Many of The Far Side's most laugh-out-loud moments were the result of creator Gary Larson's penchant for playing with words; Larson routinely reinvented classic sayings, elevated puns to entirely new levels, and took familiar turns of phrase entirely too literally, resulting in some of the most timelessly funny panels produced throughout the cartoon's run.

Of all the words used to describe Gary Larson and his unique brand of humor – from absurd, to obscure, to strange, to "sick," in the words of one irate reader – one that doesn't come up enough is "clever."

The Far Side is, if nothing else, the product of an incredibly clever and quick-witted mind – at times, too much for his own good, and certainly for his readers' to be able to keep up with. Arguably, Larson's mastery of wordplay was when his cleverness was accessible to the widest possible audience.

The Far Side Made A...