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There’s nothing wrong with failing—it’s one of the best ways to learn and grow. But let’s be honest, some mishaps are just plain hilarious. And with the internet always watching, if your slip-up makes it online, there’s a good chance it’s already landed on the subreddit ‘There Was An Attempt.’

Don’t worry, though—these things tend to blow over quickly.

Well, except for today, because we’ve put together a compilation of the best posts we’ve ever featured from this community. Enjoy!

#1

To Insult Women

To Insult Women

MoroselyBrowse446 Report

Zena
Community Member
1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Men, you can't get pregnant, so sit down when medical care for women is discussed." Yes, actually, this tracks; let's institute this rule.

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    #2

    To Give The Worst Land

    To Give The Worst Land

    "In 1913, Sarah Rector, a 10-year-old black girl received a land allotment of 160 acres in Oklahoma. The best farming land was reserved for whites, so she was given a barren plot. Oil was soon discovered there & she became the country's first black millionaire."

    RodyBlano Report

    Luis Hernandez Dauajare
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Actually, she became *so* rich that she was given the status of "honorary white citizen". Let that sink in...

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    With over 7.2 million members, ‘There Was An Attempt’ (TWAA) is one of Reddit’s largest communities. To understand what makes it so special and why it’s beloved by so many, Bored Panda reached out to the moderators who run the subreddit and keep it thriving.

    “TWAA is a place that collects all the best attempts from across the globe. If it’s been attempted… you’ll find it here,” says u/PlenitudeOpulence, the lead mod. “There’s an innate joy in watching fails, and TWAA has that by the boatload.”

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    #3

    To Make Speaking 2 Languages Sophisticated

    To Make Speaking 2 Languages Sophisticated

    reddit.com Report

    J Adams
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The British royal family don’t tend to give press releases about their personal achievements or what they are doing in their private lives, almost all the reporting comes from ‘royal correspondents’ who are just journalists with a very easy job as the royal family also never say when a story is false. This story about princess Charlotte came from the fact that the pre school she attended had a language programme, that’s it.

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    #4

    To Ask Informed Questions

    To Ask Informed Questions

    BruceInc Report

    Zena
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yes, the Airline Pilots Association International would send a flight attendant to testify on their behalf; totally reasonable assumption. /s

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    In the grand scheme of things, TWAA’s popularity doesn’t just rely on people’s love for watching others’ fails. There are plenty of places online for that, but TWAA has really cemented itself as an iconic community on Reddit.

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    “I think people love TWAA because it captures the full spectrum of human experience,” says u/Sabbah. “Sure, it’s funny to watch failed attempts, but these posts often bring out a mix of emotions—from empathy to curiosity. People can see relatable struggles, and that blend of laughter and reflection keeps it engaging for a broad audience.”

    #6

    To Make A Funny Boomer Post LOL

    To Make A Funny Boomer Post LOL

    El_Vali-de_Michoacan Report

    #7

    To “Help The World Become A Better Place”

    To “Help The World Become A Better Place”

    chikitty87 Report

    #8

    To Trick The Allied Forces

    To Trick The Allied Forces

    "During WW2, the Germans built a fake wooden airfield with wooden aircraft, vehicles, and hangars in order to trick the Allies. The RAF, having known of the secret project for months, patiently waited for them to finish and then dropped a single fake wooden bomb on it"

    DrugInducedBeard Report

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    Second-in-charge mod u/BlueberryBubblyBuzz, who also goes by u/Kumquat_conniption, believes TWAA stands out because it shows humanity in its rawest form, something we often miss in today’s digital age.

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    “With social media making everyone’s lives look perfect, there’s something refreshing and real about watching people fail,” they share. “Most of what we see online is carefully staged, but watching a fail? That’s real. It reminds us that we’re not the only ones messing up, even if it happens more often than we’d like.”

    “Maybe when we’re constantly comparing ourselves to seemingly perfect lives, it feels good to see someone else fail. Like, ‘Hey, at least I’m not having as bad a day as that guy!’ That could be why TWAA is so appealing.”

    #9

    To Be Immune To Yo Momma Jokes

    To Be Immune To Yo Momma Jokes

    cyrobite- Report

    Luis Hernandez Dauajare
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Last time someone got burnt that badly, Japan surrendered...

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    #10

    To Complain About A Child Selling Hot Dogs

    To Complain About A Child Selling Hot Dogs

    TheRealNah Report

    Lost Panda
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    While I would have rather heard the city got him the clothes and anything else he needed for school, this is just as good.

