# What skill can you perform better than 99 random people? Please read OP for specifics before answering **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 25, 2026, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387 "2026-05-25T19:13:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/181 "2026-05-28T00:19:14Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Unless Tripler is in the 99 other bodies; I can do explosive demolition work better (and safer​😁) than most. 37years in ammo and explosives, demolition range instructor for 7 years. Plenty of practical experience in Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait. Electric, non-electric, shock tube, size, type, explosives. Placement and safety zones. … The OP did say: > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Your chosen skill must be something that is generally accessible to most. If you are a brain surgeon, for example, please do not select “best at inserting an external ventriculostomy drainage apparatus”. For this reason, work-related skills are ineligible. Not sure how accessible demolition explosives are to most. 😉 Because if we’re going to bring in work-related skills, I would say that I am better than 99 random people at starting up an S6G submarine nuclear reactor, even though it’s been a while now. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/182 "2026-05-28T00:50:50Z")
Reading fast and retaining the information. At least for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/183 "2026-05-28T00:58:06Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > I’ve sometimes wondered how many people can do that. Can anybody here? I can. Many years ago I worked at a supermarket. One day I was in the back room in the dairy walk-in and noticed a large stack of cartons of expired eggs that had been pulled from the shelf. I saw this as an opportunity to learn a new skill, so I got crackin’. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/184 "2026-05-28T01:26:02Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Unless Tripler is in the 99 other bodies; I can do explosive demolition work better (and safer​ 😁) than most. 37years in ammo and explosives, demolition range instructor for 7 years. Plenty of practical experience in Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait. Electric, non-electric, shock tube, size, type, explosives. Placement and safety zones. … Okay, cool. _The Hurt Locker._ Not to hijack but quickly, what’d you think of that movie? You guys have nerves of steel. I’ll ‘see’ your EOD work and I’ll ‘raise’ you with FDC. One shot, one kill, artillery Fire Direction Control for 155mm towed howitzers. They were nuke capable, but dammit, in nearly 14 years I never had the opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/185 "2026-05-28T01:35:31Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Word! I never skied less than when I skied more. 😁 And now, a joke: What’s the difference between a group of cows standing on a hill and a group of ski instructors standing on a hill? Eventually, the cows will move. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/186 "2026-05-28T01:54:18Z")
> [@robby](#): > > Not sure how accessible demolition explosives are to most. 😉 > > Because if we’re going to bring in work-related skills, I would say that I am better than 99 random people at starting up an S6G submarine nuclear reactor, even though it’s been a while now. I also did demo work “on the side”. I got the charges and blasting caps (etc…) from the local hardware store (rural Alabama and Oklahoma). You’d have to order it, wasn’t stocked on the shelves. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/187 "2026-05-28T03:08:57Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > I’ve sometimes wondered how many people can do that. Can anybody here? Yep! Ever since I saw It in a movie as a kid (Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina?) I learned how, and then used it extensively as a pastry chef much later. > [@ricepad](#): > > I know a guy who could crack FOUR eggs at once, two in each hand. Hold my beer! (actually, I’m afraid my hands might be too small, but I’m going to give it a try!) ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/188 "2026-05-28T05:13:25Z")
> [@ricepad](#): > > I know a guy who could crack FOUR eggs at once, two in each hand. I’ve seen him do it, and it’s quite impressive. I thought of a question: does he only crack the eggs but not open them? I ask because I can’t picture how it’d even be theoretically possible to open 4 eggs at once with two hands. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/189 "2026-05-28T07:52:29Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Oh, that reminded me of a household super skill I have: catching cups, glasses, dishes etc. falling from a cupboard before they smash on the ground, with my hands, and if this fails, with my feet. I also had insanely fast reactions but now in my mid 60s, I find myself catching a lot of air as the object falls unhindered onto the floor. I’m another juggler but I haven’t seriously juggled for several decades now. I used to do magic and juggling shows for money, although I always had a day job. At my best, I could do five balls for maybe 30 tosses but never consistently enough to make it part of my routine. Clubs, torches, rings, odd shaped objects, etc., all part of my act. At my peak, I think my stage experience would have given a serious edge. As for now, being a native speaker of English would beat a random selection of 99 people in Japan, or my fluency in Japanese would beat a random selection of people in America. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/190 "2026-05-28T11:48:31Z")
