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Katie Nelson
Katie Nelson

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What's the craziest code you ever read?

A while back, I saw some JavaScript where every var and function in the file was named after a type of fruit.
It look something like:

grapes.forEach(function(grape) {
  if(grape < 10)
      apple += orange;
});

We decided to name the unknown coder Fruitcake, although the code was running as expected.
The crazy part was having to read it all to see how it actually worked in order to just add a single new feature.

Has anyone else come across something like this?

Top comments (13)

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ahferroin7 profile image
Austin S. Hemmelgarn • Edited

Do entries for the International Obfuscated C Code Contest count?

In all seriousness, I've yet to see code that is more intentionally obtuse than some of the entries there (unless you count esolangs, in which case almost anything written in INTERCAL takes the cake in my opinion), with Toledo Nanochess being a particularly famous example, though my favorite example is the 1998 winner:

#include                                     <math.h>
#include                                   <sys/time.h>
#include                                   <X11/Xlib.h>
#include                                  <X11/keysym.h>
                                          double L ,o ,P
                                         ,_=dt,T,Z,D=1,d,
                                         s[999],E,h= 8,I,
                                         J,K,w[999],M,m,O
                                        ,n[999],j=33e-3,i=
                                        1E3,r,t, u,v ,W,S=
                                        74.5,l=221,X=7.26,
                                        a,B,A=32.2,c, F,H;
                                        int N,q, C, y,p,U;
                                       Window z; char f[52]
                                    ; GC k; main(){ Display*e=
 XOpenDisplay( 0); z=RootWindow(e,0); for (XSetForeground(e,k=XCreateGC (e,z,0,0),BlackPixel(e,0))
; scanf("%lf%lf%lf",y +n,w+y, y+s)+1; y ++); XSelectInput(e,z= XCreateSimpleWindow(e,z,0,0,400,400,
0,0,WhitePixel(e,0) ),KeyPressMask); for(XMapWindow(e,z); ; T=sin(O)){ struct timeval G={ 0,dt*1e6}
; K= cos(j); N=1e4; M+= H*_; Z=D*K; F+=_*P; r=E*K; W=cos( O); m=K*W; H=K*T; O+=D*_*F/ K+d/K*E*_; B=
sin(j); a=B*T*D-E*W; XClearWindow(e,z); t=T*E+ D*B*W; j+=d*_*D-_*F*E; P=W*E*B-T*D; for (o+=(I=D*W+E
*T*B,E*d/K *B+v+B/K*F*D)*_; p<y; ){ T=p[s]+i; E=c-p[w]; D=n[p]-L; K=D*m-B*T-H*E; if(p [n]+w[ p]+p[s
]== 0|K <fabs(W=T*r-I*E +D*P) |fabs(D=t *D+Z *T-a *E)> K)N=1e4; else{ q=W/K *4E2+2e2; C= 2E2+4e2/ K
 *D; N-1E4&& XDrawLine(e ,z,k,N ,U,q,C); N=q; U=C; } ++p; } L+=_* (X*t +P*M+m*l); T=X*X+ l*l+M *M;
  XDrawString(e,z,k ,20,380,f,17); D=v/l*15; i+=(B *l-M*r -X*Z)*_; for(; XPending(e); u *=CS!=N){
                                   XEvent z; XNextEvent(e ,&z);
                                       ++*((N=XLookupKeysym
                                         (&z.xkey,0))-IT?
                                         N-LT? UP-N?& E:&
                                         J:& u: &h); --*(
                                         DN -N? N-DT ?N==
                                         RT?&u: & W:&h:&J
                                          ); } m=15*F/l;
                                          c+=(I=M/ l,l*H
                                          +I*M+a*X)*_; H
                                          =A*r+v*X-F*l+(
                                          E=.1+X*4.9/l,t
                                          =T*m/32-I*T/24
                                           )/S; K=F*M+(
                                           h* 1e4/l-(T+
                                           E*5*T*E)/3e2
                                           )/S-X*d-B*A;
                                           a=2.63 /l*d;
                                           X+=( d*l-T/S
                                            *(.19*E +a
                                            *.64+J/1e3
                                            )-M* v +A*
                                            Z)*_; l +=
                                            K *_; W=d;
                                            sprintf(f,
                                            "%5d  %3d"
                                            "%7d",p =l
                                           /1.7,(C=9E3+
                              O*57.3)%0550,(int)i); d+=T*(.45-14/l*
                             X-a*130-J* .14)*_/125e2+F*_*v; P=(T*(47
                             *I-m* 52+E*94 *D-t*.38+u*.21*E) /1e2+W*
                             179*v)/2312; select(p=0,0,0,0,&G); v-=(
                              W*F-T*(.63*m-I*.086+m*E*19-D*25-.11*u
                               )/107e2)*_; D=cos(o); E=sin(o); } }

Which is a flight simulator for X11.

