Pangram : A sentence that makes use of every letter of the English alphabet.

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
This is the best known pangram. It contains all 26 letters of the English alphabet (as it must do in order to be a pangram) and is 35 letters long. That means that it's not particularly economical with 9 surplus letters. Note that the word “the” occurs twice, so one of them can be considered to be composed entirely of surplus letters. Removal of either “the” renders the sentence less grammatically correct which is undesirable. However, either of them may be exchanged for the much shorter indefinite article “a”, saving on 2 letters.

The quick brown fox jumps over a lazy dog.
This is 33 letters in length.

Pack my box with five dozen liquor jugs.
The above is even 'better', with 32 letters.

Perfect Pangrams - pangrams having exactly 26 letters of the alphabet - have been composed, but none makes good sense, being more a string of obscure words than a sentence.

For the following list of Pangrams, the number of letters used is shown in red, between brackets:

(106) Forsaking monastic tradition, twelve jovial friars gave up their vocation for a questionable existence on the flying trapeze.
(100) An inspired calligrapher can create pages of beauty using stick ink, quill, brush, pick-axe, buzz saw, or even strawberry jam.
(99) No kidding - Lorenzo called off his trip to visit Mexico City just because they told him the conquistadores were extinct.
(97) Jelly-like above the high wire, six quaking pachyderms kept the climax of the extravaganza in a dazzling state of flux.
(85) Sixty young school chums jeopardized their lives by fighting zealously in a quaint market warehouse.
(83) The zeal of the brave boys quickly won praise from the exact old judge who wanted to give them an award.
(80) William said that everything about his jacket was in quite good condition except for the zipper.
(80) The junior office clerks were quite amazed at the extra reward given by their generous employer.
(76) The sex life of the woodchuck is a provocative question for most vertebrate zoology majors.
(76) You go tell that vapid existentialist quack Freddy Nietzsche that he can just bite me, twice.
(75) Jimmy and Zack, the police explained, were last seen diving into a field of buttered quahogs.
(72) We quickly chased the zebras to a quiet drinking place just near my five bundles of flax.
(71) Ebenezer unexpectedly bagged two tranquil aardvarks with his jiffy vacuum cleaner.
(71) Sixty-five wildly panting fruitflies gazed hungrily at the juicy bouncing kumquats.
(71) I was temporarily forced to zig-zag and quiver furiously around big junky xylophones.
(69) In Boston: Jazzy (but malicious) squeak toy explodes, ending the lives of two children.
(68) Fabled reader with jaded, roving eye seized by quickened impulse to expand budget.
(68) For only $35, jolly housewives made "inexpensive" meals using quick-frozen vegetables.
(68) Travelling beneath the azure sky in our jolly ox-cart, we often hit bumps quite hard.
(66) Breezily jangling $3,537,271,007 wise advertiser ambles to the bank, his exchequer amplified.
(66) Perhaps President Clinton's amazing sax skills will be judged quite favorably.
(66) Two hardy boxing kangaroos jet from Sydney to Zanzibar on quicksilver pinions.
(66) As we explored the gulf of Zanzibar, we quickly moved closer to the jutting rocks.
(66) The sixty-five quickly jumping dogs and foxes were just shot by the crazy maniac.
(64) Six javelins thrown by the quick savages whizzed forty paces beyond the mark.
(64) The explorer was frozen in his big kayak just after making queer discoveries.
(64) Was there a quorum of able whizzkids gravely exciting the jaded fish at ATypI?
(63) King Alexander was just partly overcome after quizzing Diogenes in his tub.
(61) The July sun caused a fragment of black pine wax to ooze on the velvet quilt.
(61) The July sun caused a fragment of pine wax to ooze on the black velvet quilt.
(61) Jolly housewives made inexpensive meals using quick-frozen vegetables.
(61) Monique, the buxom coed, likes to fight for Pez with the junior varsity team.
(61) Venerable Will played jazz sax until 3 o'clock in the morning before he quit.
