# Palindromes here. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 4, 2001, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738 "2001-04-04T05:15:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/1 "2001-04-04T05:15:30Z")
(In honor of my palindromic postcount (1331), I’m starting a thread on the appreciation of fine palindromes.) Madam, I’m Adam. Draw, O Caesar, erase a coward! Able was I, ere I saw Elba. Dennis sinned. -A commentary on the lack of a year zero. Al lets Dell call Ed ‘Stella’. -An all-male production of “A Streetcar Named Desire”? 😃 (I know, I’m l33t. :D) ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/2 "2001-04-04T05:36:09Z")
Notlob? From [this site](http://www.jy-muggeridge.freeserve.co.uk/pals/pals_sl.htm): Desmond Grant created a 950-word palindrome, 4,527 letters: Smart regal rajahs, as a stalwart stressed at Radnor, in Wales, order a dismal celt to belt signora’s animals, not a benign exile hero, nor pagan ayahs. Evil, one parish rapscallion at a fracas may rip at all, or rob at a party; raid a yard, stab, revile, or snipe nine Italians. Bad, sleek Cossacks amass at last, lob a bomb, attack a yak, mar pagodas, loot tenners, revel, debate rebate, jeer, upset a gang. Isadora drank nips at a bard, stuns Mary. Ella snoops; Amos too; Stella sung a dirge. On a canal, pallid niggards yell. Upstart enfeebled Omaha fools gab, gulp, snub, rebut, as liars leer sneer, gnaw, sniff. Upset, a deuce cad at Lima was. A snug smug waster frets. In a cabin, as Enid, rash, saw red, damn it Anita seems set on murders - but - examined, you bet all agreed stoor Keele, Belgrade, Cebu, Tarifa, snob nobs; big Slade men in Salta, Ragusa, Bute, Kansas, Prah; so many dim (alas, gone gaga) Rio, Crewe, Elba, Cannes, Topeka, Crete mates, Sir, assume Pamela-Anne is not to collect, nor fit to pillage kip, rone, vane, tags, tips, a plate, vodka, etna, velures, rohan, warp, a cang, ocelots, aster, fez; nor beer, trona, ether, a cape, savontettes, sack, rabot, tomboc, rotella, wax, oxo, fragaria, tug-tackle, a rare medoc, cab, otter, a batten, gardenia, cock, lisle, epee, potato, bass, some nitre, wolf, red lead, napery, tenon, a few eyas, tom-tom, a pome, parget, a bar, cage, pedal, bay, vines, ten egrets, yo-yo, soda; no bracelets, no mongrel, brawn, ray, nor tank, sump, mall, ramrod, ribes, rupee, taro, anna, cone, carbon, sard, a mare; nor knot, nor felt, tack, citrons, lioness, a burnet, talma, cleeks, wahoo, tupelo, pyrola, auk, stob, latakia, hog, a key, defl, fawn, a groat, corks, uta, a para, coot, tyups, duster, rutela, panada, a turf, fur, anil, oak, rattan, a pane, ham, a desk, cots, rep, a taw, a camera, rasp, mats, spools, ten rugs, ten games, a cask, cups, peta, lyre, beet, test-tube, borax, oboe, mace, buck, cos, a gem, tuna, any metals, a pink, cola, pollock, card, a last, lame, kale, perch, sal, a hare, game, opal, wallaby, olla, spacer, bassets, a plaid, drab, a tayo, two togas, passports, sage, cider, cans, taps, snips, gum, nettle, pipe, keg, dulse, pastel, macle, macaroni, boron, Bible, balm, rocaille, macon, lias, gull, arums, dope, civet, argon, some mya, jam, upas, pansy, lilac, lath, crib, roselite, no hats, opah, sura, rial, geode; no roset, or sten, no belt, tiller, rosette, press, no melons, no gat, cote, llama, balsam, lemur, dissal, no bees, Roman ode, risotto, lace, raggee; not a towel, capa, stone, dops, wad, a tract, rope, cigars, gold, rock, lime, tape, tar, tinsel, baths, a topsail, haddock, cod, dahlias, potash, tables, nitrate, pate, milk, cord, logs, rag, ice, port, cart, a daw, a spode; not sap, a clew, or tat, one egg, areca, lotot, siredon, a morese, ebon, lasso, drum, elm, a slab, a mallet, octagons, no lemons, serpette, sorrel, little bonnets, rotes, or one doe, glair, a rush, a post, a hone, tiles, or birch, talc, a lily, snaps, a puma, jay, memos, no grate, vice, pods, mural, lugsail, no