← Back to Blog
Calculators · Just for Fun

🔢 Fun Things You Can Spell on a Calculator

The classic trick

This one's older than the internet: type a number into a calculator, flip the whole thing upside down, and certain digits suddenly look like letters. It works because on a seven-segment display, 0 looks like O, 1 looks like I, 3 looks like E, 5 looks like S, 7 looks like L, 8 looks like B, and 4 or 6 can pass for h or g — all upside down.

How to do it: Type the number exactly as shown below on our Basic Calculator (or any calculator/phone with a flat digit display), then physically flip the device upside down. The digits will read as the word next to them.

14 real words you can spell

07734
hELLO
376606
GOGGLE
200
ZOO
707
LOL
0637
LEGO
0140
OHIO
00761
IGLOO
5508
BOSS
53045
SHOES
372215
SIZZLE
376616
GIGGLE
531717
LILIES
5318804
hOBBIES
77345663
EGGSHELL

What does "143" actually mean?

This one isn't an upside-down trick — it's a numeric code. "143" comes from counting letters: "I" is 1 letter, "love" is 4 letters, "you" is 3 letters. It became shorthand for "I love you" in pager and early texting culture long before smartphones existed, and it's still used today.

Did Apple make a calculator?

Yes — Apple's Calculator app has shipped built into macOS and iOS for decades, with basic and scientific modes (turn an iPhone sideways to unlock the scientific layout). It's a real, first-party Apple app, not a third-party add-on.

Try it yourself

Grab our Basic Calculator (works on any device) and try a few of the words above — or see how many new ones you can find on your own.

Sources: Wikipedia — Calculator spelling, Dictionary.com — 17 Calculator Words