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    #11

    An Attempt Was Made To Listen To A Sherlock Holmes Mystery

    An Attempt Was Made To Listen To A Sherlock Holmes Mystery

    Bawonga Report

    Of course, it helps that the subreddit has a catchy name. “‘There Was An Attempt’ just rolls off the tongue,” says mod u/OhhYouKnow. “The phrase itself sticks in your head. Personally, I love the content because it shows a very real side of humanity. Plus, our userbase is made up of some pretty cool people.”

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    #12

    To Get Drinks

    To Get Drinks

    kleo_patraa Report

    Tom Nagel
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This happened to me in 1998 working in a six-pack shop during college. Dude tried to double down. I pulled out my new id, showed him and told him to just leave.

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    #13

    To Be A Smart Cop

    To Be A Smart Cop

    Sweaty-Bandicoot3289 Report

    Pam
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Now that needs to be on one of those on patrol shows!

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    #14

    To Be An Animal Activist

    To Be An Animal Activist

    Kdial2002 Report

    Ash
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There's space for all of God's creatures. Right next to the mashed potatoes.

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    What really makes TWAA stand out, however, is how its followers find a certain inspiration in the fails. There’s a sense of camaraderie in seeing people genuinely try, even when things go wrong.

    “Fails can be inspiring, as they remind us that everyone stumbles and grows from mistakes,” explains u/Sabbah. “Seeing others face setbacks and bounce back can motivate us to be more resilient, take risks, and keep going. Sometimes, the funniest fails hold the most powerful lessons.”

    #15

    To Cancel Alcohol

    To Cancel Alcohol

    therizinosaurs Report

    Ripley
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Also, completely untrue. Elephants like eating fallen and fermented marula fruit in Africa and getting hosed off their faces.

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    #16

    To Give Reasons For Not Using Facial Recognition

    To Give Reasons For Not Using Facial Recognition

    cyrobite- Report

    Susie Elle
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Meanwhile everyone literally sends their DNA to companies such as 23andme

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    #17

    To Start Cat Racing

    To Start Cat Racing

    reddit.com Report

    Sunny Day
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well, duh! You have to put the boxes at the END of the race.

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    “I think watching people attempt incredible things, even when they fail, can be very inspiring,” agrees u/BlueberryBubblyBuzz. “When you see footage of someone doing something perfectly, like an Olympic performance, it can feel like you’ll never be able to do something like that. But when you see others failing, it reminds you that behind every success is someone who failed over and over. It’s a great reminder that setbacks are part of the journey and not a reason to quit.”

    #18

    To Make This Student Think Before They Ink

    To Make This Student Think Before They Ink

    MrStepSisterFister69 Report

    #19

    To Say Jesus Didn't Use Pronouns

    To Say Jesus Didn't Use Pronouns

    TXVERAS Report

    Greenmantle
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Jesus Christ never used social media, Laverne.

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    Running TWAA is no easy task. The mods hold the posts to a high standard, and not everything makes the cut.

    “We do get a lot of posts that don’t exactly fit, and we’re working with the community to report those so we can keep the subreddit focused on the best failed attempts,” says u/BlueberryBubblyBuzz. “We’re also putting more effort into making sure unclear or off-topic posts are filtered out, so we can showcase everyone’s favorite content.”

    #21

    To Comfort A Foster Kitty By A Deaf And Partially Blind Pup

    To Comfort A Foster Kitty By A Deaf And Partially Blind Pup

    tyw7 Report

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    #23

    To Secretly Use Grindr

    To Secretly Use Grindr

    TXVERAS Report

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    Lately, the mods have faced another challenge—bots filling TWAA with spam. However, they’re committed to keeping the subreddit as genuine as possible.

    “We’re hoping for more admin support to deal with spam and interference,” says u/OhhYouKnow. “Bots can be tricky to spot, but when they start taking over, it drowns out authentic content.”

    “We want the community to continue enjoying the original vibe of the sub,” adds u/Sabbah.

    #24

    To Prevent The Homeless From Sleeping Here

    To Prevent The Homeless From Sleeping Here

    reddit.com Report

    #25

    To Give The Dog A Pool

    To Give The Dog A Pool

    NickWrightData Report

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    #26

    To Clean Up After Himself

    To Clean Up After Himself

    reddit.com Report

    At Bored Panda, we’re rooting for the TWAA team to keep bringing us the best fails, making the world a little funnier and brighter with their posts, so that not only we can enjoy them but also share them to you. Until next time!

    #27

    To Make Mommy Look Like A Hard Worker

    To Make Mommy Look Like A Hard Worker

    Quiet-Luck Report

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    #28

    To Fire A Cat

    To Fire A Cat

    cloudtdaz Report

    #29

    To Scare Your Boyfriend

    To Scare Your Boyfriend

    i-shot-the-sheriff Report

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    #30

    To Build A Cool Looking Electric Truck

    To Build A Cool Looking Electric Truck

    Eugene0185 Report

    Zena
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's a dumpster fire, that's for sure.

