What's the best Palindrome you know?

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What comes into your head first? I already know what the LONGEST palindrome is: http://www.norvig.com/palindrome.html

For some reason, I always remember this:

"Straw? No, too stupid a fad. I put soot on warts."

― Rob Bolton, Friday, 22 August 2003 08:27 (twenty-two years ago)

the first sentence ever spoken (allegedly)

"Madam, I'm Adam".

― MarkH (MarkH), Friday, 22 August 2003 08:29 (twenty-two years ago)

ah! satan sees natasha!

― mitch lastnamewithheld (mitchlnw), Friday, 22 August 2003 08:35 (twenty-two years ago)

"A man, a plan, a canal, Panama."

"Satan, oscillate my metallic sonatas!"

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 22 August 2003 08:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Why is it that Satan turns up so often in Palindromes? He sure gets around...

― Rob Bolton, Friday, 22 August 2003 08:46 (twenty-two years ago)

An ancient (1985) Guinness Book of Records says the longest one-word palindromes in the English language are "Redivider" (9 letters) and the contrvied chemical term "detartrated" (11 letters).
It says also that the longest composition is 65 000 words long, beginning "Rae hits Eb, sire..." and ends "...Beer is best, I hear.", written by Edward Benbow in 1983.
In Finnish, we have Solutomaattimittaamotulos (25 letters) i.e. the result from a measurement laboratory for tomatoes. It is a compound of 4 words, actually.

― MarkH (MarkH), Friday, 22 August 2003 08:47 (twenty-two years ago)

In girum imus nocte et consumimur igni

― Bruno- (Bruno-), Friday, 22 August 2003 08:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Ah, "solutomaattimittaamotulos" has replaced "saippuakivikauppias" as the longest palindrome in the world in the Guinness Book. You could have longer palindromic compound words than that in Finnish, of course, but the Guinness rules are strict: the word must relate to something that actually exists, so you can't use random compounds of words.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 22 August 2003 09:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Demetri Martin, one of this year's Perrier Award nominees, has a 200-and-something words long palindrome as part of his act.

(I don't actually know what it is, but a friend who heard it was very impressed).

― caitlin (caitlin), Friday, 22 August 2003 09:34 (twenty-two years ago)

won't lovers revolt now?

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 22 August 2003 09:36 (twenty-two years ago)

That's cheating, stevem, as there's only one aspostrophe and one question mark.

― Nick H, Friday, 22 August 2003 09:59 (twenty-two years ago)

wont lovers revolt now

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 22 August 2003 09:59 (twenty-two years ago)

go hang a salami, i'm a lasagna hog

(conveniently this is also the only way i can remember how to spell 'lasagna')

― j c, Friday, 22 August 2003 10:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm aloof; a fool am I.

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Friday, 22 August 2003 10:09 (twenty-two years ago)

"Doc, note I dissent. A fast never prevents a fatness: I diet on cod."

― Marcel Post (Marcel Post), Friday, 22 August 2003 10:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Me me me. I am my favourite palindrome!

(I've had a hard week, forgive me)

― Anna (Anna), Friday, 22 August 2003 10:39 (twenty-two years ago)

no, mel gibson is a casino's big lemon.

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 22 August 2003 11:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Ooh I like that one RJG :)

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 22 August 2003 11:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Um, lasagne is spelt lasagne...

― Mark C (Mark C), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I like angels but tub slegna ekil I.

― Mike Hanle y (mike), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Lisa Bonet ate no basil.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:15 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.mgnet.karoo.net/fawltymainpic2.jpg

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:40 (twenty-two years ago)

UFO Tofu
No man, nice cinnamon!
Yams I'd nip in dismay.
Star comedy by Democrats.

― allyson (schmanktenputchka), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)

I challenge someone to use Cleese in a palindrome. I got pretty close with something about an eel and a con, but got stuck...

― Rob Bolton, Friday, 22 August 2003 14:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Pet Tep.

― Tep (ktepi), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:46 (twenty-two years ago)

haha, odd cleese see LCD do

pa, cleese's eel cap?

I suppose these do make more sense than the 'LONGEST' one linked at the start.

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 22 August 2003 15:23 (twenty-two years ago)

F A I L E D P A L I N D R O M E S .

BY CHRIS MILLER

- - - -

1. Madam, I'm Alan.

2. Able was I ere I saw Zelig.

3. A man, a plan, a canal—Erie!

4. He goddam mad dog, nicht wahr?

5. Edna St. Vincent Millay, top bard, notes putrid tang emanating, is sad.
I'd assign it a name: gnat dirt upset on drab pot toilet.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Friday, 22 August 2003 15:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Yo, banana boy!

