Silly Blunders: 45 Employees Who Messed Up Simple Jobs

By Jishnu B

Some people say if you never fail, you never learn. Since neither of us is perfect, making minor errors occasionally is perfectly acceptable as long as you learn from them. Life is no stranger to failure. It can hurt, and some people experience it more frequently than others. It can also teach us valuable lessons.

However, not everyone appears to think the same. Especially when you only have one job to accomplish and you still manage to fail miserably. Some people manage to screw it up so badly that it’s hard to believe they didn’t notice it in the first place.

With that said, we have compiled a list of some of these hilarious blunders for you to enjoy. Read on to see just how far some people will go when it comes to silly mistakes.

Shapes

Thanks to kindergarten lessons, we are sure everyone’s familiar with most geometric shapes by now. This book appears to teach geometry quite meticulously and in an interesting way. As we can see, the pentagonal shape is being compared to a star.

Image Credit:@acryptocrat/Reddit

If you Google the word pentagon, this isn’t the first picture that comes up. Technically, a pentagon is formed by straight lines intersecting each tentacle. Although technically correct, it is simply confusing for a young mind. To most of them, actually, this is just “Patrick” from SpongeBob SquarePants.

The Shcool

Imagine attending a school that is too cool to be identified as such and instead goes by the moniker “Shcool.” We’re excited to see what cool and trendy things they teach at this particular school. It appears that the person responsible for this did not receive proper schooling.

Image Credit:@lorenzo-intenzo/Reddit

This laughable sign is from outside Brighton’s Portslade Aldridge Community Academy in the United Kingdom. A big embarrassment to the home of the English language. We strongly believe that the contractor or whoever was responsible for this should definitely go back to school.

I’ll Have Mine In Spanglish, Por Favor

What would you pick if you had to choose between Spanish English and pure Spanish? Both of these examples appear to be ineffective for someone who is not a native Spanish speaker. It’s also ironic how the question is written in English. 

Image Credit:@switchblade_80/Reddit

This makes it difficult for the survey’s user to progress past this stage, especially if they prefer English. The person who curated this survey was either distracted by something else or slept poorly the night before because this should never have happened.

Robbed Of Energy

The idea of a solar-powered parking meter is certainly appealing. However, suppose the device is placed under a tree with plenty of shade. In that case, it defeats the purpose of the mechanism that was designed to supply it with energy in the first place.

Image Credit:@that1edgyfox/Reddit

This is a strange case of being environmentally conscious while producing a minimally useful technological pollutant. Furthermore, these devices take up space where nature would otherwise exist. In all honesty, we think it’s hiding because it doesn’t want to show up to work.

An Expert In Photoshop

This company appears to be naive enough to hire an inefficient photographer. Someone obviously made a grave error while conducting the due diligence to look up their portfolio. We can unequivocally say that this headshot is from the Sims universe.

Image Credit: @joepohlen/Reddit

We feel like you’re already pushing it when you hire someone who says they’re the “master of light.” Certainly, they have made quite the masterpiece here. With that creepy fivehead and oil portrait filter, we’d like to call this a master of the ‘Uncanny Valley.’

That’s Not How You Boil Water

Even though cooking is a life skill everyone should possess, some people are stupid enough to mess up something that is not even full-fledged cooking. For instance, this individual was given instructions to boil water and took them quite literally.

Image Credit: @cekuwastak3n/Reddit

As can be seen, the user has literally placed two cups of water on the stove. Perhaps that’s what you get when your measuring system uses “cups” as a unit of measurement. We’re surprised the glass hasn’t exploded yet because this is a very dangerous situation.

Wrath Of Hellfire In Degrees Celsius

This post makes it clear that global warming is no joke anymore. Or is this just a case of what was supposed to be in Fahrenheit getting mixed up with degrees Celsius? Regardless, it’s been revealed that hell on Earth exists and can be found in Julian, San Diego County.

Image Credit:@howardkinsd/Reddit

If you ever plan on visiting this particular county, ensure you’re applying a sunscreen of SPF 1000. There’s no way you will survive the “hot as the surface of the sun” environment of this place. Even the meteorologist is astounded by this burst of hellfire. 

Tuesday The 13th

If you’re not sure what makes Friday the 13th so special, allow us to shed some light on the mystery. The gist of the story is that people believe it’s cursed. People appear to have developed a strong interest in this day in recent years.

