Though it would be easy to code a filter to remove numbers from titles, there are always exceptions when the numbers are meaningful. The bad titles like "$X Way

Though it would be easy to code a filter to remove numbers from titles, there are always exceptions when the numbers are meaningful. The bad titles like "$X Ways to ..." are also a form of useful signaling; it tells you that the submitter either doesn't care about the quality of their submission or they have never bothered to read the HN guidelines. Lastly, the guidelines also ask people to not supposed to create a text submission to ask HN/YC questions. The preferred way to handle it is to send them an email (hn@ycombinator.com).