camellia, corm, label, bib, nor obi, nor a camel, camlets, ape, sludge, kepi, pelt, ten mugs, pins, spats, nacre, dice, gas, strops, sapsago, tow, toy, a tabard, dial, pastes, sabre, caps, alloy, ball, awl, a powem, a gerah, a lash, crepe, lake, malt, salad, rack, collop, a lock, nipa, slate, myna, a nutmeg, a sock, cube, cameo, box, a robe, butt, settee, beryl, steps, pucks, a case, magnets, gurnets, loops, stamps, a rare macaw, a taper, stocks, edam, a hen, a pan, attar, kaolin, a ruff, ruta, a dan, a pale, turret, suds, puttoo, carapa, a tusk, rocta, organ, waffle, dye, kago, haik, a talbot, skua, a lory, pole, putoo, haws, keel, cam, latten, rubasse, noils; nor tick, cattle, fronton, kroner, a madras, no brace, no canna, or a tee, pursue, bird or marl, lamp, musk, natron, yarn, warbler, gnomon, stele, carbonado, soy, oyster, genet, sen, ivy, a blade, peg, a crab, a teg, rape, mop, a mot-mot, say, ewe, fan, one tyre, panda, elder-flower, tine, moss, sabot, a topee, peel, silk, cocaine, dragnet, tabaret, tobacco, demerara, elk, catgut, air, a gar, fox, ox, a wallet, or cob, motto, bark, cassette; no vase, paca, reh, tea; nor tree, bronze, frets, a stole, cognac, a prawn, a horse, rule, van, teak, dove, talpa, spits, gate, nave; nor pike, gallipot, ti, front, cello, cotton, sienna, ale, map, emus, saris, seta, meter, cake, pot, senna, cable, ewer, coir, a gage, nog, salami, dynamos, harps, a snake, tuba, sugar, atlas, nine medals, gibs, bonbons, a fir, a tube, cedar, glebe, leek, roots, deer, gallate, buoy, denim, axe, tubs, red rum, notes, smee, satin, a tin, madder, wash, sardines, a nib, a canister, fretsaw, gums, guns, a saw, a milt, a dace, cue, dates, puffin, swan, greens, reels, rails, a tuber, buns, plug, bags, loofah, a model, beef, net, rats, pulleys, drag, gin, dill, a plan, a canoe, grid, a gnu, sallet, soot, soma, spoons, alley, rams, nuts, rabat, asp, ink, nard, a rod, a sign, agates, puree, jet, a beret, a bed, levers, rennet, tools, a dog, a pram, kayak, cat, tab, mob, a bolt, salt, ass, a mask, cassock, eels, dabs, nail, a tie, ninepins, roe, liver, bats, dray, a diary, trap, a tabor, roll, a tapir, yams, a car, fat, an oil, lax, spar, hair, a pen, olives, hay, a nag, apron, ore, helix, engine, batons, lamina, sarong, istle, bottle, clam, sida, red rose, lawn, iron, dart, a dessert, straw, lats, a sash, a jar, lager, trams. I need a beer. ---
**Author:** ![gypsy\_gurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@gypsy\_gurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsy_gurl)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/3 "2001-04-04T05:48:30Z")
some people have WAY too much fecking time on their hands…🙂 (and no, that’s not one ;)) ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/4 "2001-04-04T05:49:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Derleth \* > \*\*Madam, I’m Adam. > \*\* IIRC there’s a book that starts “Madam, I” and ends “I’m Adam.” ---
**Author:** ![Mercutio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Mercutio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mercutio)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/5 "2001-04-04T05:50:06Z")
Rise to vote, sir Race Car ---
**Author:** ![Tie-Dye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Tie-Dye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tie-Dye)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/6 "2001-04-04T07:00:09Z")
Nurse, I spy gypsies - run! ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/7 "2001-04-04T07:10:41Z")
O, mem sahib, Bart, rabbi has memo. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/8 "2001-04-04T07:36:26Z")
Adaven, Nevada ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/9 "2001-04-04T07:42:18Z")