― Scott James, Friday, 22 August 2003 19:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Able was I ere I saw Elba.

But Kenan beat me to it, the crumbum.

― Leee (Leee), Friday, 22 August 2003 20:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Aerodrome is one of my favorite words.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 22 August 2003 20:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Mr. Owl ate my metal worm

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Friday, 22 August 2003 21:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Noel's pot level tops Leon.

― J (Jay), Friday, 22 August 2003 22:04 (twenty-two years ago)

"A man, a plan, a canoe, pasta, heros, rajahs, a coloratura, maps, snipe, percale, macaroni, a gag, a banana bag, a tan, a tag, a banana bag again (or a camel), a crepe, pins, Spam, a rut, a Rolo, cash, a jar, sore hats, a peon, a canal--Panama! "

>Why is it that Satan turns up so often in Palindromes? He sure gets around...
"When you play our record backwards it goes 'Natas! Natas!' " - Joey Santiago.

― Gregory Henry (Gregory Henry), Saturday, 23 August 2003 01:04 (twenty-two years ago)

heroes?

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 23 August 2003 01:16 (twenty-two years ago)

it used to be "egg" until someone told me what a palindrome was

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Saturday, 23 August 2003 01:19 (twenty-two years ago)

hannah, 'cause she's my big sister!

― cuspidorian (cuspidorian), Saturday, 23 August 2003 01:45 (twenty-two years ago)

i am allyson, nosy llama i

― allyson (schmanktenputchka), Saturday, 23 August 2003 01:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Swap God for a janitor? Rot in a jar of dog paws!

― Paul Eater (eater), Saturday, 23 August 2003 04:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Ok, theses are bad, but I just made them up:

a nu-yak sing of fog Niskayuna.

sand elf of omelette le Mofo fled Nas.

― A Nairn (moretap), Saturday, 23 August 2003 06:04 (twenty-two years ago)

BOB

― bob, Saturday, 23 August 2003 13:46 (twenty-two years ago)

xanax

― cuspidorian (cuspidorian), Saturday, 23 August 2003 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)

hey what about if they also have to be visually symmetric, then they're even more satisfying! So I guess you could only use (taking into account how the letters could actually be written): A, o, O, H, i, I, l, m, M, n, T, t, u, U, v, V, W, w, X, x, Y, y.

or, taking into account only the typing here then: o, O, H, I, T, U, v, V, X, x, Y, M, A

― cuspidorian (cuspidorian), Saturday, 23 August 2003 14:04 (twenty-two years ago)

which reminds me, is it true Yma Sumac was orig. called Amy Camus??

― cuspidorian (cuspidorian), Saturday, 23 August 2003 14:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Dennis, Nell, Edna, Leon, Nedra, Anita, Rolf, Nora, Alice, Carol, Leo, Jane, Reed, Dena, Dale, Basil, Rae, Penny, Lana, Dave, Denny, Lena, Ida, Bernadette, Ben, Ray, Lila, Nina, Jo, Ira, Mara, Sara, Mario, Jan, Ina, Lily, Arne, Bette, Dan, Reba, Diane, Lynn, Ed, Eva, Dana, Lynne, Pearl, Isabel, Ada, Ned, Dee, Rena, Joel, Lora, Cecil, Aaron, Flora, Tina, Arden, Noel, and Ellen sinned.

― Joe (Joe), Sunday, 24 August 2003 01:53 (twenty-two years ago)

And while we're at it, "Waltz, nymph, for quick jigs vex Bud!" kicks "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dogs"' ass.

― Joe (Joe), Sunday, 24 August 2003 01:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Joe, your name palindrome is scary.

The first one that comes to mind for me is a variaton on the one MarkH mentioned...

Madam in Eden, I'm Adam.

