= 'rock'; $d = 'lizard'; $e = 'Spock'; $rules = "%s cut %s, %s covers %s, %s crushes %s, %s poisons %s..."; echo sprintf($rules, $a, $b, $b, $c, $c, $d, $d, $e); echo vsprintf($rules, array($a, $b, $b, $c, $c, $d, $d, $e)); printf($rules, $a, $b, $b, $c, $c, $d, $d, $e); vprintf($rules, array($a, $b, $b, $c, $c, $d, $d, $e)); //4x scissors cut paper, paper covers rock, rock crushes lizard, lizard poisons Spock...