# Why is 42 the answer to life? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 7, 2014, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243 "2014-06-07T03:33:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/21 "2014-06-07T12:18:08Z")
You want to know the ultimate question to which the answer is 42? All I can tell you is that we’re working on it. Oh, and be nice to mice. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/22 "2014-06-07T12:23:53Z")
42 is unpleasantly like being drunk. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/23 "2014-06-07T12:28:16Z")
It should be 43? ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/24 "2014-06-07T12:49:14Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > Because 42 / 3 = 14. > > And as any fule kno, there are 14 k of g in a f p d. I laughed out loud. Really hard. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/25 "2014-06-07T13:29:56Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > 42 is unpleasantly like being drunk. What’s so unpleasant about being drunk 😕 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/26 "2014-06-07T14:10:37Z")
You’ll have to ask Majikthise and Vroomfondel. ---
**Author:** ![Meme\_Chose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Meme\_Chose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meme_Chose)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/27 "2014-06-07T14:25:29Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > It was just fortuitous. clever and subtle. (4) 2 thumbs up ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/28 "2014-06-07T15:11:24Z")
> [@Meme\_Chose](#): > > clever and subtle. (4) 2 thumbs up Here are my two thumbs to make up the four. Nice work. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/29 "2014-06-07T15:55:02Z")
> [@Meme\_Chose](#): > > clever and subtle. (4) 2 thumbs up Yes, that’s what I thought when I read it, too. Wish I could remember where. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/30 "2014-06-07T15:56:27Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > What’s so unpleasant about being drunk 😕 Ask a glass of water. ---
**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:** [June 7, 2014, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/31 "2014-06-07T16:01:45Z")
I feel like a military academy. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/32 "2014-06-07T16:20:27Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > What’s so unpleasant about being drunk 😕 You like throwing up, not being allowed to drive, and falling down? ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/33 "2014-06-07T16:33:23Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > Because 42 / 3 = 14. > > And as any fule kno, there are 14 k of g in a f p d. ROTFLMAO! Okay, that one got me good! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/34 "2014-06-07T16:49:01Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > I feel like a military academy. Bits of you are gray and trying to learn stuff? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/35 "2014-06-07T16:56:01Z")
The one I heard is that it’s what you get if you add up all the pips and a pair of dice, because life is a crap shoot. ---
**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:** [June 7, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/36 "2014-06-07T20:42:18Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Bits of you are gray and trying to learn stuff? Bits of me keep passing out. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/37 "2014-06-07T21:05:12Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > Bits of me keep passing out. Well sure, if you want to just accept the easy answer. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/38 "2014-06-07T22:25:25Z")
Funny numbers are [serious business](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk8tuH0uwuo). ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/39 "2014-06-07T22:44:47Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > If you think there is, or should be, an explanation, you haven’t got the joke. And probably forgot your towel too. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243/40 "2014-06-07T22:45:49Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > Bits of me keep passing out. Don’t panic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-42-the-answer-to-life/690243.md?page=3)