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There’s nothing wrong with failing—it’s one of the best ways to learn and grow. But let’s be honest, some mishaps are just plain hilarious. And with the internet always watching, if your slip-up makes it online, there’s a good chance it’s already landed on the subreddit ‘There Was An Attempt.’

Don’t worry, though—these things tend to blow over quickly.

Well, except for today, because we’ve put together a compilation of the best posts we’ve ever featured from this community. Enjoy!

#1

To Insult Women

To Insult Women

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Zena
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Men, you can't get pregnant, so sit down when medical care for women is discussed." Yes, actually, this tracks; let's institute this rule.

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#2

To Give The Worst Land

To Give The Worst Land

"In 1913, Sarah Rector, a 10-year-old black girl received a land allotment of 160 acres in Oklahoma. The best farming land was reserved for whites, so she was given a barren plot. Oil was soon discovered there & she became the country's first black millionaire."

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Luis Hernandez Dauajare
Community Member
3 weeks ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually, she became *so* rich that she was given the status of "honorary white citizen". Let that sink in...

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With over 7.2 million members, ‘There Was An Attempt’ (TWAA) is one of Reddit’s largest communities. To understand what makes it so special and why it’s beloved by so many, Bored Panda reached out to the moderators who run the subreddit and keep it thriving.

“TWAA is a place that collects all the best attempts from across the globe. If it’s been attempted… you’ll find it here,” says u/PlenitudeOpulence, the lead mod. “There’s an innate joy in watching fails, and TWAA has that by the boatload.”

#3

To Make Speaking 2 Languages Sophisticated

To Make Speaking 2 Languages Sophisticated

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J Adams
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The British royal family don’t tend to give press releases about their personal achievements or what they are doing in their private lives, almost all the reporting comes from ‘royal correspondents’ who are just journalists with a very easy job as the royal family also never say when a story is false. This story about princess Charlotte came from the fact that the pre school she attended had a language programme, that’s it.

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In the grand scheme of things, TWAA’s popularity doesn’t just rely on people’s love for watching others’ fails. There are plenty of places online for that, but TWAA has really cemented itself as an iconic community on Reddit.

“I think people love TWAA because it captures the full spectrum of human experience,” says u/Sabbah. “Sure, it’s funny to watch failed attempts, but these posts often bring out a mix of emotions—from empathy to curiosity. People can see relatable struggles, and that blend of laughter and reflection keeps it engaging for a broad audience.”

#7

To “Help The World Become A Better Place”

To “Help The World Become A Better Place”

chikitty87 Report

#8

To Trick The Allied Forces

To Trick The Allied Forces

"During WW2, the Germans built a fake wooden airfield with wooden aircraft, vehicles, and hangars in order to trick the Allies. The RAF, having known of the secret project for months, patiently waited for them to finish and then dropped a single fake wooden bomb on it"

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Second-in-charge mod u/BlueberryBubblyBuzz, who also goes by u/Kumquat_conniption, believes TWAA stands out because it shows humanity in its rawest form, something we often miss in today’s digital age.

“With social media making everyone’s lives look perfect, there’s something refreshing and real about watching people fail,” they share. “Most of what we see online is carefully staged, but watching a fail? That’s real. It reminds us that we’re not the only ones messing up, even if it happens more often than we’d like.”

“Maybe when we’re constantly comparing ourselves to seemingly perfect lives, it feels good to see someone else fail. Like, ‘Hey, at least I’m not having as bad a day as that guy!’ That could be why TWAA is so appealing.”

#9

To Be Immune To Yo Momma Jokes

To Be Immune To Yo Momma Jokes

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#10

To Complain About A Child Selling Hot Dogs

To Complain About A Child Selling Hot Dogs

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Lost Panda
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

While I would have rather heard the city got him the clothes and anything else he needed for school, this is just as good.

