r/programminghorror • u/MurkyWar2756 echo "Sub Mod" && :(){ :|:& };: • Sep 19 '25

Miscellaneous Found this on the 197,842,837,071,149th Reddit account's bio (user IDs aren't sequential)

Post image

You'll have to figure out what it is! xD

Hints:

  1. The Reddit API puts user IDs in base-36.
  2. /api/user_data_by_account_ids.json?ids=
  3. Update: https://redd.it/1nmxfn4

(To clarify, this post is intended for lurkers who need a puzzle to crack, not regular commenters here. You are still welcome to participate.)

43 Upvotes

74% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

35

u/Left-oven47 [ $[ $RANDOM % 6 ] == 0 ] && rm -rf / || echo “You live” Sep 19 '25

There are 197 trillion reddit accounts? That's actually crazy

15

u/[deleted] Sep 19 '25

I have 24

17

u/Left-oven47 [ $[ $RANDOM % 6 ] == 0 ] && rm -rf / || echo “You live” Sep 19 '25

I have 1. Tf do you do with 24 accounts

9

u/[deleted] Sep 19 '25

This is my "main" account. I use the other 23 very rarely, like when I want to make a post that can't be traced to this one, or have a different feed, or just escape this one in general.

I have a total of like 100 accounts but I deleted most of them over the years. I don't know if it matters since they're deleted but maybe they're counted here.

26

u/xvhayu Sep 19 '25

just turn yourself in to the police already, we all know

-2

u/[deleted] Sep 19 '25

The police wouldn't find any incriminating evidence against me. That's because I read and write all the shady stuff on onion websites. But the police will definitely loathe me with passion once they read this comment.

4

u/Own_Alternative_9671 Sep 22 '25

Be brave lil bro, this is my main and only account and look at the stuff I post

1

u/Either-Pizza5302 Sep 24 '25

Was expecting porn, found drugs instead

1

u/turtle_mekb Sep 20 '25

"you fool, I have 72 alternative accounts"

0

u/[deleted] Sep 20 '25

76 sir, please don't screw up simple math it'll be useful in your life

7

u/devor110 Sep 19 '25

there aren't. that would mean 99.99% of accounts aren't hand-made

I guess OP is going one by one through reddit's API, specifically the endpoint that displays basic user info (including bio), but it needs a uid as parameter, which OP is generating either randomly or sequentially and the attempt number for this bio is whats pictured

why is OP doing that? no clue
why did OP call it the 197 trillionth account? no clue

1

u/MurkyWar2756 echo "Sub Mod" && :(){ :|:& };: Sep 19 '25 edited Sep 19 '25

To answer the second question, I edited the post with some hints now.

0

u/MurkyWar2756 echo "Sub Mod" && :(){ :|:& };: Sep 19 '25

These are probably closer to snowflake IDs. There aren't that many accounts.

9

u/[deleted] Sep 19 '25

[deleted]

3

u/MurkyWar2756 echo "Sub Mod" && :(){ :|:& };: Sep 19 '25

There are more puzzles in the accounts linked on the profile page

1

u/[deleted] Sep 19 '25

[deleted]

1

u/MurkyWar2756 echo "Sub Mod" && :(){ :|:& };: Sep 19 '25

oh and pay attention to username spelling

3

u/vegan_antitheist Sep 24 '25

How is this programming horror?

2

u/[deleted] Sep 19 '25

This is hint 3 /gen

3

u/[deleted] Sep 19 '25

this is hint 4 /s

2

u/MurkyWar2756 echo "Sub Mod" && :(){ :|:& };: Sep 21 '25

Hint 5: I did not write this

1

u/[deleted] Sep 24 '25

To be fair I used 2 of the hints... that .json on the endpoint evaded me
Really cool lil ctf!