Thinkpad Newbie - How to use Alt + Number key

[v3blue]

I have a new T42 Thinkpad and for some reason I cannot enter special characters (eg. within Excel or Word doc) using the Alt + number key. When I press and hold Alt then type a number, the laptop just beeps. Am I doing something wrong? Or is there some other method for entering these ley combinations? My review of posts here indicates that Alt + number key entry should work, but mine will not for some reason. My Thinkpad is a Model 23768 EYU, 15" screen, 1 GB RAM, 80 GB HDD and I have not modified anything that I know of. Btw, this is a great laptop!

[Leon]

set Nunlock (Shift-Numlock), and then do your Alt-Numbers from the numeric keypad (on the alphabetic keys).