Hi Reader,

Welcome to the Google Sheets Tips newsletter #386, your Monday morning espresso, in spreadsheet form!

Similar to Sheets Tip #384 from a couple of weeks ago, we're keeping it light hearted with today's tip.

In this case, I'm showing you one of Google Sheets' secret easter egg functions! Read on to find out what it is and what it does.

➜ Sheets Tip #386: Is your Sheet feeling crowded? Build a meadow 🐑

We’ve all been there: you’re focused on giving a demonstration in your Sheet to colleagues or clients but other people's cursors are dancing around in your Sheet like hyperactive mice.

It’s distracting and makes your screen appear cluttered.

Here's a proposal for you: solve this with one of Google's secret, undocumented functions: CURSORPARK 👀

Hidden Cursor Park Formula

Next time you're sharing a Sheet with coworkers, ask everyone to kindly put their cursors inside the "cursor park" to keep the Sheet organized.

Create a meadow for your cursors with the CURSORPARK function:

It will look like this in your Sheet:

Build Your Own

Now, being the power users that we are, it's a fun challenge (and good practice) to try and recreate this ourselves with formulas.

Give it a try first before reading the solution below.

Hint: Try using MAKEARRAY to create an array output.

Let's build it in layers (like an onion).

Step 1: Build an array of coordinates

This MAKEARRAY formula outputs a grid of coordinates 1,1 or 1,2 or 1,3 etc.:

The "r" is the parameter representing the 5 rows. The "c" parameter represents the 8 columns.

Step 2: Add the perimeter of "trees"

Add these IFS and OR functions to turn the outer row and columns into "trees" with the tree emoji: "🌳"

Step 3: Add the animals

Turn specific coordinates into animal emojis by adding some AND clauses:

Of course, you can always turn to Gemini to generate formulas for you.

Cheers to zen Sheets!

If you enjoyed this newsletter, please forward it to a friend who might enjoy it.

Have a great week!

Cheers,
Ben

P.S. Google Docs feature to show how long until AI replaces you (satire)