That reminds me of one of the craziest individuals I ever met, an author by the name of Richard Lederer. He was dangerously obssessed with the English language, so much so that he seemed like it was ready to drive him completely nuts, but he gave me a copy of his book "Crazy English", and it contains an interview with a fictious man named Doctor Rotcod on the nature of evil. All of Rotcod's responses are of course palindromes:

You are well known for your hatred of evil, aren't you doctor?
- Evil is a name of a foeman, as I live.
Then what is your advice to those who seek the good life?
- Live not on evil.
How can one do that?
Repel evil as a live leper.
Do you then wish to stamp out all lies?
- Mive on evasions? No! I save no evil.
How should one treat a liar?
- Rail at a liar.
Can good and evil peacefully coexist in this world?
- No, it is opposition.
Did evil always exist?
- O, stone me! Not so!
Then where did evil begin?
- Eve.
And Adam too?
- Mad Adam.
What did Adam say when he first met Eve?
- Madam in Eden, I'm Adam.
And what did Eve reply?
- Eve, maiden name. Both sad in Eden? I dash to be manned. I'm Eve.
What happened when Eve saw that jewel of a forbidden fruit?
- Eve saw diamond, erred. No maid was Eve.
And what happened when Eve offered the fruit to Adam?
- Won't lovers revolt now?
So the sinned together?
- Named under a ban - a bared nude man.
And the result was...?
- Eve damned Eden, Mad Eve.
Can we ever escape the influence of that act?
- Her Eve's noose we soon sever, eh?
Well can we?
- No, evil lives on.
And when you grew older, did you ever sin, Doctor?
- Lived as a devil.
How so?
- Evil did I dwell, lewd I did live.
And what was the result of that life?
- Reviled did I live; evil I did deliver.
Apparently you began to despair of ever overcoming evil. What were you thinking?
- Do good deed live on? No, evil's deeds do. O God.
I imagine that this state of affairs made you quite miserable.
- Egad, a base life defiles a bad age.
Did you ever despair that evil could be conquered?
- No, it can- action!
So you dedicated your life to fighting evil?
- Now do I repay a period won.
And you fought evil with good?
- Did I do, O God. Did I as I said I'd do? Good, I did!
Have you finally won your battle against sin?
- Now, sir, a war is won.
Do you feel good about all this?
- Revered now I live on. O did I do no evil, I wonder, ever?
I understand that your colleagues in virtue have no doubts that they will have their rewards in heaven.
- Nor I, fool. Ah, no! We won halo- of iron!
And what will happen to you few who have seen the light?
- Are we not drawn onward, we few, drawn onward to new era?

Uuuunh-huh....
*pauses to contemplate*

― The Man they call Dan (The Man they call Dan), Monday, 25 August 2003 04:24 (twenty-two years ago)

and yes, that fourth palindrome is supposed to start with an L. My bad.

― The Man they call Dan (The Man they call Dan), Monday, 25 August 2003 04:26 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...

I just made this one up, as a candidate for the worst ever:

Our Father
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name:
Manyhtebdewollahnevaehnitraohwrehtafruo.

― OleM (OleM), Monday, 29 September 2003 18:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Ah'm a f------ cocfamha!

― OleM (OleM), Monday, 29 September 2003 19:01 (twenty-two years ago)

You missed the "e" at the beginning of the second part of your first palindrome there.

― NA (Nick A.), Monday, 29 September 2003 19:09 (twenty-two years ago)

No.

;)

― OleM (OleM), Monday, 29 September 2003 19:20 (twenty-two years ago)

(Argh, that should obv have been "O no".)

― OleM (OleM), Monday, 29 September 2003 19:23 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.palindromelist.com/longest.htm

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 29 September 2003 19:27 (twenty-two years ago)

a foof a man a plan a canal panamafoofa

― JackDerryda, Sunday, 5 October 2003 17:25 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.spinelessbooks.com/2002/

― Chris P (Chris P), Monday, 6 October 2003 00:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Rats live on no evil star

― King Chiron (kingchiron), Monday, 6 October 2003 02:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Chris Piuma, that is utterly remarkable.

― Daniel (dancity), Monday, 6 October 2003 13:09 (twenty-two years ago)

"The creators of the book have had the historically rare privilege of experiencing two palindromic years: 1991 and 2002. No generation of people has lived through two palindromic years since 1001, and none will again until 2112."

This seems to suggest that people will be more likely to live to 110 in 2112 than they are now. Whaere is the hard science behind this?

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Monday, 6 October 2003 13:18 (twenty-two years ago)

More to the point, Andrew, what's the second of the two palindromic years following 2112? Unless I'm missing something, the one after is 2222 and the one before is 2002.

― Daniel (dancity), Monday, 6 October 2003 19:32 (twenty-two years ago)

racecar

it's my favorite.

― Dale the Titled (cprek), Monday, 6 October 2003 19:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, that is my point.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Monday, 6 October 2003 19:58 (twenty-two years ago)

I suppose it should be more accurately "None will have to opportunity again until..."