Image Credit:@Major-Frame9571/Reddit

The ominous date appears to have been changed to “Tuesday the 13th.” The dreaded Tuesday is sneaking in to usurp Friday the Thirteenth’s throne. Now we’re looking forward to saying Tuesday is the new Friday. Yet people still believe everything they read on the internet. Fascinating.

Suspicious Wall

Surveillance cameras are pretty standard in today’s world to ensure security. However, the camera placement here does not make sense to us. Instead of facing the street, this camera seems to be facing the wall. We wonder what has forced it to go on a time-out. 

Image Credit:@EliotJC533/Reddit

Was it an accident, or is something sinister going on behind the walls? We’re under the impression that the camera has seen too much and is taking a break from all the horrible things happening in the world. Either that, or it’s a clear case of security being paid to turn a blind eye.

The Strange Case Of The Ear

At first glance, you’ll be perplexed as to what’s so wrong with this. However, if you look closely and possibly flip the phone, you’ll see what we’re talking about. The poster on the bus appears to be flipped upside down. 

Image Credit:@Numerend/Reddit

Although this screwup is difficult to decipher, it is difficult to ignore once you notice it. Unless you read the title, it’s even difficult to see it’s an ear. The ear has a creepy vibe to it, and it almost looks like an old person’s mouth to us!

Wonky Lines

The lines on this road appear to have been drawn by someone who would undoubtedly fail a sobriety test. Imagine being pulled over by an officer for swerving in traffic and promptly responding, “But I was just following the line!”

Image Credit:@Tricky_Camel/Reddit

All jokes aside, the lines seem to be the temporary tape that is sometimes used during construction projects. After the workers are finished, the “real” lines are painted, so hopefully, this was resolved in time. Needless to say, this instance reminds us of the iconic song Draggin’ The Line.

The Mask Mishap

When you see examples like this, you realize that photoshopping is a skill, and some people are terrible at it. Either the mask was not correctly placed on the man, or he just didn’t stand in the right spot behind the floating mask.

Image Credit:@LeapofAzzam/Reddit

Now, this is a new wrong way to wear a mask. Aside from the mask mishap, the entire poster is a colossal flop. People appear to be looking in various directions, and the crescent moon on top resembles a banana. We wonder how many people saw this before it was approved for printing.

Hello From The Restroom

It’s always nice to run into coworkers at work and exchange greetings. However, there are some locations where such an encounter would be awkward. This is one of those occasions. The people who installed the door in this restroom appear to have overlooked an important step.

Image Credit: @[u/deleted]/Reddit

It is essential that you shade the restroom glasses because no one would be comfortable doing their business here. A restroom is supposed to be one of the few places anyone can be certain of getting some privacy, so this mistake ranks very high on the scale of silly blunders.

Is It Superman? 

Superhero movies are all the rage right now, so it’s no surprise that you’re familiar with popular characters like “Superman” and “Spiderman.” The craftsman of this metal bar seems to be confused between the two, judging by the look of this piece.

Image Credit:@Beautiful_Fishing569/Reddit

If you wonder what superman would wear to the Justice League Halloween party, your answers lie here. It’s bad enough that the character isn’t right, but they couldn’t even get the universe right. Even the card knows it’s wrong. Look, it says “Super-man.”

The Curious Case Of The Floating Home

A whopping $1.5 million was invested just to make this home float, and the results were extremely disappointing. Unfortunately, this impressive floating home in Panama sank when the structure ended up partially submerged. Talk about a mistake of a lifetime.

Image Credit: @ParadeSit/Reddit

Technically, it is still floating, in our opinion. They never specified how much of it should float. We wonder what exactly caused the floating home to tilt and who was to blame. It’s also amusing how it went from a “floating home” to a “sinking home.”

The Odd Brewery

Workplace mishaps are nothing new to us, whether it’s recklessly painted road markings or signs placed in the most inconvenient places. However, this instance appears to be jeopardizing the customer’s desire for a fresh brew of coffee in the morning.

Image Credit:@InCaRnAt3/Reddit

It seems like this location previously had a coffee counter with the sign “Something fresh is always brewing.” Who wouldn’t want freshly brewed coffee to start their day? However, once you notice there’s a restroom nearby, you begin to wonder if they’re still talking about coffee here.

An Odd Restaurant Name

We’re not sure if the menu card designer was trying to be perky with their sense of humor or if this is the restaurant’s actual name. In all honesty, “Logo Here” would be an odd name for a restaurant. We wonder how no one saw this error.

Image Credit:@nochancess/Reddit

If we were to guess, we would say this was probably just a sample. Perhaps it’s a place where restaurant owners can look through pre-made logos. We can only hope that the customers care more about food and service than they do about brand logos.

