Show HN: FLIP TABLE 2026

FLIP TABLE 2026, a mini-hackathon for unconventional databases, took place on May 17, 2026 at Hex House in Brooklyn, featuring projects like a hair-based database and a Strava GPS data store. Winners included 'secret nonograms' (most blessed), 'the hair issue' (most cursed), and 'NyQL' (most data), with audience scoring based on an alignment chart.

TL;DR: FLIP TABLE; was a mini-hackathon and showcase for "weird" databases: things that read and write data, but with a twist of some kind. It took place on Sunday, May 17th, 2026 at Hex House https://hexhouse.studio/ in Brooklyn. Each presentation was recorded and linked below. Presenters' databases were also scored by audience members according to the following alignment chart: data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based Prizes were given out to the five superlative databases, which were: MOST BLESSED secret nonograms .... isabel lee MOST CURSED the hair issue ...... sam heckle MOST DATA NyQL ................ marcos acosta MOST BASED a db from scratch ... john lemme TRUE NEUTRAL SSH hex wordle ...... isaac DATABASES description encode a message to your loved ones in a puzzle : stats storage ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7 write speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based description physical database of hair stats storage ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 read speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 write speed ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: marcos acosta website https://marcos.ac/ medium: Mac alarms description Schema-driven row-based database backed by iOS/MacOS alarms stats storage ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 availability ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 read speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 write speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: john lemme medium: Scratch description I made this on an ipad stats storage ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 write speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: isaac medium: SSH hex wordle description A simple read/write database using a wordle clone as the storage medium stats storage ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 availability ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7 read speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 write speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├───── ─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: char stiles website https://charstiles.com/about medium s : data centers speculative , charcuterie description data center database I found out last week a friend works on algorithms for datacenter power allocation and i started to convince her to allow me to have a backdoor to throttle the data and a way to monitor the datacenter status, and through breaking the datacenter you send and recieve data description PCBCB thats it... printed circuit board charcuterie board. stats PCBCB storage ░░░░░░░░░░ 0 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 consistency ░░░░░░░░░░ 0 read speed ░░░░░░░░░░ 0 write speed ░░░░░░░░░░ 0 alignment PCBCB data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: ava lehner medium: music description songs are a database for your memories stats storage ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 availability ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 write speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: cameron emptyflash website https://emptyfla.sh/ medium: Strava description Store and retrieve data encoded as the GPS coordinates of a run in Strava stats storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 write speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: aaron, talisa, & krysten medium: decay description Ability to access and project end of life bursts, however information gets degraded over time stats storage ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 availability ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 consistency ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 write speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: logan williams website https://subject.space/ medium: iNaturalist description iNaturalist datastore stats storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6 write speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: frank chiarulli website https://www.frankchiarulli.com/ medium: Etch-a-Sketch description its an etch-a-sketch stats storage ▓▓▓▓░░░░░░ 4 availability ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 consistency ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 write speed ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: omar rizwan website https://omar.website/ medium: MacOS display description Associate anything on your screen with anything else on your screen so it pops up when that thing comes onscreen stats storage ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 availability ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6 read speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 write speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: rafal dittwald website https://github.com/rafd medium: deck of cards description Encoding data in a deck of cards. stats storage ░░░░░░░░░░ 0 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 read speed ░░░░░░░░░░ 0 write speed ░░░░░░░░░░ 0 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: ben anderman medium: cpu built from scratch description A counting based data editor for the Spork 8 CPU, to store data on 32KB cartridges. Pretty functional; the main twist is the absurd number of extra steps involved, and the somewhat inconvenient interface. stats storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6 write speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: andrew boylan website https://www.andrew-boylan.com/ medium: Instagram description store data on instagram i'm just a normal shopkeep stats storage ▓▓▓▓░░░░░░ 4 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 read speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 write speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─ ───┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: haki alpay medium: GitHub description Translingual cjk etymology dictionary stats storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 write speed ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├──── ┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: sidney san martin s4y medium: simulated birds description Stores data in a flock of simulated birds stats storage ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 read speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 write speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼ ────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based description SpectreDB implicitly writes data in an unsuspecting load balancer by querying specific paths, which can then be read back by measuring cache hits and misses. stats storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6 write speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: brandon liu bdon website https://bdon.org/about/ medium: AirPods description open and close your AirPods case to blast data to unprepared strangers via bluetooth stats storage ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 availability ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 write speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: cristóbal sciutto medium: PNGs description Image-backed programming system. everything is an image. stats storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 availability ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 write speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based by: connie liu website https://connie.surf/ medium: Wikipedia links description A way to see your route as you traverse through a page stats storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8 write speed ▓▓▓▓░░░░░░ 4 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼ ────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based description Through the power of oral history, data is encoded through morse code vocalizations. stats storage ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 availability ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 consistency ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2 read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 write speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based description The robot wants you to dance. How does it want you to dance? In the most information-theoretically dense way. stats storage ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6 consistency ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5 read speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3 write speed ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1 alignment data ┌─────┬─────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────┴─────┘ based PHOTOS CREDIT - ORGANIZER .......... Marcos Acosta https://marcos.ac - VENUE HOST & A/V ... Sidney San Martin s4y - PRIZES ............. Ava Lehner & John Lemme - PHOTOS ............. Cyrene Zhang - COKE ZERO .......... Isabel Lee