possible UK address?
#166[deleted]
Re: What is the minimal possible UK address?
#167In the US, you can check the address database directly to see what the minimum required elements are that resolve to your address [0]. This is what the USPS does when you mail something, they match to this database and then print a delivery barcode along the bottom of the letter.
Worth noting is that the delivery barcode is all that really matters. If you write 'return to sender' on an envelope and change nothing else, then throw it in the post box, you're going to get it sent right back to you. Always take a marker and block out that barcode and enough of your original address so that it gets forced to a human.
Re: What is the minimal possible UK address?
#168This works in the Netherlands too, and people commonly use the format for writing the sender address on the back of the envelope.
Eg if you live on Braamstraat 11, 5614LK Eindhoven, you can write “5614LK 11” as the return-to-sender address and it’ll work. Post codes here are always \d{4}[A-Z]{2} so it’s obvious to anyone (incl the address scan computers) where the postcode ends and the house number starts.
If you mail internationally you can write “NL-5614LK 11” and it’ll also work.
Re: What is the minimal possible UK address?
#169Earlier quoted context omitted.
Although An Post don't use EirCodes, so I wonder if an EirCode alone is enough? Source: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/an-post-staff-fail-to-use...
If I write just an EirCode on an envelope the letter would be delivered anyways.
Are you sure? It might be a case of someone in the system Googling the address and writing it in.
Re: What is the minimal possible UK address?
#170My dad talks about how durring the Vietnam War his friend who was kind of slow got drafted and would send him letters addressed to "Dennis by the swap in Eden Prairie" and they'd somehow actually get delivered.