Explain Like I'm Five · by Mateo Cruz · 2026-08-30
What is your default move when explainers gets messy
A few notes from my attempt:
- keep the first step visible
- remove one annoying decision
- celebrate the boring repeat
Would love to hear how other people handle this. I am especially curious about the version that works on a tired weekday, not just on an ideal Sunday.
116 sparks · 19 comments
Comments
Martina Fernández · 24 likes
This is the kind of useful internet I still show up for. A little friction removed goes a long way.
Giulia Rossi · 13 likes
Surprised more people aren't choosing I need more context. It seems like the practical answer. I would love to see a follow-up after 8 weeks.
Ethan Brooks · 5 likes
The best answer in the thread, honestly.
Kabir Khan · 2 likes
Short answer: yes. Long answer: also yes.
Curious Panda · 10 likes
I picked I need more context, mostly because it feels easiest to live with. I am curious whether simple still feels good next month.
Ethan Brooks · 7 likes
That is a surprisingly elegant way to frame it. I keep a note about explainers for exactly this reason.
Cedar Baker · 6 likes
I picked Yes, definitely, mostly because it feels easiest to live with. I used to overcomplicate this constantly.
Arif Hasan · 5 likes
I picked Maybe later, mostly because it feels easiest to live with. My friend tried it in Nairobi and had the opposite result.
Mateo Cruz · 20 likes
I think both things can be true.
Huy Le · 4 likes
This sounds good, but in practice it can be a bad idea without more context. This pairs weirdly well with mango sticky rice.
Olena Shevchenko · 3 likes
I picked Yes, definitely, mostly because it feels easiest to live with. The social part surprised me too.
Noé Petit · 1 likes
Not for me got my vote. The other choices are good, but this one fits my week. I would test it for 10 days before deciding.
Salma Idrissi · 1 likes
Honestly, this is a little too vague to be useful. This is more useful on a tired winter than on a perfect day.
Gentle Baker · 1 likes
This depends heavily on budget, time and personality. The low-effort version is probably the keeper.
Lucas Williams · 1 likes
Love the tiny experiment energy. The beautiful part is easy to underestimate.