Kayak. Otto. A Toyota. Oh, and then there’s this: (Compile it and see what happens, I dare ya.) A winning entry from the 1987 [IOCCC](http://www.ioccc.org/) ```auto char rahc [] = " /" , redivider [] = "Able was I ere I saw elbA" , * deliver,reviled = 1+1 , niam ; main ( ) {/*\} \*/ int tni = 0x0 , rahctup,putchar ( ) ,LACEDx0 = 0xDECAL, rof ; for ( ; (int) (tni) ; ) (int) (tni) = reviled ; deliver = redivider ; for ((int)(tni)++,++reviled;reviled* *deliver;deliver++,++(int)(tni)) rof = (int) -1- (tni) ;reviled--;--deliver; (tni) = (int) - 0xDECAL + LACEDx0 - rof ; for (reviled--,(int)--(tni);(int) (tni);(int)--(tni),--deliver) rahctup = putchar (reviled* *deliver) ; rahctup * putchar ((char) * (rahc)) ; /*\ {\*/} ``` ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/10 "2001-04-04T08:21:09Z")
I actually invented an alphabet that could be read upside-down, creating an unusual variant on the palindrome that I named the first word that came into my head: hippodrome. I started inverting words to see if they said anything in reverse, and one of the first words I tried was “dog” (because of the whole “dog-God” thing). What did it say upside-down? Cat. That makes more sense. “Red” became “tail”, as well; so if you’re into eating wild foods and drinking cheap beer, “cat-tails ‘n’ Red Dog” actually reads “cat-tails ‘n’ Red Dog” upside down. I don’t know if that counts, but it was kind of cool. “Green” reversed into “silk”, so the phrase “green silk” is also a hippodrome. Top that. ---
**Author:** ![Sweet\_Walter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7cd45c/32.png) [@Sweet\_Walter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweet_Walter)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/11 "2001-04-04T12:33:10Z")
If I had a HiFi. Tons o’ snot. ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/12 "2001-04-04T12:46:05Z")
Rats live on no evil star. Yreka Bakery (Yreka is a town in northern California. Supposedly there is such a store. Hey, if I lived there and got up at 3 am to bake, you bet I’d go for the palindrome.) Pa’s a sap. ---
**Author:** ![LindyHopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@LindyHopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LindyHopper)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/13 "2001-04-04T14:53:14Z")
Well, we can’t forget: A man, a plan, a canal – Panama! And my personal favorite: Snubnoses on buns ---
**Author:** ![Fibonacci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Fibonacci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fibonacci)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/14 "2001-04-04T17:46:24Z")
Go hang a salami! I’m a lasagna hog! ---
**Author:** ![Tygr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@Tygr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tygr)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/15 "2001-04-04T18:22:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Derleth \* > **Madam, I’m Adam.** I once read a longer version of this: Madam, in Eden, I’m Adam. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sweet Walter \* > **If I had a HiFi.** **Tevye** , is that you? ---
**Author:** ![pluto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f08c70/32.png) [@pluto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluto)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/16 "2001-04-04T21:38:48Z")
Yes, Your Highness? Oh, I’m sorry! I thought this thread was “Palace Drones”. My bad. ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/17 "2001-04-04T22:16:34Z")
I’m not sure this is right, but I think there is a a Latin palindrome that reads like this: SATOR AREPO TENET OPERA ROTAS It translates as :“The sower, Arepo, holds the wheels with care.” i like it because it reads vertically as well as horizontally. ---
