Strip the “> ” quote prefix from every line: Ctrl-v to start a block, 3j to the last line, l to widen it to two columns, then d.
> line one of the quote > line two of the quote > line three of the quote > line four of the quote
Canonical solution: Ctrl-v 3j l d · par: 5 keystrokes (vimgolf rules — every keypress counts).
A block selection deletes as a rectangle — perfect for prefixes, alignment gone wrong, or any column of junk. (:%s/^> // does it too, in more keys.)
| Keys | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl-v 3j l d | delete a two-wide column across four lines |
| :%s/^> // | the substitute-command equivalent for prefixes |
Reading about keystrokes doesn't build keystrokes. Try this in a real vim buffer right now — the “Column demolition” mission takes about a minute.
Practice free — no signup →