# What does this t-shirt mean, if anything? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 6, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828 "2004-05-06T14:29:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![smootman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@smootman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smootman)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/1 "2004-05-06T14:29:22Z")
I have a Get Fuzzy page-a-day calendar, and the May 5th cartoon shows Rob with a T-shirt on that simply says, 6 x9 42 Any thoughts on this? is it part of some secret society? ---
**Author:** ![gfloyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d2c977/32.png) [@gfloyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gfloyd)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/2 "2004-05-06T14:34:17Z")
It’s from the Hitchhiker’s guide to the Galaxy. The seceret to live, the universe and everything is 42. The question is 6 x 9. Why it was for Cinco de Mayo is anyone’s guess. ---
**Author:** ![Erroneous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71c47a/32.png) [@Erroneous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erroneous)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/3 "2004-05-06T14:34:29Z")
> [@](#): > > At the end of the book The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (volume 2 of the Hitchhiker’s trilogy), Arthur Dent (as the last human to have left the Earth before its destruction, and therefore the portion of the computer matrix most likely to hold the question) attempts to discover the Question by extracting it from his unconscious mind, through pulling Scrabble letters at random out of a sack. The result is the sentence “WHAT DO YOU GET IF YOU MULTIPLY SIX BY NINE”. > “Six by nine. Forty-two.” > “That’s it. That’s all there is.” [HHGG is cool.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Answer_to_Life,_the_Universe,_and_Everything) ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/4 "2004-05-06T14:35:11Z")
> [@smootman](#): > > I have a Get Fuzzy page-a-day calendar, and the May 5th cartoon shows Rob with a T-shirt on that simply says, > > 6 > x9 > 42 > > Any thoughts on this? is it part of some secret society? It’s a reference to _Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy_. 6 x 9 = 42 in base 13. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/5 "2004-05-06T14:40:03Z")
It’s a reference to the Hitchhiker’s Guide To the Galaxy books by the late Douglas Adams. Essentially, Earth is destroyed, and the two surviving Earthlings, as well as two alien friends are informed that Earth was actually a giant supercomputer. Billions of years ago, a super-intelligent race built a computer (called “Deep Thought”) to calculate the Answer to the Great Question of Life, the Universe and Everything. Deep Thought declared that the answer was 42. This meant that that race never knew what the Question itself actually was, so, acting on Deep Thought’s instructions, they built the Earth - a giant supercomputer to calculate the Question. But Earth was destroyed five minutes before the Question could be revealed. After a series of interesting and hilarious mishaps, one of those Earthlings and his alien friend ended up on Earth in prehistoric times. One of them tries to teach a caveman Scrabble, but the cavemen show no talent for it…until once, the Earthman, Arthur, notices that a caveman has left, on the Scrabble board, tiles spelling out “Forty Two”. Thinking that the question itself might be achievable by pulling random Scrabble tiles from a bag, he proceeds to lay out the following question: “What do you get when you multiply six by nine?” This comes from the second book of the series, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Hence, Rob’s T-Shirt - 6 \* 9 = 42. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/6 "2004-05-06T14:46:12Z")
> [@anson2995](#): > > It’s a reference to _Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy_. 6 x 9 = 42 in base 13. I always thought the idea was that since earthlings weren’t “native”, Arthur Dent only had a slightly corrupted version of The Question that had seeped into his head, hence the mathematical mismatch. Am I making this up? It’s been a while since I read the books… ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/7 "2004-05-06T14:47:02Z")
> [@smootman](#): > > is it part of some secret society? No, that’ll be when the tee-shirt refers to 1920’s style "D…aagh! ---
**Author:** ![smootman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@smootman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smootman)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/8 "2004-05-06T14:47:47Z")
I’m an idiot… I knew 42 was from HHGG, but forgot they had to determine the question. ---
**Author:** ![Basandre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@Basandre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Basandre)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/9 "2004-05-06T15:36:16Z")
> [@Dead Badger](#): > > I always thought the idea was that since earthlings weren’t “native”, Arthur Dent only had a slightly corrupted version of The Question that had seeped into his head, hence the mathematical mismatch. Am I making this up? It’s been a while since I read the books… As I understand it, the base 13 thing wasn’t Adams’ intention. Some math geek set out to figure out in what base 6 \* 9 would come out to 42, and it turned out to be 13. The corrupt version due to not being a native does make sense, but I don’t think it’s actually in the books. It might be implied, though. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/10 "2004-05-06T15:47:35Z")
