# Reading Spoiler Boxes

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-spoiler-boxes/184044>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 24, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-spoiler-boxes/184044 "2003-06-24T15:13:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Unix\_Geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unix_geek/32/19368_2.png) [@Unix\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unix_Geek)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-spoiler-boxes/184044/1 "2003-06-24T15:13:40Z")

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I have searched the faq and messages, but I still can’t find out what is the easiest way to read spoiler boxes.

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![db4530](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@db4530](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/db4530)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-spoiler-boxes/184044/2 "2003-06-24T15:17:11Z")

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Highlight them with your cursor (i.e., click and drag over them). At least that is what I always do.

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-spoiler-boxes/184044/3 "2003-06-24T15:17:35Z")

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Even easier is to CTRL-click them.

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**Author:** ![Unix\_Geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unix_geek/32/19368_2.png) [@Unix\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unix_Geek)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-spoiler-boxes/184044/4 "2003-06-24T15:19:58Z")

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Thanks! Works like a charm.

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**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-spoiler-boxes/184044/5 "2003-06-24T15:37:34Z")

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I know that “spoiler” (in general) refers to information that you might not want to know (like the plot or surprise end of a movie you haven’t seen yet). But what is a spoiler **box**?

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-spoiler-boxes/184044/6 "2003-06-24T15:39:59Z")

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This is:

A Spoiler Box

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**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-spoiler-boxes/184044/7 "2003-06-24T17:02:35Z")

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Spoiler boxes are like Dorothy’s ruby slippers: click three times, and the magic happens!

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**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-spoiler-boxes/184044/8 "2003-06-24T17:27:03Z")

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You can also highlight all the spoiler boxes in a thread at once by pressing ctrl+a or selecting Edit|Select All in your browser menu.

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**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-spoiler-boxes/184044/9 "2003-06-24T17:33:57Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Keeve \*  
> \*\*I know that “spoiler” (in general) refers to information that you might not want to know (like the plot or surprise end of a movie you haven’t seen yet). But what is a spoiler **box**? \*\*

You create them like this:  
{spoiler}Hide plot twist here.{/spoiler}  
Replace curly brackets with and text with actual plot twist.

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**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-spoiler-boxes/184044/10 "2003-06-24T17:45:44Z")

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Thank you unix geek for asking a question I was to embarassed to ask.

May heaven’s finest blessings shower down upon you!

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**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:** [June 24, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reading-spoiler-boxes/184044/11 "2003-06-24T18:11:26Z")

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Normally I’d move this thread to ATMB because it’s about this message board. But since the question has been answered, I’ll just close it instead.

bibliophage  
moderator GQ