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fultonbrowne profile image
Fulton Browne

that is AWESOME

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ahferroin7 profile image
Austin S. Hemmelgarn

There have been a number of other interesting entries over the years. I can't find it right now, but I distinctly remember one older entry that was valid C89, FORTRAN77, and Bourne shell script which did the same thing in all three languages.

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jeffreylovitz profile image
Jeffrey Lovitz • Edited

I think that one was Applin!

But there have been so many incredible ones over the years. This mini-Minecraft is a favorite of mine!

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katnel20 profile image
Katie Nelson

That code is pretty!

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visualmov profile image
Ryan • Edited

This hello world program in Brainf*ck confused me when I first saw it.

+[-[<<[+[--->]-[<<<]]]>>>-]>-.---.>..>.<<<<-.<+.>>>>>.>.<<.<-.
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madza profile image
Madza • Edited

The Game of Life by Linus Akesson:

                            Linus Akesson presents:
                   The Game Of Life implemented in Brainf***

       +>>++++[<++++>-]<[<++++++>-]+[<[>>>>+<<<<-]>>>>[<<<<+>>>>>>+<<-]<+
   +++[>++++++++<-]>.[-]<+++[>+++<-]>+[>>.+<<-]>>[-]<<<++[<+++++>-]<.<<[>>>>+
 <<<<-]>>>>[<<<<+>>>>>>+<<-]<<[>>>>.+<<<++++++++++[<[>>+<<-]>>[<<+>>>>>++++++++
 +++<<<-]<[>+<-]>[<+>>>>+<<<-]>>>[>>>>>>>>>>>>+>+<<     <<<<<<<<<<<-]>>>>>>>>>>
>>[-[>>>>+<<<<-]>[>>>>+<<<<-]>>>]>      >>[<<<+>>  >-    ]<<<[>>+>+<<<-]>[->[<<<
<+>>>>-]<[<<<  <+>      >>>-]<<<< ]<     ++++++  ++       +[>+++++<-]>>[<<+>>-]<
<[>---<-]>.[- ]         <<<<<<<<< <      <<<<<< <         -]++++++++++.[-]<-]>>>
>[-]<[-]+++++           +++[>++++        ++++<     -     ]>--.[-]<,----------[<+
>-]>>>>>>+<<<<< <     <[>+>>>>>+>[      -]<<<      <<   <<-]>++++++++++>>>>>[[-]
<<,<<<<<<<->>>> >    >>[<<<<+>>>>-]<<<<[>>>>+      >+<<<<<-]>>>>>----------[<<<<
<<<<+<[>>>>+<<<      <-]>>>>[<<<<+>>>>>>+<<-      ]>[>-<-]>++++++++++[>+++++++++
++<-]<<<<<<[>>>      >+<<<<-]>>>>[<<<<+>>>>>      >+<<-]>>>>[<<->>-]<<++++++++++
[>+<-]>[>>>>>>>      >>>>>+>+<<<<      <<<<<      <<<<-]>>> >>     >>>>>>>[-[>>>
>+<<<<-]>[>>>>       +<<<<-]>> >       ]>> >           [<< <        +>>>-]+<<<[>
>>-<<<-]>[->[<      <<<+>>>>-]         <[ <            < <           <+>>>>-]<<<
<]<<<<<<<<<<<, [    -]]>]>[-+++        ++               +    +++     ++[>+++++++
++++>+++++++++ +    +<<-]>[-[>>>      +<<<-      ]>>>[ <    <<+      >>>>>>>+>+<
<<<<-]>>>>[-[> >    >>+<<<<-]>[>      >>>+< <    <<-]> >    >]>      >>[<<<+>>>-
]<<<[>>+>+<<< -     ]>[->[<<<<+>      >>>-] <    [<<< <    +>>       >>-]<<<<]<<
<<<<<<[>>>+<< <     -]>>>[<<<+>>      >>>>> +    >+<< <             <<-]<<[>>+<<
-]>>[<<+>>>>>      >+>+<<<<<-]>>      >>[-[ >    >>>+ <            <<<-]>[>>>>+<
<<<-]>[>>>>+<      <<<-]>>]>>>[ -    ]<[>+< -    ]<[ -           [<<<<+>>>>-]<<<
<]<<<<<<<<]<<      <<<<<<<<++++ +    +++++  [   >+++ +    ++++++[<[>>+<<-]>>[<<+
>>>>>++++++++ +    ++<<<     -] <    [>+<- ]    >[<+ >    >>>+<<<-]>>>[<<<+>>>-]
<<<[>>>+>>>>  >    +<<<<     <<      <<-]> >    >>>>       >>>[>>+<<-]>>[<<+<+>>
>-]<<<------ -    -----[     >>      >+<<< -    ]>>>       [<<<+> > >>>>>+>+<<<<
<-]>>>>[-[>> >    >+<<<<    -] >     [>>>> +    <<<<-       ]>>> ]  >>>[<<<+>>>-
]<<<[>>+>+<< <    -]>>>     >>           > >    [<<<+               >>>-]<<<[>>>
+<<<<<+>>-                  ]>           >     >>>>>[<             <<+>>>-]<<<[>
>>+<<<<<<<                  <<+         >      >>>>>-]<          <<<<<<[->[<<<<+
>>>>-]<[<<<<+>>>>-]<<<<]>[<<<<<<    <+>>>      >>>>-]<<<<     <<<<<+++++++++++[>
>>+<<<-]>>>[<<<+>>>>>>>+>+<<<<<-]>>>>[-[>     >>>+<<<<-]>[>>>>+<<<<-]>>>]>>>[<<<
+>>>-]<<<[>>+>+<<<-]>>>>>>>[<<<+>>>-]<<<[     >>>+<<<<<+>>-]>>>>>>>[<<<+>>>-]<<<
[>>>+<<<<<<<<<+>>>>>>-]<<<<<<<[->[< <  <     <+>>>>-]<[<<<<+>>>>-]<<<<]>[<<<<<<<
+>>>>>>>-]<<<<<<<<<+++++++++++[>>> >        >>>+>+<<<<<<<<-]>>>>>>>[-[>>>>+<<<<-
]>[>>>>+<<<<-]>>>]>>>[<<<+>>>-]<<< [       >>+>+<<<-]>>>>>>>[<<<+>>>-]<<<[>>>+<<
<<<+>>-]>>>>>>>[<<<+>>>-]<<<[>>>+<        <<<<<<<<+>>>>>>-]<<<<<<<[->[<<<<+>>>>-
 ]<[<<<<+>>>>-]<<<<]>[<<<<<<<+>>>>>      >>-]<<<<<<<----[>>>>>>>+<<<<<<<+[>>>>>
 >>-<<<<<<<[-]]<<<<<<<[>>>>>>>>>>>>+>+<<<<<<<<<<<<<-][   lft@df.lth.se   ]>>>>>
   >>>>>>>[-[>>>>+<<<<-]>[>>>>+<<<<-]>[>>>>+<<<<-]>>]>>>[-]<[>+<-]<[-[<<<<+>>
       >>-]<<<<]<<<<<<[-]]<<<<<<<[-]<<<<-]<-]>>>>>>>>>>>[-]<<]<<<<<<<<<<]

