The best-known Rock Paper Scissors quotes come from TV and one famous business story: Bart Simpson's "Good old rock. Nothing beats that." from The Simpsons, Sheldon's rules for Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock on The Big Bang Theory, and an 11-year-old's advice that won Christie's an art collection in 2005. Below are those real lines with their sources, followed by sayings you can use for fun or motivation, clearly labelled as sayings rather than quotes.
I have been strict about attribution here. A lot of pages online credit Rock Paper Scissors lines to Sun Tzu, Einstein or famous athletes. I could not find a real source for any of them, so they are not on this list.
Real quotes, with sources
"Good old rock. Nothing beats that."
Bart Simpson, The Simpsons, season 4 episode "The Front" (1993). Lisa predicts that Bart will throw rock because he always does. He thinks this line, throws rock, and loses to Lisa's paper. It has become shorthand for anyone who is completely predictable, and it is the best short lesson in RPS strategy ever broadcast.
"As it always has, rock crushes scissors."
Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory, "The Lizard-Spock Expansion" (2008). It is the last line of Sheldon's long explanation of Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock, the five-throw version created by Sam Kass and Karen Bryla. The full rundown of which throw beats which is on our Lizard Spock page.
"Rock is way too obvious, and scissors beats paper."
Flora Maclean, age 11, as reported by The New York Times in 2005. Her father, Nicholas Maclean, was a director at Christie's. When the Japanese company Maspro Denkoh asked Christie's and Sotheby's to play Rock Paper Scissors for the right to sell its art collection, Christie's asked his twin daughters for advice. Christie's threw scissors, Sotheby's threw paper, and Christie's won the sale. The full story is on our famous moments page.
Sayings for fun
These are common sayings and lines of our own. They are not attributed to anyone.
- Paper covers rock. That is the whole argument.
- Rock never lets you down, until it does.
- Scissors: the throw nobody opens with.
- Best of three. No, best of five.
- It is only luck when you lose.
- Every tie is a second first round.
Sayings for motivation
Rock Paper Scissors is a small game, but it teaches real ideas about decisions under uncertainty. These lines work on a locker-room whiteboard or a team chat:
- Play the person, not the hand.
- Predictable is beatable.
- A loss is information. Use it.
- Nobody wins every round. Win more than your share.
- Change before they expect you to.
The research behind a couple of these, such as how people change throws after winning and losing, is on our psychology page and strategy page.
Quotes that are fake or unverified
If you see these online, treat them with suspicion:
- Anything credited to Sun Tzu about Rock Paper Scissors. The Art of War does not mention the game.
- Lines credited to famous scientists or presidents. I found no primary source for any of them.
If you know of a real quote with a source I have missed, I would like to add it. Until then, the safest way to make your own Rock Paper Scissors moment is to play a few rounds and see what you end up saying.
FAQ
What is the most famous Rock Paper Scissors quote?
Bart Simpson's "Good old rock. Nothing beats that." from 1993 is probably the most widely shared.
Did Sun Tzu say anything about Rock Paper Scissors?
No. Quotes that link him to the game are invented.
Where does "scissors cuts paper, paper covers rock" come from?
It is simply the traditional way of stating the rules. Sheldon's extended version in The Big Bang Theory added lizard and Spock.