didn't Einstein flunk math once?

No, he always excelled in math and physics. He once didn't pass the admission test (for those without a formal grade) to ETH (Zurich university) because despite his excellent results in math and physics his other examination result (languages) were too bad. He graduated one year later with an overall second best grade being the average of the best grades in Algebra, theoretical Geometry, applied Geometry, Physics, and History, good grades in German, Italian, Chemistry, and Natural History, worse grades in Arts, Drawing, and Geography and a bad grade in French.

Wolfgang