Show HN: The Alphabetical Clock

2026-03-30 | original

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Why This Matters

The Alphabetical Clock introduces a novel way to display time by sorting hours, minutes, and seconds alphabetically, offering a unique and educational perspective on timekeeping. This innovation could inspire new interfaces and creative approaches in clock design, appealing to tech enthusiasts and learners alike. Its dual modes demonstrate versatility and potential for customization in digital and analog displays.

Key Takeaways

Innovative time display based on alphabetical sorting
Two modes: Three-Hand and Combined for different user experiences
Potential applications in educational tools and creative clock designs

The Accursèd Alphabetical Clock

This clock displays the current time alphabetically. It is inspired by this post on Mastodon.

In Three-Hand mode, the hours, minutes, and seconds are each independently sorted by their English spelling, with a hand for each.

In Combined mode, every possible time (43,200 of them) is spelled out, sorted alphabetically, and a single needle points to the current one.

Explore topics: alphabetical clock accursèd mastodon three-hand mode combined mode