― Chris P (Chris P), Monday, 6 October 2003 21:34 (twenty-two years ago)

No pinot noir on Orion to nip on.

― violet red (violet red), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 03:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Weird Al Yankovic "Bob" lyrics
(meant to be sung in Bob Dylan's voice)

I, man, am regal -- a German am I
Never odd or even
If I had a hi-fi
Madam, I'm Adam
Too hot to hoot
No lemons, no melon
Too bad I hid a boot
Lisa Bonet ate no basil
Warsaw was raw
Was it a car or a cat I saw?

Rise to vote, sir
Do geese see God?
"Do nine men interpret?" "Nine men," I nod
Rats live on no evil star
Won't lovers revolt now?
Race fast, safe car
Pa's a sap
Ma is as selfless as I am
May a moody baby doom a yam?

Ah Satan sees Natasha
No devil lived on
Lonely Tylenol Not a banna baton
No "x" in "Nixon"
O, stone, be not so
O Geronimo, no minor ego
"Naomi", I moan
"A Toyota's a Toyota"
A dog, a panic in a pagoda

Oh, no! Don Ho!
Nurse, I spy gypsies -- run!
Senile felines
Now I see bees I won
UFO tofu
We panic in a pew
Oozy rat in a sanitary zoo
God! A red nugget! A fat egg under a dog!
Go hang a salami, I'm a lasagna hog

― chuck, Tuesday, 7 October 2003 21:59 (twenty-two years ago)

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA= A FOE SMITE THE RANCID STATUE

― joel beasant, Wednesday, 8 October 2003 14:43 (twenty-two years ago)

That's an anagram, not a palindrome, monkeybutt.

― NA (Nick A.), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 14:49 (twenty-two years ago)

NA: my "LOL"-y man.

― Chris P (Chris P), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 14:53 (twenty-two years ago)

(N.B. I could have spent a few hours on that and made it halfway good.)

― Chris P (Chris P), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 14:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Anyone like the I Monster album Neveroddoreven?

― Alan (Alan), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 14:55 (twenty-two years ago)

By the way, there's a band called the Palindromes, and they have an album called "Muy Muy Pop Yum Yum", and my god it was on deep deep discount and how could I resist that?

Ah well.

― Chris P (Chris P), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 15:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks, the effort is appreciated. I started to write a palindromic response and gave up after approximately 4 seconds.

― NA (Nick A.), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 15:14 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

Someday mother will die and I'll get the money
Mom leans down and says, My sentiments exactly,
You son of a bitch
I palindrome I (I palindrome I)
I palindrome I (I palindrome I)
And I am a snake head eating (snake head)
The head on the opposite side (snake head)
I palindrome I (manonam)
I palindrome I (manonam)
See that bulletproof dress hanging from the clothesline
See the medical chart with the random zig-zag
Now I'll help it decide
I palindrome I (I palindrome I)
I palindrome I (I palindrome I)
And I am a snake head eating (snake head)
The head on the opposite side (snake head)
I palindrome I (manonam)
I palindrome I (manonam)
I palindrome I (manonam)
I palindrome I (manonam)
Son I am able, she said though you scare me.
Watch, said I
Beloved, I said watch me scare you though. said she,
Able am I, Son.
See the spring of the grandfather clock unwinding
(Egad, a base tone denotes a bad age)
See the hands of my offspring making windmills
(Egad, a base tone denotes a bad age)
Dad palindrome Dad
I palindrome I (I palindrome I)
I palindrome I (I palindrome I)
And I am a snake head eating (snake head)
The head on the opposite side (snake head)
I palindrome I (manonam)
I palindrome I (manonam)
I palindrome I (manonam)
I palindrome I (manonam)

― Aaron Hertz (AaronHz), Sunday, 23 January 2005 23:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Heh I was just thinking about TMBG while reading this.

They also did that "On Earth My Nina" song which wasn't a palindrome but was still very cool.

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 24 January 2005 00:35 (twenty-one years ago)

wow

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Monday, 24 January 2005 02:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Mantis have fun in autumn month when tuning radio to pop oto idarg nin utneh whtnomn mutuani nufe vahsit nam

― Autumn Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Monday, 24 January 2005 02:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I think I shall pop some TMBG on now.