        Type for instance "fg" to toggle the cell at row f and column g
                   Hit enter to calculate the next generation
                                 Type q to quit
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heemoe profile image
Hee Z
try {

} finally { // should never happen 

}
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fultonbrowne profile image
Fulton Browne

This code for a robot drive

        float FrontLeft = -gamepad1LeftY - gamepad1LeftX - gamepad1RightX;
        float FrontRight = gamepad1LeftY - gamepad1LeftX - gamepad1RightX;
        float BackRight = gamepad1LeftY + gamepad1LeftX - gamepad1RightX;
        float BackLeft = -gamepad1LeftY + gamepad1LeftX - gamepad1RightX;

        FrontRight = Range.clip(FrontRight, -1, 1);
        FrontLeft = Range.clip(FrontLeft, -1, 1);
        BackLeft = Range.clip(BackLeft, -1, 1);
        BackRight = Range.clip(BackRight, -1, 1);    
        motorFrontRight.setPower(FrontRight);
        motorFrontLeft.setPower(FrontLeft);
        motorBackLeft.setPower(BackLeft);
        motorBackRight.setPower(BackRight);
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mzahraei profile image
Ardalan

var multiDArray = [[7,8], [3,4], [1,2], [5,6]];
multiDArray.sort(function(a,b){
return a[0] - b[0];
});
console.log(multiDArray); //returns [[1,2], [3,4], [5,6], [7,8]];

You want to perform an operation on each element inside an array, in ascending order.
The forEach() method allows you to perform a callback function on each element of the array, in ascending order.

var myArray = [9, 2, 7, 6, 8, 5, 3];
myArray.forEach(function(element, index, array){
console.log(element + ' element'); //returns 9, 2, 7, 6, 8, 5, 3
console.log(element + ' index '); //returns 0 ,1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
.....
});

You need an array of only the elements that meet some certain criteria.
var myArray = [9, 2, 7, 6, 8, 5, 3];
var elementsOver5 = myArray.filter(function(element){
return element > 5;
});

You want to reduce the elements into a single value.
var numArray = [1,2,3,4,5,6];
var reducedValue = numArray.reduce(function(prev, current){
return prev + current;
});

You need to find either the largest or smallest number in an array.
var numArray = [2,2,3,6,7,7,7,7,8,9];
console.log(Math.max.apply(null, numArray));

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hossein1976 profile image
Mohammad Hossein Moayeri (Web Programmer)

no , I haven't. But when programmers work as a team, they should write the variables,constants and etc with proper names , so that when their coworkers & even themselves see the code, they could grasp a slight understanding of what's happening inside the code. unfortunitely it's impossible to define a global standard for writing proper variable names

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scrabill profile image
Shannon Crabill

Now I'm hungry, thanks.

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novemberkilo profile image
NovemberKilo

Yung code nung ka oofficemate ko