(60) The public was amazed to view the quickness and dexterity of the juggler.
(60) The chancellor of the exchequer embezzled junk from gypsies with vigor.
(59) While Suez sailors wax parquet decks, Afghan jews vomit jauntily abaft.
(59) Just work for improved basic techniques to maximize your typing skill.
(59) Murky haze enveloped a city as jarring quakes broke fourty-six windows.
(59) Questions of a zealous nature have become by degrees petty waxen joe-ks.
(59) Questions of a zealous nature have become by degrees petty waxen jokes.
(58) About sixty codfish eggs will make a quarter pound of very fizzy jelly.
(58) Verbatim reports were quickly given by Jim Fox to his amazed audience.
(58) Barkeep! A flaming tequila swizzle and a vodka and Ajax, hold the cherry.
(57) We quickly seized the black axle and just saved it from going past him.
(57) Will Major Douglas be expected to take this true-false quiz very soon?
(57) The jukebox music puzzled a gentle visitor from a quaint valley town.
(57) You will quite often be amazed by Jock's very weighty, size six sporran!
(57) Wolfing kumquats, jovial Charon poled his boat lazily along the Styx.
(56) Six big juicy steaks sizzled in a pan as five workmen left the quarry.
(56) While making deep excavations we found some quaint bronze jewelry.
(55) Jaded zombies acted quaintly but kept driving their oxen forward.
(55) The job requires extra pluck and zeal from every young wage earner.
(55) When we go back to Juarez, Mexico, do we fly over picturesque Arizona?
(55) On the boardwalk grave playful lizards quickly jump and exercise.
(55) Now is the time for all brown dogs to jump quickly over the lazy lynx.
(55) My help squeezed in and joined the weavers again before six o'clock.
(54) A mad boxer shot a quick, gloved jab to the jaw of his dizzy opponent.
(54) Would you please examine both sizes of jade figures very quickly.
(54) Back in my quaint garden, jaunty zinnias vie with flaunting phlox.
(54) We dislike to exchange job lots of sizes varying from a quarter up.
(53) A quart jar of oil mixed with zinc oxide makes a very bright paint.
(53) Alfredo just must bring very exciting news to the plaza quickly.
(53) Whenever the black fox jumped, the squirrel gazed suspiciously.
(53) Hark! Toxic jungle water vipers quietly drop on zebras for meals!
(53) Now is the time for all quick brown dogs to jump over the lazy lynx.
(53) Anxious Paul waved back his pa from the zinc quarry just sighted.
(53) Jack Farmer realized that the big yellow quilts were expensive.
(53) Nancy Bizal exchanged vows with Robert J. Kumpf at Quincy Temple.
(52) Astronaut Quincy B. Zack defies gravity with six jet fuel pumps.
(52) My help squeezed back in again and joined the weavers after six.
(52) My help squeezed back in again after six and joined the weavers.
(52) Suez sailor vomits jauntily abaft while waxing parquet decks.
(52) While waxing parquet decks, Suez sailors vomit jaunitly abaft.
(52) Frozen buyer just quickly keyed shocking weaver's complexion.
(52) Knowledge of zymurgy and Bacchus justly pleases a quiet vixen.
(51) New farm hand (picking just six quinces) proves strong but lazy.
(51) New farmhand proves strong but lazy, picking just six quinces.
(51) Wham! Volcano erupts fiery liquid death onto ex-jazzbo Kenny G.
(51) When waxing parquet decks, Suez sailors vomit jauntily abaft.
(51) The xylophone orchestra vowed to imbibe jugs of kumquat fizz.
(51) Quetzalcoatl may joust & box with Apollo; gods provoke - not flee.
(50) We promptly judged antique ivory buckles for the next prize.
(50) Lazy movers quit hard-packing of papier-mache jewelry boxes.
(50) How vexing a fumble to drop a jolly zucchini in the quicksand.
(50) The risque gown marked a very brazen exposure of juicy flesh.