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 24 January 2005 02:21 (twenty-one years ago)

DOG NUTS STUN GOD

― Ian John50n (orion), Monday, 24 January 2005 02:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Put Eliot's toilet up

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Monday, 24 January 2005 05:55 (twenty-one years ago)

my phone number is almost a palindrome

― phil-two (phil-two), Monday, 24 January 2005 06:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't believe no one's posted:

O Memsahib Bart Rabbi has memo

― Hurting (Hurting), Monday, 24 January 2005 06:48 (twenty-one years ago)

that "world's longest palindrome" stinks.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 24 January 2005 06:50 (twenty-one years ago)

"Ape, Pa!"

― Aimless (Aimless), Monday, 24 January 2005 06:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Marge: How was your day Bart?
Bart: Os os

― Hurting (Hurting), Monday, 24 January 2005 07:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I used a palindrome for one of my album titles:

"Tulsa Nightlife: Filth, Gin, A Slut"

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 24 January 2005 07:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Was it Eliot's toilet I saw?

But my favorites are usually shorter, clearer ones that evoke a single delightful mental image:

Ruffle elf fur

gnu dung

Rasta tsar

― The Mad Puffin, Monday, 24 January 2005 14:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Campus motto: Bottoms up, mac!

― Ken L (Ken L), Monday, 24 January 2005 14:09 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

Am God's e-mongrel Lohan, a holler-gnome's dogma.

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 26 January 2006 22:18 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

A Man, A Plan, All-Anal: Panama

― Hurting 2, Wednesday, 13 February 2008 02:14 (eighteen years ago)

Cf. pumping lemma for palindromes.

― libcrypt, Wednesday, 13 February 2008 02:33 (eighteen years ago)

There was some thread where someone did "A man, ape on a canoe, Panama!", but it was funnier in context. Too bad search still fucking sucks.

― Dan I., Wednesday, 13 February 2008 02:47 (eighteen years ago)

oh, here's someone excelsioring it though:

i dunno, that's actually pretty LOL. maybe it could become my new default EXCELSIORbation fantasy.

― Dan I., Wednesday, 13 February 2008 02:48 (eighteen years ago)

heard on this american life last week:

dr awkward

― tehresa, Wednesday, 13 February 2008 02:54 (eighteen years ago)

ape on a canoe and tyler too

― Hurting 2, Wednesday, 13 February 2008 03:12 (eighteen years ago)

Oh, wet Alex, a jar, a fag! Up, disk, curve by! Man Oz, Iraq, Arizona, my Bev? Ruck's id-pug, a far Ajax, elate? Who?

― moley, Wednesday, 13 February 2008 03:17 (eighteen years ago)

"Tulsa Nightlife: Filth, Gin, A Slut"

-- Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill)

We have a winner.

― moley, Wednesday, 13 February 2008 03:20 (eighteen years ago)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/-phob-#Jocular_and_fictional_phobias

― El Tomboto, Wednesday, 13 February 2008 03:22 (eighteen years ago)

eleven years pass...

A delightful article on palindromes:
https://believermag.com/palindromes-palindromes-motherfucker-what/

― jaymc, Sunday, 2 February 2020 06:23 (six years ago)

Also! Today's date is palindromic: 02/02/2020.

― jaymc, Sunday, 2 February 2020 06:24 (six years ago)

The only date this century that's palindromic in both the UK and US!

― opden gnash (imago), Sunday, 2 February 2020 07:55 (six years ago)

This millennium, even

― opden gnash (imago), Sunday, 2 February 2020 08:25 (six years ago)

I have a tshirt with ‘a man, a plan, a canal: Panama’ on it.

― Bidh boladh a' mhairbh de 'n láimh fhalaimh (dowd), Sunday, 2 February 2020 08:29 (six years ago)

sick

― Swilling Ambergris, Esq. (silby), Sunday, 2 February 2020 08:38 (six years ago)

https://imgur.com/a/W2FdLBF

― Bidh boladh a' mhairbh de 'n láimh fhalaimh (dowd), Sunday, 2 February 2020 08:42 (six years ago)

Ten animals I slam in a net

― fetter, Sunday, 2 February 2020 12:13 (six years ago)

That article was great, thanks, jaymc.

When we’re young it’s exhilarating to indulge in the pleasure of repeating a word again and again until it devolves into meaninglessness

I never actually did this until I was a little older and read about it, wonder how old he means by “when we’re young”

― TS: Kirk/Spock vs. Marat/Sade (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 2 February 2020 12:40 (six years ago)

aibohphobia

― StanM, Sunday, 2 February 2020 18:49 (six years ago)

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