This Polygon opinion piece ranks Gary Larson's ten best The Far Side comic strips, arguing that greatness in a single-panel gag strip should be judged purely on the wit and craft of the joke itself, rather than on cultural impact or emotional depth. The author contrasts The Far Side with strips like Peanuts or Calvin and Hobbes, noting that Larson never relied on recurring characters or profound messages, but instead aimed to make the sharpest possible joke each day, sometimes rewarding readers who look closely for hidden details.

The piece highlights several entries from the ranking to illustrate different comedic techniques Larson used, rather than listing all ten in the excerpt provided.

– A cubicle-based joke that only lands once the reader spots the right detail
– A "sketchy"-looking-characters strip that breaks the fourth wall by using deliberately crude art
– A bowling-pin murder scene mocking oblivious detectives surrounded by obvious clues
– A Pinocchio strip subverting the character's usual wish to become a real boy
– A parody of "hidden image" puzzle panels, hiding 127 appliances in a forest scene