Spelling with the periodic table
A program that finds the shortest series of entries in the periodic table that will allow you to spell words, assuming one exists, would be a great way to make t-shirts for a nerdy audience. But, it may be more trouble than it's worth. While this sounds simple, it may require an LL(1) parser because some letters only exist in combination. For example, the letter R
only exists in combination (e.g. Ar
, Br
, Rb
, etc …).
I'm curious how many words and acronyms can actually be written using this "alphabet". My personal favorites include H
, Ac
, K
and C
, Y
, Ru
, S
.
Since the letter combinations are relatively obscure, there's novelty value whenever you find one that works. I like that these shirts would be easy to understand and great conversation starters with the types of people I want to meet.