(A Fun Throwback Trick Everyone Can Try!)**
Before smartphones and emojis, one of the coolest school hacks was using a calculator to write secret words. By typing numbers and flipping the calculator upside down, you could create messages your friends understood instantly. Today, the trend is making a nostalgic comeback on TikTok, and people are rediscovering the magic of “calculator words.”
Here’s a quick guide on how you can write words with a calculator like a pro.
1. Understand How Calculator Words Work
Old-school digital calculators use a 7-segment display, which shapes numbers in a way that resembles letters when flipped upside down.
For example:
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0 → O
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1 → I
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3 → E
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5 → S
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7 → L
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8 → B
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9 → G
When you type numbers in a specific order and turn the calculator upside down, you get a word.
2. Start With the Classic Words
Here are some of the most popular calculator words to try:
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5318008 → BOOBIES
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0.7734 → hELLO
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710.345 → hELLO’S
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58008 → BOOBS
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37818 → BIBLE
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55378008 → BOOBLESS
These will work on most basic calculators, especially ones with a simple display.
3. How to Create Your Own Calculator Words
You can make your own by following a few easy steps:
Step 1: Think of a word
Pick a simple word with letters you can form with digits (B, O, I, E, S, L, G).
Step 2: Break the word into letters
Write down the letters and see which numbers match.
Step 3: Reverse the order
Since the calculator flips the word upside down, you must type the letters backward.
Example:
To write “BOSS”:
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B = 8
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O = 0
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S = 5
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S = 5
Type backwards: 5508
Flip → BOSS
4. Try Longer or Funny Phrases
If your calculator can handle many digits, you can make longer words or inside jokes like:
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37170.0 → OILIEh
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3045.1 → IShOE
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46138 → gEILA
Or create your own secret vocabulary.
5. Use It for Games, Notes, or TikTok Trends
Calculator words are fun for:
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Passing secret messages
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Classroom dares
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Personalized jokes
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Nostalgic TikTok challenges
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Teaching kids patterns and number recognition
It's both creative and nerdy-cool, which is exactly why the trend keeps coming back.
6. Final Tip: Keep It Simple
The best calculator words are short, readable, and use the classic digits (0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 8). Once you get the hang of it, you’ll start seeing “words” inside numbers everywhere.
