Submission timeline
2007–2026One slot for every year since HN launched. Height is that year's peak points; orange marks a 100+ point or 50+ comment breakout. Select a bar to open its strongest thread.
First comments on top threads
HN comment orderHere's an actual case where understanding computer science would have been immensely helpful... > The motivation for this aberrant behavior was a contest put on by a local radio station. Each day a disk jockey would read a serial number aloud on the air, and if any listener was able to produce the matching dollar bill they would win $30,000. Michael reasoned that 100,000 one dollar bills was 100,000 opportunities to win the prize, giving him a statistical advantage. And…
There is a documentary about the incident called "Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal" on Youtube: * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFEBCve-3Cw * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzNMCXWCZzQ as well as the original episode itself: * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h07eO0SKtUI (better quality, split into parts) * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkM10SxmmwU (lower quality, whole episode)
As someone who also stacked the odds in their favour on a gameshow [1], I can appreciate the effort but am also glad I never got as obsessed as this guy. Although my partner in crime (my brother) did just go on another winning streak on another gameshow [2], so maybe I should start worrying... [1] https://vincenttunru.com/hacking-a-gameshow or Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/VincentTunru/status/1205527364739981312 [2] https://www.nu.nl/media/6099564/andries-tunru-evenaart-recor...
The first top-level comment from each of the four biggest threads, in HN’s own order. Excerpts are shortened; open a comment for full context.
- Breakout years
- 3
- Total points
- 643
- Total comments
- 380
100+ points or 50+ comments
reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking
reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking
Every submission
| Date | Title as submitted | By | Points | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-09-13 | Who Wants To Be a Thousandaire? | simantel | 4 | 0 |
| 2011-10-25 | Michael Larson | powertower | 1 | 0 |
| 2015-05-19 | Who Wants to Be a Thousandaire?First breakout | choult | 217 | 114 |
| 2020-05-20 | Who Wants to Be a Thousandaire? (2011) | vinnyglennon | 2 | 0 |
| 2021-01-06 | Who Wants to Be a Thousandaire? (2011)Hall induction | vinnyglennon | 185 | 110 |
| 2024-05-08 | Who Wants to Be a Thousandaire? (2011)Best thread · Latest 20+ point return | EndXA | 233 | 156 |
| 2025-09-25 | Michael Larson of Press Your Luck | CHB0403085482 | 1 | 0 |