(50) Weekly magazines request help for and by junior executives.
(50) A poor Zimbabwe vet, fearing ghosts, quickly joined an exodus.
(49) How razorback-jumping frogs can level six piqued gymnasts!
(49) A quick movement of the enemy will jeopardize six gunboats.
(49) All questions asked by five watch experts amazed the judge.
(49) Back in June we delivered oxygen equipment of the same size.
(49) How jolly vexing a fumble to drop zucchini in the quicksand!
(49) Just keep examining every low bid quoted for zinc etchings.
(49) The exodus of jazzy pigeons is craved by squeamish walkers.
(49) The job of waxing linoleum frequently peeves chintzy kids.
(49) West quickly gave Bert handsome prizes for six juicy plums.
(49) I have quickly spotted the four women dozing in the jury box.
(49) Jack in the Box quickly varied its menu with fudge and pizza.
(48) Crazy Fredericka bought many very exquisite opal jewels.
(48) Sixty zippers were quickly picked from the woven jute bag.
(48) Fred specialized in the job of making very quaint wax toys.
(48) Freight to me sixty dozen quart jars and twelve black pans.
(48) Grumpy wizards make toxic brew for the evil Queen and Jack.
(48) Jeb quickly drove a few extra miles on the glazed pavement.
(48) Quixotic Republicans vet first key zero-growth jeremiad.
(48) Verily the dark ex-Jew quit Zionism, preferring the cabala.
(48) Watch all five questions asked by experts amaze the judge.
(48) We could jeopardize six of the gunboats by two quick moves.
(48) David, Jewish ex-monarch, kept big vineyard, quizzical wife.
(48) Good, blind Jake vowed to frequent Zoë and Max's eunuch party!
(48) Old fogeys have just waltzed back in time on waxed parquet.
(47) Jack amazed a few girls by dropping the antique onyx vase!
(47) Jay visited back home and gazed upon a brown fox and quail.
(47) May Jo equal the fine record by solving six puzzles a week?
(47) My grandfather picks up quartz and valuable onyx jewels.
(47) Six crazy kings vowed to abolish my quite pitiful jousts.
(47) Six quite crazy kings vowed to abolish my pitiful jousts.
(47) We have just quoted on nine dozen boxes of gray lamp wicks.
(47) Jacqueline was vexed by the folks who go the money prizes.
(47) The exodus of jazzy pigeons craved by squeamish walkers.
(46) Crazy Fredrick bought many very exquisite opal jewels.
(46) How razorback-jumping frogs level six piqued gymnasts!
(46) Baroque? Hell, just mix a dozen wacky pi fonts & you've got it.
(46) How razorback-jumping frogs level six piqued gymnasts!
(46) The Basque M.P. loved his wife's onyx jar and zinc-lined keg.
(46) Angry, dazed, juiced on vole's milk, I blurt: "Why fixate on 'p' & 'q'?"
(45) Big July earthquakes confound zany experimental vow.
(45) Exquisite farm wench gives body jolt to prize stinker.
(45) The vixen jumped quickly on her foes barking with zeal.
(45) Guzzling of jaunty exile wrecks havoc at damp banquet.
(45) Masked Freud whizzes by Carl Jung and squirts Vaporex.
(45) A pale Schwarzenegger vomited beef jerky wax quietly.
(44) Five or six big jet planes zoomed quickly by the tower.
(44) Jim just quit and packed extra heavy bags for Liz Owen.
(44) Six big devils from Japan quickly forgot how to waltz.
(44) Ban foul, toxic smogs which quickly jeopardize lives.
(44) Lazy jackal from raiding xebec prowls the quiet cove.
(44) Quixotic knights' wives are found on jumpy old zebras.
(44) Six of the women quietly gave back prizes to the judge.
(44) Zany Jacques French's pub mixed watery vodka gimlets.
(44) His graceful bisque vase whizzed past my taxi - no joke!
(44) Harry, jogging quickly, axed zen monks with beef vapor.