**Author:** ![Bobort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bobort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobort)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2001, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/18 "2001-04-05T02:34:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Derleth \* > **Able was I, ere I saw Elba.** Ed: Unremarkable was I, ere I saw Elba Kramer nude. ---
**Author:** ![KJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b2d939/32.png) [@KJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KJ)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2001, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/19 "2001-04-05T04:15:13Z")
Last year, for my English class, I decided to try and make something that was an entire conversation written entirely in palindromes (as if it took place in an IRC chat room or something.) The result was completely unintelligible, so I’ll write down the “translations” of what the people were supposed to be saying (and misc. comments) in _italics_: \ Lamination? No, it animal. | _Og is some kind of caveman._ \ 'Tis, is it? \ No, eon. \ Hey, yeh. \ Evolution? No, it animal. \ Heheheheheh. _Right now, they aren’t really talking about anything._ \ Kool! Look! \ Huh? \ Star rats! \ Rats live on no evil star. | _Og is an insightful caveman._ \ Go put…uh…shut up, Og! | _This is my favorite line._ \ Yak: Okay. \ Oo. Doodeedoodoo. \ … \ Og nibbles “El B. Bingo.” | _I still have no idea what the hell that’s supposed to mean, but it’s a palindrome._ \ ??? | _(hence Og’s bewildered palindromic reaction.)_ \ 'Tis I? …oh. Who is it? | _I use “'tis” too much._ \ Backwards draw K-Cab. | _What the hell IS a K-Cab?_ \ K-Cab? 'Tis…is it back!? | _There’s “'tis” again. Dennis is wondering about K-Cab which went away for some reason._ \ Yeh. Hey. \ Ya. Yay. | _They are happy K-Cab (whatever it is) has returned_ \ ??? | _but Og doesn’t know what a K-Cab is._ \ Og: Swonk knows. Go. | _Swonk is a wise person, like Yoda or something. I guess. I don’t know._ \ Ya. Say. | _Translation: What is your question?_ \ K-Cab? Back? \ Dennis peed deep (sinned.) | \*I just realized, he never answered Og’s question. A good answer would be: \ “Y Rots IX: A Taxi Story.” \ Koo’! Book! Hey, YOU do better!\* \ U? Not on U. \ O no. | _I don’t know/remember if he means “Oh no!” as in terror, or in agreement with Dennis about peeing._ \ Arg…A.I. Viagra!? | _Translation: What a ridiculous invention!_ \ ??? \ … \ Granite retina. Rg. | _Translation: Ouch, I have a piece of granite stuck in my eye._ \ Aha. | _Translation: Oh, that’s what you meant._ \ Ya. So to see, so to say. | _Translation: I cannot see very well with this thing in my eye. So to speak._ \ Dumb mud. | _It is apparently from a bit of mud._ \ Ugh… _groan_ What the hell is everybody doing? Why are you talking so weird!?!? \ They’re palindromes, stupid! \ What the hell? \ Yes, they have the same meaning forwards and backwards. You just broke character, and ruined the whole thing, dumbass! \ Oh…ô.ô Sorry. \ Jeez, BGGuy. Way to go. Now we have to start all over. \ Lamination? No, it– \ Nevermind. Forget it. I’m outta here, this sucks. \ Yeah, me too. Bye. _“BGGuy” obviously stands for “Background guy” as he just hangs out in the background saying “…” until the last “scene.”_ THE END My friend and I also came up with many other palindromes. I don’t have a list here, but here are some of the more vulgar ones (WARNING: Really tasteless and stupid): Sex axes (You don’t wanna know.) Spooge goops Muck cum Sine penis Retard rater Put them together and you have: “The retard rater used sex axes to cut off his sine penis which produced spooge goops and muck cum.” Hey, I was like 13 at the time anyway. My favorite palindrome that I _didn’t_ come up with: Doc, note, I dissent: A fast never prevents a fatness. I diet on cod. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2001, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738/20 "2001-04-05T06:11:34Z")
No “X” in “Nixon”? or No “X” in “Mr. R. M. Nixon”? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palindromes-here/60738.md?page=2)