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In MyMemeCards, the meme card game, “Answer to Life 42” is a rare card of the Memes World series 71, number 21234 of the collection, and the 210th best-known meme of its 300 cards. Here is what the meme means, where it comes from, and how to get its card.
What does the “Answer to Life 42” meme mean?
The meme functions as an ironic shortcut to dismiss overcomplicated or unanswerable queries. Whenever someone poses a heavy philosophical dilemma, dropping “42” delivers deadpan humor by substituting real enlightenment with an arbitrary two-digit number. Within nerd culture and tech spaces, it serves as a shared shorthand for the comedic absurdity of human curiosity.
Where does the “Answer to Life 42” meme come from?
The concept premiered on March 8, 1978, in Douglas Adams’s radio production broadcast on BBC Radio 4. In the narrative, hyper-intelligent beings build the massive computer Deep Thought to determine the ultimate truth behind existence. Following seven and a half million years of computational effort, the machine simply outputs “42”, admitting it cannot identify the actual question that prompted the calculation. The 1979 novelization further cemented the scene's iconic status. As online bulletin boards and forums took shape, science fiction fans adopted the phrase as an inside joke, though the precise earliest digital post remains unknown.
- March 8, 1978The sequence first airs during the BBC Radio 4 radio broadcast.
- 1979Douglas Adams releases the novel adaptation, cementing the phrase in pop culture.
How to use the “Answer to Life 42” meme
- Replying “42” to an overly deep philosophical thread on a discussion forum.
- Setting a random software parameter or test variable to 42 as a playful tribute.
- Using the number to playfully close a long and pointless technical debate.
Also searched as
- 42
- The Ultimate Question of Life
- Deep Thought 42
- the answer to life the universe and everything
- 42 meme meaning
- why is 42 the answer
- douglas adams 42 origin
- deep thought 42
The “Answer to Life 42” card in MyMemeCards
| Number | No. 21234 |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Rare |
| Collection | Memes World series 71 |
| Fame | 71/100 · #210 of 300 |
| Recycle value | 10 MemeCoins (30 in Shiny) |
How to get the “Answer to Life 42” card
Every pack holds 5 meme cards, the first 3 of them Common; Answer to Life 42 comes out of the Memes World series 71 as a rare card. The pack odds say what each rarity weighs.
Your first pack is free and needs no account. After that a new free pack lands every 10 minutes, up to 3 waiting for you. You can also buy the card with MemeCoins on the market, bid for it at auction, or trade it — and a double recycles into 10 MemeCoins.
Open your free pack
5 meme cards, one of them at least Rare. One free pack per person.
Free · no account needed
Odds per card, averaged over a pack: Common 72%, Rare 23.9%, Epic 3.2%, Legendary 0.56%, Mythic 0.3%, Full Art ≤ 0.1%, Shiny 0.2%. Cards 1 to 3 are always Common, cards 4 and 5 climb the rarities. Rates drop for cards that circulate a lot. Details
Memes like “Answer to Life 42”
More cards of the Memes World series 71
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to life the universe and everything?
According to the sci-fi story by Douglas Adams, the supercomputer Deep Thought calculated it to be the number 42.
What was the actual question for 42?
The computer explained that while 42 is the answer, nobody actually knows the exact ultimate question it answers.
Where does the 42 meme come from?
It originated in the 1978 BBC Radio 4 series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy before spreading to books and Internet culture.
How do I get the Answer to Life 42 meme card?
Open a pack of MyMemeCards: “Answer to Life 42” is a rare card of the Memes World series 71. Your first pack is free, with no account, and you can also buy, trade or win the card at auction.
How rare is the Answer to Life 42 card?
It is a Rare card. Rarity decides which pack slot can deal it, and what it is worth on the market.
Sources: 42 years later, how 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ... · The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy Turns 42 - COSMOS · Article 42: The Meme-Ing of Life · checked on October 12, 2026.
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Open your free pack: 5 meme cards, no account needed.