(43) Five wine experts jokingly quizzed chablis sample.
(43) Five wine experts jokingly quizzed sample chablis.
(43) William Rex quickly caught five dozen Republicans.
(43) Oozy quivering jellyfish expectorated by mad hawk.
(43) Dweezil: Quark buff, Commie sympathizer & voting jinx!
(43) Fog makes you shiver? Quick, zip down & buy a lynx jacket.
(42) Martin J. Hixeypovzer quickly began his first word.
(42) Viewing quizzical abstracts mixed up hefty jocks.
(42) Two joyful vixens squirt milk upon the caged zebra.
(42) Glum, wavyhaired excon bequeaths fake topaz jewel.
(41) A large fawn jumped quickly over white zinc boxes.
(41) Cozy lummox gives smart squid who asks for job pen.
(41) Many big jackdaws quickly zipped over the fox pen.
(41) Playing jazz vibe chords quickly excites my wife.
(41) By Jove, my quick study of lexicography won a prize.
(41) Campus TV quiz: just why is gold buried at Fort Knox?
(41) Meghan deftly picks valuable jewels: onyx, quartz.
(41) A boy, Max, felt quick during his hazy weaving jumps.
(40) Dumpy kibitzer jingles as exchequer overflows.
(40) Puzzled women bequeath jerks very exotic gifts.
(40) Amazingly few discotheques provide jukeboxes.
(40) Five jumbo oxen graze quietly with packs of dogs.
(40) Wolves exit quickly as fanged zoo chimp jabbers.
(40) Xavier picked bright yellow jonquils for Mitzi.
(40) Pack my box with five dozen jugs of liquid veneer.
(40) Quiet guys broke zip files with my coven's jade ax.
(39) Turgid saxophones blew over Mick's jazzy quiff.
(39) Jolly few pangrams vanquished by exotic kudzu.
(39) Jumpy zebra vows to quit thinking coldly of sex.
(39) Lazy movers quit hard packing of jewelry boxes.
(38) Brawny gods just flocked up to quiz and vex him.
(38) Mix Zapf with Veljovic and get quirky Beziers.
(38) Dr. Jekyll vows to finish zapping quixotic bum.
(38) Raving zibet chewed calyx of pipsqueak major.
(38) Up at the zoo a roving ox was quickly fed bug jam.
(38) Woven silk pyjamas exchanged for blue quartz.
(37) Zelda quickly wove eight nubby flax jumpers.
(36) Jump by vow of quick, lazy strength in Oxford.
(36) Jail zesty vixen who grabbed pay from quack.
(36) Many-wived Jack laughs at probes of sex quiz.
(36) Sympathizing would fix Quaker objectives.
(36) Wavy Jake's fat zebra had Mexican pig liquor.
(36) Doxy with charming buzz quaffs vodka julep.
(36) Just be very quick when fixing zip code mail.
(36) Victors flank gypsy who mixed up on job quiz.
(35) Pangrams have subjects like "dewy fox quiz."
(35) The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
(34) Five big quacking zephyrs jolt my wax bed.
(34) Prized waxy jonquils choke big farm vats.
(34) "Quit beer," vows dizzy, puking, Michael J. Fox.
(34) Quiz explained for TV show by Mick Jagger.
(34) The black quartz lynx was a jivy imp of God.
(34) Xylophone wizard begets quick jive form.
(34) Hick Jed wins quiz for extra blimp voyage.
(34) I jump quickly, shaving two dozen fox bare.
(33) A quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
(33) The quick brown fox jumps over a lazy dog.
(33) Blowzy red vixens fight for a quick jump.
(33) Sex prof gives back no quiz with mild joy.
(33) Exquisite wizard flock behaving jumpy.
(33) Jack believed we quiz sphinx from Egypt.
(33) Pickled, Gorbachev jumps tawny fax quiz.
(33) Pink foxglove bouquet charms dizzy Jew.
(33) The five boxing wizards jumped quickly.
