“Perhaps I would like a glass of whisky. Yes, that seems more likely.”

“It's unpleasantly like being drunk." "What's so unpleasant about being drunk?" "You ask a glass of water.”

“Janx Spirit : Janx Spirit is a rather potent alcoholic beverage, and is used heavily in drinking games that are played in the hyperspace ports that serve the madranite mining belts in the star system of Orion Beta. The game is not unlike the Earth game called Indian Wrestling, and is played like this: Two contestants sit at either side of a table, with a glass in front of each of them. Between them would be placed a bottle of Janx Spirit — as immortalized in that ancient Orion mining song :“Oh don’t give me no more of that Old Janx SpiritNo, don’t you give me no more of that Old Janx SpiritFor my head will fly, my tongue will lie, my eyes will fry and I may dieWon’t you pour me one more of that sinful Old Janx Spirit”Each of the two contestants would then concentrate their will on the bottle and attempt to tip it and pour spirit into the glass of his opponent – who would then have to drink it. The bottle would then be refilled. The game would be played again. And again. Once you started to lose you would probably keep losing, because one of the effects of Janx spirit is to depress telepsychic power. As soon as a predetermined quantity had been consumed, the final loser would have to perform a forfeit, which was usually obscenely biological.”

“Would you like to see the menu?" he said, "or would you like meet the Dish of the Day?"...“Good evening,” it lowed and sat back heavily on its haunches, “I am the main Dish of the Day. May I interest you in parts of my body?”

“No private detective looks like a private detective. That's one of the first rules of private detection.""But if no private detective looks like a private detective, how does a private detective know what it is he's supposed not to look like? Seems to me there's a problem there.”

“The waiter approached.'Would you like to see the menu?' he said. 'Or would you like to meet the Dish of the Day?''Huh?' said Ford. 'Huh?' said Arthur.'Huh?' said Trillian.'That’s cool,' said Zaphod. 'We'll meet the meat.”

“O Deep Thought computer," he said, "the task we have designed you to perform is this. We want you to tell us...." he paused, "The Answer.""The Answer?" said Deep Thought. "The Answer to what?""Life!" urged Fook."The Universe!" said Lunkwill."Everything!" they said in chorus.Deep Thought paused for a moment's reflection."Tricky," he said finally."But can you do it?"Again, a significant pause."Yes," said Deep Thought, "I can do it.""There is an answer?" said Fook with breathless excitement."Yes," said Deep Thought. "Life, the Universe, and Everything. There is an answer. But, I'll have to think about it."...Fook glanced impatiently at his watch.“How long?” he said.“Seven and a half million years,” said Deep Thought.Lunkwill and Fook blinked at each other.“Seven and a half million years...!” they cried in chorus.“Yes,” declaimed Deep Thought, “I said I’d have to think about it, didn’t I?"[Seven and a half million years later.... Fook and Lunkwill are long gone, but their descendents continue what they started]"We are the ones who will hear," said Phouchg, "the answer to the great question of Life....!""The Universe...!" said Loonquawl."And Everything...!""Shhh," said Loonquawl with a slight gesture. "I think Deep Thought is preparing to speak!"There was a moment's expectant pause while panels slowly came to life on the front of the console. Lights flashed on and off experimentally and settled down into a businesslike pattern. A soft low hum came from the communication channel."Good Morning," said Deep Thought at last."Er..good morning, O Deep Thought" said Loonquawl nervously, "do you have...er, that is...""An Answer for you?" interrupted Deep Thought majestically. "Yes, I have."The two men shivered with expectancy. Their waiting had not been in vain."There really is one?" breathed Phouchg."There really is one," confirmed Deep Thought."To Everything? To the great Question of Life, the Universe and everything?""Yes."Both of the men had been trained for this moment, their lives had been a preparation for it, they had been selected at birth as those who would witness the answer, but even so they found themselves gasping and squirming like excited children."And you're ready to give it to us?" urged Loonsuawl."I am.""Now?""Now," said Deep Thought.They both licked their dry lips."Though I don't think," added Deep Thought. "that you're going to like it.""Doesn't matter!" said Phouchg. "We must know it! Now!""Now?" inquired Deep Thought."Yes! Now...""All right," said the computer, and settled into silence again. The two men fidgeted. The tension was unbearable."You're really not going to like it," observed Deep Thought."Tell us!""All right," said Deep Thought. "The Answer to the Great Question...""Yes..!""Of Life, the Universe and Everything..." said Deep Thought."Yes...!""Is..." said Deep Thought, and paused."Yes...!""Is...""Yes...!!!...?""Forty-two," said Deep Thought, with infinite majesty and calm.”