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Recipe №038 · reading
Read a confusing article like you’re 12.
Paste a dense article and get a version a smart 12-year-old would actually understand.
by mike·Jan 21, 2026·2 min read
Paste a dense article and get a version a smart 12-year-old would actually understand.
Understand a jargon-heavy article well enough to explain it to someone else.
Rewrite this article so a smart 12-year-old would understand it. Rules: - Keep every fact. Don't add opinions. - Replace jargon with plain words. If a term matters, define it in parentheses. - Break long paragraphs into 2-3 sentences max. - End with: "The one thing to remember: [one sentence summary]."
"Simplify this" dumbed it down too much — lost important details.
"Rewrite for a 12-year-old" was closer but added cheerful filler ("Isn’t that cool?").
"Keep every fact, don’t add opinions" locked in accuracy. The summary line is the real win.
Add: "Ignore the methodology section. Focus on what they found and why it matters."
Add: "Flag any sentence that creates an obligation for me with [ACTION NEEDED]."
Paste 2-3 articles and add: "What do they agree on? Where do they disagree?"
Plain English. ~4 minute read. One-click unsubscribe.