What’s In The Box

A well-made furnished house is always a treat to look at for interior enthusiasts. However, designers should keep in mind the risks of installing improper designs in questionable locations. This apartment had new siding installed that covered the AC unit. 

Image Credit:@Sorry_Sorry_Im_Sorry/Reddit

What’s unfortunate is that they did such a nice and neat job of covering it, only for it to be turned into such a hazardous space. All this effort was expended solely to expose the outside of the AC to keep the motor from overheating.

A Win-Win Situation

This KitKat bar appears to be missing a critical component, namely the wafers. Many people would consider this a win-win situation because they prefer more chocolate to the wafer. In all honesty, we are not complaining about this “mistake” either. 

Image Credit:@SpicyTortillass/Reddit

Apparently, there is a competition in the UK where you can win £1000 if you find a KitKat without the wafer. Despite the apparent manufacturing flaw, they’ve found a way to turn it into a clever marketing ploy. We are definitely rooting for more of these mishaps.

Optionally Required

The person who created this field box appears to be still learning how to use a computer. It is quite common for you to fill in the details of your name and other information whenever you fill out a form. However, it appears that there was an error in the field specification.

Image Credit: @0anonymousv/Reddit

Although the text above states that providing your last name is optional, the back-end code states otherwise. The visitors on this site must have been confused as to what step to take next. Just another software error to make your day.

The Upside Down Flag

Stranger Things has become such a significant cultural phenomenon in recent years that looking at anything upside down instantly reminds us of the show. This upside-down case, on the other hand, is the work of the popular fast-food chain McDonald’s.

Image Credit:@Phantom-pheonex/Reddit

We want to call this McDonald’s “Wcdonald’s” from now on. However, raising a flag upside down is the international symbol of distress. We wonder if the employees are being held hostage and put down the flag on purpose to send a message.

Effort Does Not Require…Effort? 

Effort doesn’t require effort? What does it need, then? Laziness? This whiteboard lists out a pointer of things that don’t require effort. Even though some of these things may come naturally for some people, one thing isn’t sitting quite well on this list. 

Image Credits: @SombreSilver/Reddit

One option on the list claims that putting effort does not require any effort. This oxymoronic statement has particularly perplexed us all. We believe the author of this forgot about “making this list” because there was clearly no effort put into it.

Someone Ordered Veggies “On The Side”

You’d think this is a taco based on its appearance, and it is, but it’s not your typical taco. We’d like to believe that this is one of those times when the customer requests the ingredients “on the side” so that the taco isn’t soggy when they get home.

Image Credit:@carlewurtz/Reddit

Although many people would happily call this a taco, we would like to disagree. An authentic taco is one that is brimming with toppings. The shriveled tomato, lettuce, and foamy cheese filling are definitely not appealing to our taste buds.

Anti-Graffiti?

Graffiti is a cool and fun art form, but it can be considered a nuisance in some locations. As a result, it’s understandable when a building’s wall displays an anti-graffiti sign. However, this building seems to tackle the issue uniquely, but it still failed.

Image Credit:@williambash/Reddit

Often, when people are asked not to do something, that’s when they tend to do it the most. This particular wall was painted with an anti-graffiti coating and even had a sign indicating it. People passing by seemingly felt challenged and tested the waters anyway. 

Old Souls

“Since Together 1420”. Something about the statement seems unsettling; yes, the order of the words is the problem. We’re pretty sure they meant “Together Since 1420.” We can confidently state that no couple has lived that long enough to be able to purchase these couple t-shirts.

Image Credits: @Some-Faithlessness75/Reddit

Many people are drawn to the idea of eternal love. During the early stages of the relationship, everything feels very positive. However, it is the test of time that must be passed to solidify that love. Maybe if you live long enough, you’ll be able to get these matching t-shirts as well.

Time Is Speed

If you have completed elementary school, you undoubtedly understand the distinction between time and speed. The former determines the continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future, whereas the latter determines how fast an object moves.

Image Credit:@Kaden_Emrich/Reddit

As a result, mixing the two would be highly perplexing. This roadside sign appears to believe that time is speed. Perhaps it’s a new compound quantity that we should call speed in “light minutes.” Or maybe the sign displays the time when no one is driving by.

The Cheese Knife Failure

Given the bold print on the knife that clearly says “cheese,” you’d think it would glide through it like butter. However, it appears that this massive block of cheese was the cause of its demise. The knife’s poor craftsmanship obviously did not age well.