(32) Pack my box with five dozen liquor jugs.
(32) A very bad quack might jinx zippy fowls.
(32) Cozy sphinx waves quart jug of bad milk.
(32) Few quips galvanized the mock jury box.
(32) Foxy Gen. Schwarzkopf jumbled Iraqi TV.
(32) Vexed funky camp juggler quit show biz.
(32) We crazed folk quit having sex, be jumpy.
(31) Jackdaws love my big sphinx of quartz.
(31) The five boxing wizards jump quickly.
(31) Jack-in-the-box quiz fed grumpy wolves.
(31) Jumpy wizard quit having black foxes.
(31) Quick waxy bugs jump the frozen veldt.
(31) B, C, F, G, H, I, J, K, M, O, P, Q, U, V, W, X, Y, and Z are letters.
(30) How quickly daft jumping zebras vex.
(30) Frumpy veld wags quiz jack-in-the-box.
(30) G.W. Bush quickly fixed prize jam on TV.
(30) Judges vomit; few quiz pharynx block.
(30) Victors flank gyp who mixed job quiz.
(29) Quick zephyrs blow, vexing daft Jim.
(29) Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow.
(29) Quick wafting zephyrs vex bold Jim.
(29) Waltz, dumb nymph, for quick jigs vex.
(29) Boys of quartz duck phlegm, vow jinx.
(28) Waltz, nymph, for quick jigs vex Bud.
(28) Dub waltz, nymph, for quick jigs vex.
(28) Quick jigs for waltz vex bad nymph.
(28) Blowzy frights vex, and jump quick.
(28) Brick quiz whangs jumpy veldt fox.
(28) If Jack quiz bald nymphs grow vext.
(28) Why jab, vex quartz-damping flocks?
(28) Fox nymphs grab quick jived waltz.
(27) Bawds jog, flick quartz, vex nymph.

Perfect Pangrams
(26) Fly, vex whiz: jam struck bong PDQ.
(26) Bronx TV JFK quiz aged cwm sylph.
(26) TV quiz J.K. McGaw fed Bronx sylph.
(26) B, C, F, G, H, I, J, K, M, O, P, Q, S, T, V, W, X, Y, and Z rule!
(26) Jew Zack Fox bumps DQ RV nightly
(26) Blowzy night-frumps vex'd Jack Q.
(26) Glum Schwartzkopf vex'd by NJ IQ.
(26) Mr. Jock, TV quiz PhD, bags few lynx.
(26) Squdgy fez, blank jimp crwth vox!
(26) Q-kelt vug dwarf combs jynx phiz.
(26) Fjord-buck zags whelm qvint pyx.
(26) Fjord-vext cwm-bank glyphs quiz.
(26) Jink cwm, zag veldt, fob qursh pyx.
(26) J.Q. Schwartz flung D.V. Pike my box.
(26) Junky qoph-flags vext crwd zimb.
(26) Meg Schwarzkopf quit Jynx Blvd.
(26) Milk-vat fez bugs qoph-crwd jynx.
(26) Quartz glyph job vex'd cwm finks.
(26) XV quick nymphs beg fjord waltz.
(26) Cwm fjord bank glyphs vext quiz.
(26) Quartz glyph jocks vend, fix, BMW.
(26) XV fjord nymphs beg quick waltz.
(26) Fjord nymphs' XV beg quick waltz.
(26) Cwm kvutza qoph jynx fled brigs.
(26) Emily Q. Jung-Schwartzkopf XV, B.D.
(26) Frowzy things plumb vex'd Jack Q.
(26) Glum Q. Schwarzkopf jinxed by TV.
(26) J.Q. Vandz struck my big fox whelp.
(26) Jumbling vext frowzy hacks PDQ.
(26) Poxy G-men quiz FDR; LBJ whacks TV!
(26) Thumb frowzly, vexing jacks, PDQ.
(26) TV quiz drag nymphs blew JFK cox.
(26) New job: fix Mr. Gluck's hazy TV, PDQ!