BestPromptFor XYZ Prompts for anything.

ChatGPT Hacks

ChatGPT hacks you can paste: short prefixes that change how the model answers. Copy ELI5, TLDR, red team, and nine more power moves.

These are not hidden settings or secret commands. Each one is a short prefix you paste before your question to change how ChatGPT answers. Power users keep a few favorites ready.

12 prompts

Strip jargon from any answer in one line.

ELI5: [PASTE TEXT OR TOPIC]

How to use

  1. Replace [PASTE TEXT OR TOPIC] with anything you want explained in simple words.

Tips

  • Best for a first simple explanation before you ask for deeper detail.

Example output

Sourdough starter is like a tiny pet that eats flour and water.

When it is happy and bubbly, it helps bread rise and gives it that tangy bakery smell.

Get the point of a long paste without reading it all.

tldr: [PASTE TEXT]

How to use

  1. Replace [PASTE TEXT] with an article, email, transcript, report, or notes.

Tips

  • Best when you need the point quickly before deciding whether to read the full text.

Example output

The recipe is mainly about patience: chill the dough, use cold butter, and do not crowd the tray.

The most important step is resting the dough before baking, because that gives the cookies a thicker center.

Force weak spots in your plan before you commit.

Red Team: [PASTE TEXT OR IDEA]

How to use

  1. Replace [PASTE TEXT OR IDEA] with a draft, plan, decision, offer, or argument.

Tips

  • Best when you want a direct critique before you act on something.

Example output

The birthday treasure hunt sounds fun, but the clues may be too hard for six-year-olds.

Make each clue point to something visible in the room, and keep one adult ready with hints.

Ask what 20% of effort gives 80% of results.

Pareto: [PASTE TOPIC OR GOAL]

How to use

  1. Replace [PASTE TOPIC OR GOAL] with what you want to learn, improve, or decide.

Tips

  • Best when you need priorities instead of a full explanation of everything.

Example output

For better sleep, start with the few habits that affect most nights.

Keep a fixed wake-up time, get morning light, and stop caffeine earlier than you think.

Lock the answer into ordered steps.

Step by step: [PASTE TASK OR QUESTION]

How to use

  1. Replace [PASTE TASK OR QUESTION] with something that needs a process or careful explanation.

Tips

  • Best when the order matters and a single paragraph would be hard to follow.

Example output

First, rinse the rice until the water looks mostly clear.

Then add water, bring it to a boil, lower the heat, and let it rest with the lid on before serving.

Rebuild the idea from basics, not analogies.

First principles: [PASTE TOPIC OR PROBLEM]

How to use

  1. Replace [PASTE TOPIC OR PROBLEM] with something you want explained from the ground up.

Tips

  • Best when advice feels vague and you want the basic logic underneath it.

Example output

Start with what a houseplant needs to stay alive: light, water, air, and space for roots.

If a plant is failing, check those basics before buying fertilizer or changing everything at once.

Make it teach with questions instead of a lecture.

Socratic: [PASTE TOPIC OR QUESTION]

How to use

  1. Replace [PASTE TOPIC OR QUESTION] with something you want to understand through guided questions.

Tips

  • Best when you want to think through a topic yourself instead of receiving a finished answer.

Example output

What do you think makes a joke feel funny instead of just surprising?

Can you think of a joke where the setup made you expect one thing, but the ending changed it?

Put two options in a fair side-by-side.

Compare: [OPTION A] vs [OPTION B]

How to use

  1. Replace [OPTION A] and [OPTION B] with the choices you are considering.

Tips

  • Best when both options seem reasonable and you need the tradeoffs made clear.

Example output

A beach holiday is easier if you want rest, warm weather, and fewer daily decisions.

A city trip is better if you want museums, food spots, and something new to do each day.

See samples before the abstract rule.

Examples first: [PASTE TOPIC OR TASK]

How to use

  1. Replace [PASTE TOPIC OR TASK] with the thing you want shown before it is explained.

Tips

  • Best when you learn faster from samples than from general rules.

Example output

Example 1: A five-minute breakfast could be Greek yogurt with banana and toasted oats.

Example 2: A warm option could be scrambled eggs on toast with a sliced tomato.

Shape output into a format you can scan and reuse.

Format as [FORMAT]: [PASTE TASK OR TEXT]

How to use

  1. Replace [FORMAT] with the output shape you want, such as checklist or table.

Tips

  • Best when the content is useful but the answer needs to be easier to scan or reuse.

Example output

Checklist

- Pack a rain jacket
- Download the offline map
- Check the last train home

Set role and situation in one line.

Assume [ROLE OR CONTEXT]: [PASTE TASK OR QUESTION]

How to use

  1. Replace [ROLE OR CONTEXT] with the viewpoint or situation the AI should use.

Tips

  • Best when a generic answer would miss the situation you care about.

Example output

Since you are cooking for picky kids, keep the sauce on the side and let them build their own tacos.

Use familiar fillings first, then add one new ingredient once everyone is already eating.

Make it ask what it needs before guessing.

Ask before answering: [PASTE TASK OR QUESTION]

How to use

  1. Replace [PASTE TASK OR QUESTION] with something where the right answer depends on details.

Tips

  • Best when you want fewer assumptions and a better first real answer.

Example output

Before I answer, how old is the puppy and how long can it currently stay calm indoors?

Also, are you training in an apartment, a house with a yard, or a busy city street?

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