Sator Square challenge

Posted August 28th, 2007 by SANEAlex

In the thread about Latin http://www.thudgame.com/node/1415 i recently posted what i now know to be the famous Sator square i only recently got this little easter egg first mentioned i think in pTerry 's book The Colour of Magic.

SATOR
AREPO
TENET
OPERA
ROTAS

It is a palindromic sentence in Latin that can be read horizontally or vertically.

The challenge is to see if anybody can come up with and English one no prizes only kudos but even more kudos if you can come up with one relating to Discworld. But i would be impressed with any that that just had 5 English words in tho like the square you can use one real name in the sentence apparently Arepo is a name.

On Sunday when i had a look at this i got diverted and came up with a palindromic sentence of palindromes tho i cant say i succeeded as they were words stolen from around the world which is what English normally does but i don't think i can get away with a brand of Indian soap being a English word those days of Empire have gone Wink any way i am quite proud of it as it seems to be new i only get 2 Google hits for the three words involved and they are both word list pages so i think they are new.

ALALA
LIRIL
ARDRA
LIRIL
ALALA

* alala – a type of Hawaiian crow
* Liril – a cosmetic soap popular in India
* Ardra – a Hindu goddess of misfortune.

So i get the sentence

crow soaps goddess soaps crow

Which seems appropriate for a Religion that believes in a cycle of life and the washing away of sins crows are sometimes thought to be the harbinger of good news so washing away misfortune seems like good news to me Wink

I came up with 7A other palindromic sentences of palindromes but none that could have as strong a meaning imposed on them.

So anybody up to the challenge of an English Sator Square?

--Where are we going and why am i in this handbasket?...
...Oh! always try to look on the bright side...
... Um anybody got any marshmellows.?

Bookmark/Search this post with:

Re: Sator Square challenge

On August 28th, 2007 Bill Door said:

BAM!!! sorry, that was my head exploding Very Happy . ill try and think of something. could it be just random words that fit hte pattern, instead of an actual sentence?

PEOPLE'S WHOLE LIVES DO PASS IN FRONT OF THEIR EYES BEFORE THEY DIE. THE PROCESS IS CALLED "LIVING".

Here's a llama, There's a llama, And another little llama,
Fuzzy llama, Funny llama, Llama llama, Duck.
- Oscar Wilde.

Re: Sator Square challenge

On August 28th, 2007 SANEAlex said:

Bill Door wrote:

BAM!!! sorry, that was my head exploding Very Happy . ill try and think of something. could it be just random words that fit hte pattern, instead of an actual sentence?

Yes that would still be impressive but palindromes are more fun if they make meaningful sentences.

"No Roman a moron" would be apt for describing the creator of the Sator Square.

"A man, a plan, a canal: Panama!" could describe the guy who came up with the idea for the canal.

"Satan Oscillate My Metallic Sonatas" is a heavy metal EP for another instance.

But getting any 5 English words into a Palindrome square would be impressive.

Where are we going and why am i in this handbasket?...
...Oh! always try to look on the bright side...
... Um anybody got any marshmellows.?

Re: Sator Square challenge

On August 28th, 2007 ook said:

beware,i shall soon create an awesome palindrome of doominess...

_O_
ll( )ll
_] [_

Re: Sator Square challenge

On August 29th, 2007 Sergeant Lettuce said:

hmm...i spent some tome on it last night....the fact that its a snetence and is palindromical makes everythng else harder...shall work i it...i just need a dictionary of only 5 letter mords

That ain't no English I ever dun heard!

Re: Sator Square challenge

On August 29th, 2007 SANEAlex said:

Sergeant Lettuce wrote:

hmm...i spent some tome on it last night....the fact that its a snetence and is palindromical makes everythng else harder...shall work i it...i just need a dictionary of only 5 letter mords

Well repeat after me Google is your friend tho as i am soft hearted here is a link to the common ones.

http://www.math.utoronto.ca/~jjchew/scrabble/lists/common-5.html

mind you if it was mords that you were looking for Twisted Evil i think you have been looking at the square too much from the wrong angle Wink

Where are we going and why am i in this handbasket?...
...Oh! always try to look on the bright side...
... Um anybody got any marshmellows.?

Re: Sator Square challenge

On September 5th, 2007 Sergeant Lettuce said:

i....love...you

That ain't no English I ever dun heard!

Re: Sator Square challenge

On September 5th, 2007 SANEAlex said:

Sergeant Lettuce wrote:

i....love...you

Well considering my world view on these things and the fact that you are on another continent it will have to be unrequited but i appreciate the thought. And to keep it cerebral here is another palindrome square of palindromes. As a small prize i will send congrats clacks to any one who comes up with a new Sator square using English 5 letter words that i can not be googled ie it has to be new tho does not have to make sense.