Excel Easter Eggs: Fun and Hidden Surprises You Might Have Missed

Microsoft Excel is well-known for its robust functionality and versatility. But did you know that Excel also has a playful side? Over the years, the Excel development team has embedded several Easter eggs — hidden surprises — within the software. These little gems, ranging from hidden games to quirky animations, are a fun reminder that even productivity tools have a sense of humor. Let’s take a nostalgic trip down memory lane and explore some of the most memorable Excel Easter eggs.

1. Flight Simulator (Excel 97)

Perhaps the most famous of all Excel Easter eggs is the Flight Simulator in Excel 97. Yes, you read that right — a fully functional flight simulator hidden within a spreadsheet application!

How to Access It:

1. Open Excel 97.
2. Create a new workbook.
3. Press F5 and type X97:L97 in the “Go To” dialog box.
4. Press Enter, then press Tab.
5. Hold Ctrl and Shift while clicking on the Chart Wizard icon in the toolbar.

Voila! You’re now soaring through the skies in a flight simulator. It’s a fun little distraction, and a surprising one for users who stumble upon it.

2. Dev Hunter (Excel 2000)

Excel 2000 took a different approach with its Easter egg by including a game called Dev Hunter, a first-person shooter where you could drive around a small world and shoot at objects. It was a hidden gem that showed off the creativity of the Excel development team.

How to Access It:

1. Open Excel 2000.
2. Go to File > Save As and save your workbook as a web page.
3. Make sure to check the box labeled Add Interactivity.
4. Save the file and then open it in Internet Explorer.
5. Scroll to row 2000, column WC, and select the entire row.
6. Press Ctrl + Alt + Shift and click on the Office logo.

The game would then load, and you could enjoy some light-hearted shooting fun. Although a bit rudimentary, it was an unexpected feature in a productivity suite.

3. 3D Animated Credits (Excel 95)

In Excel 95, the development team embedded a 3D animation featuring the credits of the developers, a common Easter egg in software from that era. The animation was simple but provided a fun way to give credit to the people behind the software.

How to Access It:

1. Open a new workbook in Excel 95.
2. Go to the File menu, click Save As, and save the workbook as a form template.
3. Rename the template to Book1.
4. Press Alt and Shift while selecting the View menu.
5. Then choose About Microsoft Excel.

The 3D credits would then play, showcasing the team that brought Excel to life.

4. Hall of Tortured Souls (Excel 95)

One of the more eerie Easter eggs is the Hall of Tortured Souls in Excel 95. This Easter egg was a basic 3D maze game, complete with creepy imagery and hidden pictures of the Excel developers.

How to Access It:

1. Open a new workbook in Excel 95.
2. Go to the File menu and choose New.
3. Press Ctrl + Alt + Shift while clicking on the About Microsoft Excel option in the Help menu.
4. A window with a 3D maze will appear. Navigate through it to find the hidden images of the developers.

This Easter egg was both amusing and slightly unsettling, making it one of the most memorable hidden features in Excel’s history.

5. Tic-Tac-Toe and Space Invaders (Excel 2003)

Excel 2003 had a couple of simple but fun games hidden within it — Tic-Tac-Toe and Space Invaders. These games provided a quick break from the usual number-crunching and spreadsheet work.

How to Access Them:

1. Open Excel 2003.
2. Create a new workbook.
3. Type =GAME("TIC-TAC-TOE") into any cell for Tic-Tac-Toe.
4. Type =GAME("MSSPACEINVADERS") for Space Invaders.

While these games were relatively basic, they were a fun addition that showed the developers didn’t take themselves too seriously.

6. The Formula1 Animation (Excel 2000)

Excel 2000 had a hidden animation called Formula1. This Easter egg was a small animated show that played inside Excel, featuring a race car zooming around a track.

How to Access It:

1. Open Excel 2000.
2. Press F5 and type X2000:L2000 in the Go To dialog box.
3. Press Enter, then press Tab.
4. Hold Ctrl and Shift while clicking on the Chart Wizard icon in the toolbar.

The animation would start playing, giving users a small but delightful visual treat.

7. Clippy’s Return (Excel 2019)

In a nod to nostalgia, Microsoft included a fun Easter egg in Excel 2019 by bringing back Clippy, the much-loved (and sometimes annoying) office assistant from older Office versions.

How to See Clippy:

1. Open Excel 2019.
2. Type =CLIPPY() into any cell.
3. Clippy will pop up with a fun message or animation.

Although Clippy doesn’t offer any real assistance anymore, seeing him again is sure to bring back memories for longtime Office users.

Conclusion

Excel Easter eggs are a reminder that even in the most serious of tools, there’s room for a bit of fun and creativity. These hidden surprises reflect the playful spirit of the developers and provide a delightful break from the usual spreadsheet work. While newer versions of Excel no longer include such elaborate Easter eggs, those from past versions live on as quirky pieces of software history.

So next time you’re deep into an Excel project, remember that the tool you’re using has a history of surprises — sometimes, it’s good to take a moment and explore the lighter side of Excel!