:This may be true. It has been well documented that the original title was not meant to be Catch-22, but that a different number was to be used. Heller first published part of the book as a short story named Catch-18 (New World Writing, 1955). When the book was about to come out (in 1961), somebody pointed out that it may lead to confusion with the book by Leon Uris, this is often referred to. Other suggestions for the number were 11, 14, and 17 (maybe  even more). Heller wanted a repetitive double digit so settled for 22 (in the book things are often repeated: duplicity, and repetition is a common theme for the insanity of the world, i.e. Major Major who is to become Major Major Major Major, a commanding officer who did not like to command). 22 is 2 (duplicity) repeated (duplicity again). There are those who suggest that the fact that the book is called Catch-22 was used by Heller to implicitly suggest that there would be a sequel (which appeared as Closing Time, which was first published in 1994, 33 years later). Catch-22 does not exist. But is now a commonly used expression for senseless rules or rules which contain a circular argument.