**[robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)**[Charter Member](https://boards.straightdope.com/g/Charter_Member) [May 26](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/94 "Post date") > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Reciting U.S. presidents in order… I can recite all of the English/British monarchs in order starting with William I (the Conqueror). It’s not a skill I necessarily tried to learn…I just like English history. * * * There are numerous rhymes for memorizing the British monarchs. My grandmother had a favorite which began “Willian the father; William the son…” and ended with “And then Queen Victoria ascended the throne”. Most likely from the 1800s. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/191 "2026-05-28T13:58:10Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > The Jumble word game I’m pretty good at the Jumble and Crossword puzzles. Always done with a pen. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/192 "2026-05-28T14:15:43Z")
> [@Mark\_Finn](#): > > There are numerous rhymes for memorizing the British monarchs. Here you go (last few lines added by me): Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee Harry, Dick, John, Harry three One two three Neds, Richard Two Harrys four five six, then who? Edwards four five, Dick the bad Harrys twain, Ned six the lad Mary, Bessie, James you ken Then Charlie, Charlie, James again Will and Mary, Anna Gloria Georges four, Will four, Victoria Edward seven, George and Ted, George the sixth, now Liz, now dead Wait, Liz is dead? What the fuck? That leaves us now with our third Chuck ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/193 "2026-05-28T14:24:58Z")
Other than some extremely specific sorts of trivia (Does “guess the year of a Grateful Dead show by reading the setlist” count?), I’d probably go with “leading Jewish prayer services”. If the other 99 are selected from the entire world population, I’d be in great shape. From the US, I’d be a little more nervous but still a heavy favorite. If that’s still too culturally specific, I’d pick chess, but I think I’d be on much shakier ground there, especially if the pool of competitors is worldwide. In an age-matched group, I’d bet on myself in long-distance bicycle racing, but in a fully random group I’d likely run into some young athlete who could beat me. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/194 "2026-05-28T14:38:24Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > > [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > > > Oh, that reminded me of a household super skill I have: catching cups, glasses, dishes etc. falling from a cupboard before they smash on the ground, with my hands, and if this fails, with my feet. > > I also had insanely fast reactions but now in my mid 60s, I find myself catching a lot of air as the object falls unhindered onto the floor. I don’t remember being extremely good at catching things in the kitchen but I did do something similar a couple of years ago at Wal\*Mart. I bought only 3 12 packs of Red Bull and was carrying them to my car and when I do that I put my receipt between the packs because they often do check your receipt at wal mart. But it slipped out and was hovering in the air. I made sure there was no one around me, then slipped all 3 packages of red bull under one arm, and then simultaneously flung out my leg for balance and flung out my free hand to catch the receipt as it was still fluttering in the air. Because I didn’t want to have to put down the red bull and then pick it back up again. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/195 "2026-05-28T15:33:56Z")
Designing software that simplifies and automates whatever recurrent tasks and processes you (or whoever) need to deal with. Counts as “not work”, I think, insofar as my fulltime job is data entry not interface design, but if you think it should still be disqualified, I’ll go with impromptu meal creation: I can whip up something decently appealing from leftovers & other ingredients on hand better than most folks. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/196 "2026-05-28T15:34:32Z")
Soldering for electronics, and using electronics instruments like multimeters and oscilloscopes. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/197 "2026-05-28T16:24:16Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > does he only crack the eggs but not open them? He’d crack AND open them, and without getting any shell bits, too! It was really something to see. He’d hold two eggs side by side with the his fingertips on the pointy ends and the more rounded ends at the base of his palms. He’d strike the eggs simultaneously, then he’d flex his palm to open the eggs and deliver the contents. I honestly don’t know how he didn’t drop them. Ron was a guy with many talents, a lot of them were completely useless. I’ve seen him kill a flying fly by hitting it with the edge of a knife, actually cutting the fly in two. Things just seem to come easily to him, but I think for that reason, he never had to work hard, so he basically took the path of least resistance through life, and ended up with a lot of non-violent crime convictions, mostly drug related. The last time I saw him, he was missing a lot of teeth. His brother said some of them got knocked out when he passed out and fell face first, while the other missing ones were probably due to meth use. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/198 "2026-05-28T17:05:49Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > impromptu meal creation: I can whip up something decently appealing from leftovers & other ingredients on hand better than most folks. While I’m no good at this, just in my own wide circle of say 50 people (friends and family) I know at least 6 people who are fantastic at this, and those are just the ones I’ve been with when they had to pull together a meal. If you picked 99 random people, I’m sure there’d be at least a few who are great at this, and probably a lot more. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/199 "2026-05-28T17:13:10Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > impromptu meal creation I’m pretty good at this, too. I think it started when I worked in a small restaurant and one of my tasks at the end of the night was to prepare the staff meal. I had free access to most of the goods aside from the pricey cuts of meat. I was encouraged to use anything that would not last until the next day, too. These days, my wife will look into the fridge and pantry and think it’s time to go shopping. I’ll have a look, and see at least two more days of meals before we’re out. It ain’t loaves and fishes, but I take pride in not wasting anything if I can avoid it. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387/200 "2026-05-28T17:29:43Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Okay, cool. _The Hurt Locker._ Not to hijack but quickly, what’d you think of that movie? You guys have nerves of steel. Excellent, anything along those lines (IEDs) I passed to EOD who had more advanced training. Also excellent is “Danger UXB” a British series about disarming unexploded bombs in WWII. /end hijack [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-skill-can-you-perform-better-than-99-random-people-please-read-op-for-specifics-before-answering/1030387.md?page=11)