Answers to Puzzle Contest (from the winner):

"oILE = 3710
subtract XIS = six
add bIZ = zip
totals hoLE = 3704

3710-6+0=3704

you must mind your p's and q's"

That is, you read oILE as backward numbers, ELEVENS as XIs, BUSINESS as bIZ, and hoLE as backward numbers. You then turn them 180 degrees and get actual numbers to form the equation.

NOTE: THIS WAS A TOUGH ONE!!

Winner: sasiteck; Fairfax County, VA

Contest Statistics: Newsletter sent to 292365 subscribers (the second time around). As I recall, no answers were submitted the first time the puzzle was issued, and 1 or 2 the second time. After the puzzle was posted on the site as "unsolved," 1 or 2 people made attempts before sasiteck took 'er down a notch! :-)