Supplement

                                               Estonian

Yhes 70-ndatel aastatel ilmunud Ylo Kaasiku matemaatikaylesannete
kogus 'Lihtsaid ja keerulisi' (neid oli va"hemalt kaks ko"idet)
oli seda tyypi ylesanne; algas umbes nii:

'yks x koma x ...'
  3  1  4   1

See polnud kyll meeldeja"tmiseks mo~eldud, aga kellel see raamat
ka"epa"rast, vo~ib soovi korral sealt leida.
From: Toomas Tamm

Translation: 
"In a work of mathematical assignments/problems which appeared 
during the '70's, put out by U"lo Kaasiku, and named 'Easy Ones and 
Difficult Ones', of which there were at least 2 editions, there was 
this typical problem - it began something like this:

'yks x koma x ...'
3    1    4    1

One (u"ks) x comma (koma) x.

Not meant as a mnemonic, as Toomas says.  Just a convenient device.
From: Arved H. Sandstro"m