Image Credit:@After-Boysenberry-96Reddit

This is a classic example of genre identity construction: the cheese is sharp and hard, while the knife is soft and delicate. Perhaps you’re not supposed to cut cheese with it, and it is just a prompt for when you’re having your picture taken. “Cheese!”

2202

How difficult is it to arrange four numbers according to the year? This sign was clearly meant to say 2022, but a small error caused it to jump two centuries. To make matters worse, the sign was a massive display that lit up.

Image Credit:@nadie___3/Reddit

We’re wondering if it’s the work of a time traveler. That is definitely a picture from the future, and it doesn’t look that bright. We do, however, have a trick for you. If you look at it from your rearview mirror, you’ll be transported back to 2022.

No Emergencies Here

Emergency phone booths are installed so you can rush to one if you are in desperate need. This emergency phone stand states that a phone has not yet been installed. It also has the audacity to go the extra mile to say not to have an emergency in that location. 

Image Credit:@oeoeoeoeoeoee/Reddit

Although this situation appears amusing on paper, things can take a serious turn when someone is actually having an emergency. What’s more perplexing is that the fire hydrant in the background appears to be wielding a lightsaber. Perhaps it was included as an alternative safety measure.

Tomato Burger

Imagine you came home from work hungry and ordered your favorite “Jr. bacon cheeseburger without tomato,” only for you to be served the very thing you sought to avoid. Yes, the cheeseburger only came with a tomato. An instance like that would be extremely disappointing. 

Image Credit:@Geryoneiis/Reddit

We would be utterly enraged if this happened to us because food happens to be extremely important to us. It gives us a sense of joy and fulfillment in this mysterious world. As a result, when someone messes up the food order, a refund is non-negotiable. 

Pretentious Chip Cookies

There are snacks that everyone enjoys, and chocolate chip cookies are definitely on that list. Imagine munching on these delectable treats while sipping hot milk on a cold winter day. It’s always a divine experience, and we’re all here for it. 

Image Credit:@adgvogamer/Reddit

It appears that the person who baked this batch of cookies forgot to put the chocolate chips in ahead of time. We believe that melting the chocolates and dipping half of the cookie in it would be a simple solution to this mishap. Either way, we think this cookie would be delicious.

Melon Or Lemon?

Melon and lemon sound very similar, and as a result, it’s easy to become confused between the two. In this case, for example, it appears that the person ordered a melon but received a lemon instead. This is what happens when people are distracted.

Image Credit:@visionarytune/Reddit

The saying always goes that if life gives you lemons, you make lemonade out of them. But what happens when life hands you melons? Perhaps you come to terms with the fact you might be slightly dyslexic. We can only hope that the user made some delicious lemonade out of this mishap.

You Will Marry Me

Asking for someone’s hand in marriage is a really special moment for two people. It takes a long time to get everything ready for the proposal. Needless to say, the efforts put in for special occasions like these are 100 percent. As a result, minor hiccups along the way are acceptable.

Image Credit:@tarun2619/Reddit

However, if misinterpreted, a blunder like this could cost someone their relationship. “You will marry me,” as the sign says, is not a polite way to ask someone to marry you, in our opinion. It

Water Million

In a previous case, we saw a melon being mistaken for a lemon. The watermelon appears to have been written as “Water Million,” and to make matters more interesting, it was also translated into Arabic. We wonder if it says “million” in the translation too.

Image Credits: @NourEldin/Reddit

We’re curious how this water million tastes, as it certainly has an expensive taste. In reality, it’s a very watery fruit. Can you blame him for expressing what everyone else is thinking? Or maybe it was just a bad translation from Arabic.

Roundest Table You’ll Find

This website appears to list tables by shape but fails miserably at assigning the correct shape. But how difficult is it to recognize the shapes? Perhaps the person in charge did not attend kindergarten and thus had a hazy understanding of shapes.

Image Credits: @CasFromSask/Reddit

The image clearly shows a rectangular table that has been labeled as round. The same is true for the non-rectangular table that is mistaken for a rectangle. We’re wondering if the web designers did this on purpose to grab our attention.

Poor Kids!

In our opinion, volunteering for social causes is always a noble thing to do. It makes sense to fight for a cause in which you believe. However, what doesn’t make sense is when you try to fight the cause. This is what seems to be happening in this case. 

Image Credit:@queerly_radical/Reddit

The way the statement on the sign reads, it seems like the organization has opened an underground child fight club. We wonder whether it’s a team situation or a full-fledged battle royale. It’s crucial how you structure your sentences; otherwise, it could mean a completely different thing. 

