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What are the Best & Most Famous Palindromes

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As a writer, I’ve always been fascinated with the many ways in which language can be used in curious and unique ways. One way is the palindrome, in which words or phrases are used in such a way that they read the same forwards and backwards. Common palindromes exist all around us, in words like: radar, kayak, civic, rotor, and noon, and some can be found in common names like Eve, Hannah, Anna (and of course, let’s not forget Bob), but once you get more than six or seven letters, they start to become tricky, especially when used in complete sentences. Below are my nominations for the best—and cleverest—palindromes I’ve come across. I’m confining these to English words and phrases because, frankly, that’s the only language I know, but I understand palindromes are a part of all languages.

10. Eva, Can I Stab Bats In A Cave? (8 words, 22 letters)

Image result for Eva, Can I Stab Bats In A Cave?

Reminding us once again of the importance of asking permission before going bat hunting

in caves, it’s not quite a perfect palindrome due to the comma. It is, however, a pretty clever one and, of course, it’s a question that badly needs to be asked, although I’m not entirely certain what qualifies Eva to make that determination.

9. A Man, A Plan, A Canal-Panama! (8 words, 21 letters)

Image result for A Man, A Plan, A Canal-Panama!

This one is a classic penned by Leigh Mercer way back in 1948, and is unique in the respect that it actually makes sense (Eva and her bat-stabbing excepted). It even works as the title of a book, making it one of the better ones out there. Unfortunately, the title is probably the highlight of the book, one imagines.

8. Madam In Eden, I’m Adam (5 words, 17 letters)

This one has been around so long, no one is quite sure who first came up with it. There’s also no truth to the rumor that it’s in the Bible, although I suppose it could have been one of God’s first introductions.

7. Mr. Owl Ate My Metal Worm (6 words, 19 letters)

Image result for Mr. Owl Ate My Metal Worm

Sometimes it’s just painful to watch how some palindromes are created. In this case, the author (who shall remain anonymous) was forced to create a phrase that, while working as a palindrome, makes very little sense. What, precisely, is a metal worm and why would Mr. Owl eat it? Clearly there is more to this story than meets the eye!

6. A Santa Lived As a Devil At NASA (8 words, 25 letters)

Image result for A Santa Lived As a Devil At NASA

This may well explain some things going on at NASA of late, and it has the additional advantage of appealing equally to devil worshippers, space enthusiasts, and Santa buffs alike! Now, if there was only some way to work it into a conversation.

5. Dammit, I’m Mad! (3 words, 11 letters)

Image result for Dammit, I'm Mad!

Short, sweet and to the point! Not particularly impressive as a palindrome, but one you can probably use on a regular basis.

4. Was It A Rat I Saw? (6 words, 13 letters)

Image result for Was It A Rat I Saw?

Another one you might make use of, especially if you eat in bad restaurants a lot. You can also substitute cat or bat for rat, making it useful in a number of circumstances—again, mostly having to do with eating in bad restaurants.

3. Do Geese See God? (4 words, 13 letters)

Image result for Do Geese See God?

Palindromes can even tend towards the theological, as is the case here. Certainly it is a question worthy of pondering, especially if you have an affinity for our feathered friends and worry about their eternal fate. It also reminds me of an old adage, originally having to do with horses, that I feel compelled to modify here: If geese had gods, one imagines their gods would look much like geese.

2. Never Odd Or Even (4 words, 14 letters)

Image result for Never Odd Or Even

Some palindromes don’t even try to be logical, as is the case here. Certainly, something has to be one or the other (unless it’s by itself). But then, palindromes are not designed to instruct, but to amuse.

1. Doc, Note: I Dissent. A Fast Never Prevents A Fatness. I Diet On Cod. (14 words, 52 letters)

Image result for Doc, Note: I Dissent. A Fast Never Prevents A Fatness. I Diet On Cod.

Not the most eloquent statement ever recorded in the English language, but at a whopping 52 letters, the longest one I could find! It also reeks of being medically incorrect, as fasts will prevent fatness.

Honorable Mentions: MA IS AS SELFLESS AS I AM (7 words, 19 letters), RISE TO VOTE, SIR! (4 words, 13 letters, made famous on a Simpsons episode), A NUT FOR A JAR OF TUNA (7 words, 17 letters, and it seems like a fair trade); STEP ON NO PETS (4 words, 12 letters, spacing works as well, and you shouldn’t step on pets), and the historic ABLE WAS ERE I SAW ELBA (6 words, 18 letters, referring to Napoleon’s exile to Elba in 1815).