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#11

An Attempt Was Made To Listen To A Sherlock Holmes Mystery

An Attempt Was Made To Listen To A Sherlock Holmes Mystery

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Of course, it helps that the subreddit has a catchy name. “‘There Was An Attempt’ just rolls off the tongue,” says mod u/OhhYouKnow. “The phrase itself sticks in your head. Personally, I love the content because it shows a very real side of humanity. Plus, our userbase is made up of some pretty cool people.”

#13

To Be A Smart Cop

To Be A Smart Cop

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What really makes TWAA stand out, however, is how its followers find a certain inspiration in the fails. There’s a sense of camaraderie in seeing people genuinely try, even when things go wrong.

“Fails can be inspiring, as they remind us that everyone stumbles and grows from mistakes,” explains u/Sabbah. “Seeing others face setbacks and bounce back can motivate us to be more resilient, take risks, and keep going. Sometimes, the funniest fails hold the most powerful lessons.”

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#15

To Cancel Alcohol

To Cancel Alcohol

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Ripley
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also, completely untrue. Elephants like eating fallen and fermented marula fruit in Africa and getting hosed off their faces.

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#16

To Give Reasons For Not Using Facial Recognition

To Give Reasons For Not Using Facial Recognition

cyrobite- Report

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Susie Elle
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Meanwhile everyone literally sends their DNA to companies such as 23andme

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“I think watching people attempt incredible things, even when they fail, can be very inspiring,” agrees u/BlueberryBubblyBuzz. “When you see footage of someone doing something perfectly, like an Olympic performance, it can feel like you’ll never be able to do something like that. But when you see others failing, it reminds you that behind every success is someone who failed over and over. It’s a great reminder that setbacks are part of the journey and not a reason to quit.”

#18

To Make This Student Think Before They Ink

To Make This Student Think Before They Ink

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#19

To Say Jesus Didn't Use Pronouns

To Say Jesus Didn't Use Pronouns

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Running TWAA is no easy task. The mods hold the posts to a high standard, and not everything makes the cut.

“We do get a lot of posts that don’t exactly fit, and we’re working with the community to report those so we can keep the subreddit focused on the best failed attempts,” says u/BlueberryBubblyBuzz. “We’re also putting more effort into making sure unclear or off-topic posts are filtered out, so we can showcase everyone’s favorite content.”

#21

To Comfort A Foster Kitty By A Deaf And Partially Blind Pup

To Comfort A Foster Kitty By A Deaf And Partially Blind Pup

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Lately, the mods have faced another challenge—bots filling TWAA with spam. However, they’re committed to keeping the subreddit as genuine as possible.

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“We’re hoping for more admin support to deal with spam and interference,” says u/OhhYouKnow. “Bots can be tricky to spot, but when they start taking over, it drowns out authentic content.”

“We want the community to continue enjoying the original vibe of the sub,” adds u/Sabbah.

#24

To Prevent The Homeless From Sleeping Here

To Prevent The Homeless From Sleeping Here

reddit.com Report

At Bored Panda, we’re rooting for the TWAA team to keep bringing us the best fails, making the world a little funnier and brighter with their posts, so that not only we can enjoy them but also share them to you. Until next time!

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#32

To Sleep Peacefully

To Sleep Peacefully

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#35

...to Photograph Birds

...to Photograph Birds

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#37

To Stop A Vegan

To Stop A Vegan

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Ephemeral Mochi
Community Member
3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why do you even care what someone else does with their life??? I never understood this, like I'm not vegan but I genuinely don't care if other people are

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#38

To Be Responsible And Uber Home

To Be Responsible And Uber Home

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#39

To Collect Rent On A House You Live In For Free

To Collect Rent On A House You Live In For Free

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#48

To Prove Your BF Is Cheating

To Prove Your BF Is Cheating

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#49

To Relate To A Girl’s Photo

To Relate To A Girl’s Photo

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#50

To Build A Nest

To Build A Nest

L00k_Again , x.com Report

Note: this post originally had 88 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.

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