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    #32

    To Sleep Peacefully

    To Sleep Peacefully

    faelapis Report

    Rollo Ollor
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hilarious! 😂 i almost burst out laughung out loud on the bus!

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    #35

    ...to Photograph Birds

    ...to Photograph Birds

    reddit.com Report

    Skogsrået
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why can you never remember were you parked the car Steve?

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    #36

    To Scare Away A Prankster

    To Scare Away A Prankster

    Koochiman Report

    #37

    To Stop A Vegan

    To Stop A Vegan

    chiefrish Report

    Ephemeral Mochi
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why do you even care what someone else does with their life??? I never understood this, like I'm not vegan but I genuinely don't care if other people are

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    #38

    To Be Responsible And Uber Home

    To Be Responsible And Uber Home

    flyoverthemooon Report

    Kilgore-V
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Gotta complete the side quest first though

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    #39

    To Collect Rent On A House You Live In For Free

    To Collect Rent On A House You Live In For Free

    ClapBackBetty Report

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    #40

    To Relax A Bit More

    To Relax A Bit More

    verbaltastic Report

    Pernille
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Saw that some places have started fining parents for being late to pick up their children, this should be implemented everywhere. The fines got bigger the more you were late.

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    #41

    To Understand Depression

    To Understand Depression

    RelatablePanic Report

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    #42

    To Act Like You Belong

    To Act Like You Belong

    Sunlight_Sword Report

    #43

    To Discipline A Non-Employee

    To Discipline A Non-Employee

    BirdRespecter Report

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    #44

    A Dollar A Day

    A Dollar A Day

    TXVERAS Report

    #45

    To Make Things Complicated

    To Make Things Complicated

    Go_ask_quan Report

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    #46

    I Tried

    I Tried

    messydepressy6 Report

    DE Ray
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Science has too many bodies. I've decided to donate mine to social studies.

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    #47

    A For Effort, Kiddo

    A For Effort, Kiddo

    MightyBooshX , heart.tumblr.com Report

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    #48

    To Prove Your BF Is Cheating

    To Prove Your BF Is Cheating

    NC_liv3 Report

    Kat
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    🎶 If you like Pina coladas 🎶

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    #49

    To Relate To A Girl’s Photo

    To Relate To A Girl’s Photo

    Trumps_Cum_Dumpster Report

    Upstaged75
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well that's about as foul a user name as I've ever seen!

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    #50

    To Build A Nest

    To Build A Nest

    L00k_Again , x.com Report

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    #52

    To Argue With An Adult

    To Argue With An Adult

    cyrobite- Report

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    #53

    To Take A Family Beach Photo

    To Take A Family Beach Photo

    MadamFuzzyPants Report

    #54

    To Start A Deep Conversation On Social Media

    To Start A Deep Conversation On Social Media

    chikitty87 Report

    FreeTheUnicorn
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If you've bought from the same farm, you definitely have.

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    #55

    To Get A Girl To Send You A Sexy Pic

    To Get A Girl To Send You A Sexy Pic

    chikitty87 Report

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    #56

    To Be Prepared For Parenting

    To Be Prepared For Parenting

    reddit.com Report

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    #57

    To Find A Good Excuse

    To Find A Good Excuse

    Crimsonslash1352 Report

    Trillian
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ′Cause I got high, because I got high, because I got high 🎶

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    #58

    To Escape The Vet

    To Escape The Vet

    PolarBlast Report

    Kalikima
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That cat is so embarrassed, they're not even attempting to free themselves. "Wow, that didn't work, just leave me here to die" lol

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    #59

    To Face Swap

    To Face Swap

    Lazar_Kracken Report

    ConfusedCub
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh my! I'm not sure if I'm nervous laughing from being mildly terrified or what.

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    #60

    At Going Outside

    At Going Outside

    Brandon21207 Report

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    #61

    To Use A Pickup Truck

    To Use A Pickup Truck

    The_Russell_Pinto Report

    #62

    To Be Body Positive

    To Be Body Positive

    stefan_stuetze Report

    #63

    To Win

    To Win

    aasboiii Report

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    #64

    To Make Sure Everyone Knew They Were Religious

    To Make Sure Everyone Knew They Were Religious

    suckmydicktracy Report

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    #65

    To Stop Allie From Sitting On The Cake

    To Stop Allie From Sitting On The Cake

    Scaulbylausis Report

    Multa Nocte
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My 5-month-old kittens have just learned how to get to the top of the refrigerator, so I now understand this better.