When Arthur asked what the hell it meant, Ford said, “Cock up.” Implying that it was all a load of bullocks. Draw your own conclusions… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/11 "2004-05-06T15:58:56Z")
Heh. Heh heh. Heh heh heeeee! ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/12 "2004-05-06T16:26:03Z")
> [@Basandre](#): > > As I understand it, the base 13 thing wasn’t Adams’ intention. Some math geek set out to figure out in what base 6 \* 9 would come out to 42, and it turned out to be 13. The corrupt version due to not being a native does make sense, but I don’t think it’s actually in the books. It might be implied, though. That’r right. It’s a fan intention. The purpose of the passage in the book is to show the irrational nature of the universe. The fact that Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect seek meaning from this confusing message is supposed to be humorous. Douglas Adams, the author of the series, often responded directly to these types of questions on usenet. Here’s one example of his [explanation of the meaning of 42](http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=adamsd.1102700746A%40news.cerf.net). ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/13 "2004-05-06T16:54:58Z")
So the Base 13 thing is only a happy coincedence? In the 5th book of the trilogy, when the Vogons finally succeed in destroying all the Earths, they had to do it on \*all \*the parallel planes in the plural Z sector. And for some reason I seem to recall that there were a total of 13 parallel universes in that sector, and thus 13 planet Earths to be destroyed. Am I making that up? I feel like such a nerd for knowing this reference, but I take comfort in my inability to remember it clearly. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/14 "2004-05-06T16:57:30Z")
In the radio drama, there is Ark B from Golgafrincham with all the hairdressers and telephone sanitizers and the like. They kill off the native population of the earth (cavemen) and so Arthur is not a fully descended earthling. Yes I carry my book with me to work. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/15 "2004-05-06T17:02:15Z")
I meant… in the book AND in the radio drama. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/16 "2004-05-06T17:23:15Z")
> [@](#): > > So the Base 13 thing is only a happy coincedence? I think so, at least in terms of the original part of the gag (not the 6 times 9 part). I recall an interview in which Adams said that he had nothing special in mind when he had Deep Thought come up with “42” for an answer - it was just a random-seeming number to him, suitable for the joke of there being a numerical answer to the ultimate question of life. He said he was surprised when fans came up with all sorts of reasons that 42 might be significant. Given that, he MIGHT have been aware of the base 13 thing by the time he got there. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/17 "2004-05-06T17:41:48Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > … it was just a random-seeming number to him, suitable for the joke of there being a numerical answer to the ultimate question of life. “Wonderful! It sounds good without actually tying you down to _meaning anything!_” “How many roads must a man walk down?” (Together) “Forty-two!” [/squeaky mousies] ---
**Author:** ![Lagged2Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ac8455/32.png) [@Lagged2Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lagged2Death)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-t-shirt-mean-if-anything/243828/18 "2004-05-06T18:39:10Z")
> [@Basandre](#): > > The corrupt version due to not being a native does make sense, but I don’t think it’s actually in the books. It might be implied, though. That was explicit in the book, actually. Earth was destroyed just a few minutes before it’s program was finished - and Arthur had been there all of his life, right up to the end of the world. So Ford and Aurthur figured (well, because Marvin told them) that Arthur might have some sort of latent proto-Answer imprinted in his brainwaves. That’s why Arthur started grabbing Scrabble tiles at random from the bag. > [@Douglas Adams](#): > > "Still, something must have come out of it,’’ he said at last, “because Marvin said he could see the Question printed in your brain wave patterns.’” > > "But …’’ > > "Probably the wrong one, or a distortion of the right one. It might give us a clue though if we could find it. I don’t see how we can though.’’ > > […snip…] > > “There might be a way of bringing that unconscious pattern forward.” > > “Oh yes?” > > “Yes, by introducing some random element that can be shaped by that pattern.” > > “Like how?” > > “Like by pulling Scrabble letters out of a bag blindfolded.” > > Ford leapt to his feet. > > “Brilliant!” he said. He tugged his towel out of his satchel and with a few deft knots transformed it into a bag. > > “Totally mad,” he said, “utter nonsense. But we’ll do it because it’s brilliant nonsense. Come on, come on.”