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43 Comments

  1. Anthony Vear on

    Two owls on a warm evening……
    ” Too hot to hoot, to hot to woo ! ”
    ” Too wot ? ”
    ” Too hot to hoot, to woo ! ”
    ” Too wot ? ”
    ” To hoot! Too hot to hoot !”

  2. Mr. E on

    You have heard or pallendromes but have you heard of antipallapishas? They are words or phrases like socks of horror rolo. So close.

  9. Drew P. Sack on

    Smug bats did stab gums.
    Read dear.
    Lead a deal.
    Dump mud.
    spit tips
    slap pals.
    trap a part.
    Lips slip.
    Not a ton.

    • Heidi Rection on

      Just kidding about “Lead a deal”, “Lips slip”, and “read dear” …
      oh, and “slap pals” should be “Pals Slap.”
      Here’s a new one….
      Moody ass poops say “DOOM!”

  14. gene delucy on

    I, Nan, a Loyola nun, bought a Toyota race car at noon.
    yeah yeah.
    how many of you realize that a palindrome is not just a word, sentence or paragraph or poem the same front to back; but any number as well. so if you wanna get technical I know the longest palindrome ever, as long as I get to go last

  16. Eric on

    Demetri Martin takes the cake with the entire 224 word poem being one giant palindrome.

    Dammit I’m mad.
    Evil is a deed as I live.
    God, am I reviled? I rise, my bed on a sun, I melt.
    To be not one man emanating is sad. I piss.
    Alas, it is so late. Who stops to help?
    Man, it is hot. I’m in it. I tell.
    I am not a devil. I level “Mad Dog”.
    Ah, say burning is, as a deified gulp,
    In my halo of a mired rum tin.
    I erase many men. Oh, to be man, a sin.
    Is evil in a clam? In a trap?
    No. It is open. On it I was stuck.
    Rats peed on hope. Elsewhere dips a web.
    Be still if I fill its ebb.
    Ew, a spider… eh?
    We sleep. Oh no!
    Deep, stark cuts saw it in one position.
    Part animal, can I live? Sin is a name.
    Both, one… my names are in it.
    Murder? I’m a fool.
    A hymn I plug, deified as a sign in ruby ash,
    A Goddam level I lived at.
    On mail let it in. I’m it.
    Oh, sit in ample hot spots. Oh wet!
    A loss it is alas (sip). I’d assign it a name.
    Name not one bottle minus an ode by me:
    “Sir, I deliver. I’m a dog”
    Evil is a deed as I live.
    Dammit I’m mad.

    • Steven Fraser on

      Set a note- Don’t salt a burger up.
      Set a pupa in a manic ass.
      Mare slups a pupa pure, wets a pup,
      Deific, lactates in alpine moss.

      Upon a time, we fed on Agnus Dei
      Fed nude garnets, aortae, mad-eyed.
      Ah, burger – art, sacred lore – hops astray.
      Art’s asp? O, her older-cast, rare grub had

      Eyed a meat-roast enraged; undefied,
      Sung an ode few emit: an opus.
      So men, I plan, I set at calcified
      Pupa stewer, up a pupa’s pulse.

      Ram’s sac in a mania pupates.
      Pure grub at last – No! – detonates

  18. Terry Bigham on

    The “never odd or even” pic comes from Weird Al Yanovich’s video for his song “Bob”. The song spoofs Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues” and the video spoofs Dylan’s video. The song and video are made up of palindromes!

  19. David on

    there is an entire book that is a palindrome. it’s made of over 50,000 words. its called “Satire: Veritas” by David Stephens. pretty sure that is the longest.

  20. Dan on

    My favorites:

    “I, man, am regal, a german am I!” (8 words 21 letters)

    I love the imagery in “oozy rat in a sanitary zoo”

    of course there’s the short and sweet warning “Egad! No Bondage!”

    and the truism, “war, sir, is raw”

  21. David Verney on

    This is really interesting stuff. I had never really given this kind of cleverness much thought.

  24. Jason O on

    You call the name “Emma” a palindrome in your introductory paragraph.

    Um…no. Maybe you meant to type Anna?

    • Elmo the big bird on

      Dear Clive

      Im sure your family loves u. But no one else does. Msybe not even ur family. because that was a really bad palindrome. I hope that u never ever writer or type anywehre near anyone because they hate u.

      By the way clive , you have a really nice ass

      <3