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    #66

    To Spread Anarchy

    To Spread Anarchy

    kingmcash Report

    #67

    To Remain Anonymous

    To Remain Anonymous

    Snadams Report

    Lost Panda
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He asked to remain anonymous. Didn't say that he was granted it/

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    #68

    To Cook Smiley Buns

    To Cook Smiley Buns

    samir391 Report

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    #69

    To Rob A Store

    To Rob A Store

    "On April 19th, 1995, a man robbed a bank disguised with lemon juice on his face. Since he knew lemon juice could be used as invisible ink, he thought it would make his face invisible on camera."

    iamrahul3 Report

    #70

    To Hide A Parcel

    To Hide A Parcel

    bells864 , x.com Report

    zububonsai
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I deliver parcels. I love doing that, sometimes it's the only fun of the day we have. Like when my scanner says "Put them in the tool chest in the garden" I will play Tetris with all your 14 parcels until they fit in the chest. PS: If you put a tarp/plastic table cloth etc there on a rainy&snowy day and I WILL cover it up...

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    #71

    To Accurately Represent Anatomy

    To Accurately Represent Anatomy

    ARMbar94 Report

    Pam
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    🤣🤣🤣 Arm by lego

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    #72

    To Steal Snacks

    To Steal Snacks

    Gabriel_illusion Report

    YakFactory
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He wouldn't have to steal if you gave him a chocolate bar, or money to buy one.

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    #73

    A&w Created The Third-Pounder

    A&w Created The Third-Pounder

    "A&W created the third-pounder. It was the same price as McDonald's quarter-pounder. It bombed massively. When they tried to find out why, it was discovered that Americans thought they were being cheated because three is a smaller number than four. A&W — realizing they can't explain grade school fractions to fully grown adults without coming across as condescending assh*les — quietly took the burger off the menu"

    scr33ner Report

    Mohsie Supposie
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Create a one fifth-pounder and sell it same price as McD's quarter pounder!

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    #74

    To Educate And Have Fun

    To Educate And Have Fun

    HumanRightsAdv Report

    Zena
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Looks like pork, so...I guess I'm re-assembling Peppa...

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    #75

    To Get Out Of A Zoom Class

    To Get Out Of A Zoom Class

    Today one of my 4th grade students renamed himself "reconecting ..." on our Zoom call and pretended that he was having internet issues to avoid participating in our lesson.

    reddit.com , imgur.com Report

    Pam
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Kid is going places, not to college but places

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    #76

    To Create A Chat Bot

    To Create A Chat Bot

    dacourtbatty Report

    CanadianDimes
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So you’re not going to help resurrect OP’s parents?

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    #77

    To Draw A Front Facing Horse

    To Draw A Front Facing Horse

    Jaych1990 Report

    #78

    To Understand Basic Data

    To Understand Basic Data

    maclunkey91 Report

    Zena
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well, we know where her boy got his brains from.

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    #79

    To Wrap A Gift For Christmas

    To Wrap A Gift For Christmas

    reddit.com Report

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    #80

    Outside My Hotel

    Outside My Hotel

    matt120501 Report

    #81

    To Scam Someone Who Clearly Wasn’t In The Mood

    To Scam Someone Who Clearly Wasn’t In The Mood

    dangern00dl Report

    Upstaged75
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    LOL, hope you get eye cancer is a new one for me.

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    #82

    To Catch A Terrorist

    To Catch A Terrorist

    overreaIz Report

    Zephyr
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    They are just trolling now cos I would a hundred percent push yes if I'm not in a hurry to get somewhere

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    #83

    To Sext Politely

    To Sext Politely

    full_legal_name Report

    Zephyr
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sex between these two is gonna start with a hand shake

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    #84

    To Hide His Face

    To Hide His Face

    Onion-User-2 Report

    #85

    Step1: Buy A Man

    Step1: Buy A Man

    AdditionalBlock8877 Report

    #86

    Lets Use Paper Straws And Wrap Them In Plastic

    Lets Use Paper Straws And Wrap Them In Plastic

    Throwawayanonymoussi Report

    MaryHadaLittleLamb
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's the most starbucks thing I've ever seen. This right here should be their actual logo.

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    #87

    A 2000-Year-Old Giant Cat Geoglyph Was Discovered 4 Months Ago Amid Peru's Famous Nazca Lines, A Unesco World Heritage Site

    A 2000-Year-Old Giant Cat Geoglyph Was Discovered 4 Months Ago Amid Peru's Famous Nazca Lines, A Unesco World Heritage Site

    Fuckoff555 Report

    Annik Perrot
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Looks like à cat à kid would draw... or I would draw.

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    #88

    To Connect With The Youth

    To Connect With The Youth

    sdghag Report