Famously Anonymous

After seeing examples like this, we wonder if people understand the meaning of simple words like “anonymous.” This news article explicitly states that a specific individual wished to remain anonymous while revealing their name. This definitely beats the purpose of the statement. 

Image Credits: @SalazzMalazz/Reddit

However, it only states that good ol’ Tom requested anonymity. They did not, however, make any promises. It appears that news organizations are becoming increasingly sloppy in their work. We hope the author was confronted and no harm came to their source.

You Forgot The Pickles!

Pickles have a unique balance of spicy, sweet, sour, and bitter flavors that make them heavenly to eat. Although many people dislike pickles in their burgers, we want to assert that we love them. Also, one of the best parts about pickles is the brine.

Image Credit:@RandomNugget_/Reddit

This box of pickle jars strangely contains one jar that’s missing pickles. It’s an obvious production blunder. However, there’s always the possibility that the employees were sneaking pickles from this jar. All we can say is that we understand the temptation. 

Spelling Mistake

As far as we can tell from this list, spelling errors are the leading cause of job failures. This box, for example, was labeled fragile as “Fargile” and the word upward was spelled “Upwarpd.” Although these errors have no severe consequences, they are still embarrassing.

Image Credit:@valimo/Reddit

Keeping with the theme, it’s a shame they didn’t misspell the middle one as “Deep Kry.” We are genuinely astounded at how they managed to screw up almost every single aspect of this. It would have been the ultimate fail if they had also misspelled “keep dry,” though.

Satan For Christmas

Christmas is a joyous occasion, and it’s no surprise that people look forward to receiving their gifts from Santa during this time of year. But what if you get your gifts from Satan rather than Santa? Satan surely does not reward without receiving something in return, so beware.

Image Credits: @The ColossalTitan_/Reddit

We aren’t sure whether it was a case of misspelling on this wrapping paper or it was done on purpose to get some laughs. If you are nice, Santa will usually give you a gift. However, it appears that Satan also has you covered if you’re naughty.

Easy Maze

Maze-related games are always fun to play and are quite tricky for the most part. Although this maze game may appear complicated at first glance, we recommend you take a better look. If you look closely, you’ll notice that there is a simple way out of the game.

Image Credits: 2MemersOnReddit/Reddit

Imagine how quickly the movie Maze Runner would have ended if this was the maze featured in it. The strange thing is that that is the only solution to this puzzle, so it is not a typo. A-MAZE-INGLY enough, we are truly amazed by the workings of this maze. 

Mathematical Error

It would be great to install a design like this outside your math classroom. At first glance, this picture appears to be fine but take a closer look. The goal of this design was to match the angle of the door. However, the door opens on the opposite side of the design.

Image Credit:@philiplund01/Reddit

All this effort was to demonstrate the angles of the door only to have the door installed on the opposite side. Yes, if it was on the other side of the doorframe, it would clearly show how many degrees the door is open. Such a brilliant concept but so poorly executed.

Supports Wheelchairs? 

It’s quite common to have alternate routes for people who are disabled, and we think it’s a considerate move. Typically, these pathways are smooth enough for a wheelchair to glide over. However, this instance doesn’t make sense to us at all. 

Image Credit:@rockanna/Reddit

Someone appears to have drawn the wheelchair sign on the stairwell. The purpose of having a ramp is to avoid using stairs. We’d love to know what the artist was thinking while painting this. Did they think to themselves, “Whatever, as long as I get paid?” Did they even notice?

The O/0 confusion. 

We are confident that we have all experienced the perils of confusing “O” with “0” at some point in our lives. This silly error, however, becomes a grave mistake when it occurs in an official document such as a passport.

Image Credit:@MarxFuryRoad/Reddit

A batch of Spanish passports had the letters “PAO” misspelled as “PA0.” At first, it may not seem like such a big mistake compared to some but believe us when we say it is. It forced passport holders to accept that their tickets were no longer valid, causing them to miss their flights.

Big Baby

“How old is your child?” “Based on his appearance, I’d say he’s around 45.” This marvel comic book about the Scarlet Witch features twin babies who look nothing like babies. The comic artist only had one job: to draw believable babies.

Image Credits: @leahmarilla/Reddit

Aside from the babies, have you ever wondered why superheroes sit around in full costume? That cape must have knocked over all of her houseplants. Also, the pale white duck’s expression suggests that it has seen quite a few things in its life.