[Question]
  [
**Closed**. This question needs [details or clarity](/help/closed-questions). It is not currently accepting answers.
 
 
---
**Want to improve this question?** Add details and clarify the problem by [editing this post](/posts/172480/edit).
Closed 5 years ago.
[Improve this question](/posts/172480/edit) 
I'm sure most of us have heard of [zip bombs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zip_bomb) and similar decompression bomb tricks, where a maliciously crafted input creates a massively disproportionate output. We even had [a question on here](https://codegolf.stackexchange.com/questions/69189/build-a-compiler-bomb) to do that to a compiler at one point.
Well, it occurs to me that Markdown is a compression format of sorts, replacing bulky HTML tags with "compressed" MD tokens. Therefore, might it be possible to build a compression bomb in Markdown?
# Challenge rules:
* The submission should be a piece of markdown text, between 50 and 256 characters in length. (Imposing a minimum to head off some smart-aleck posting a 3-character response or similar.)
* The submission will be processed by StackExchange's Markdown processor as implemented in this site.
* Your score will be the ratio of character count in the resulting HTML to the character count of your Markdown text.
* Highest score wins.
  
[Answer]
# Blockquotes, 137,469/256 = 536.99
*6,908 characters, 511 new lines, 130,050 spaces*
Markdown sure handles nested block-quotes oddly. Each `>` character gets turned into `<blockquote></blockquote>` so a solid 1 to 25 ratio. But wait! When rendering the HTML it also adds two spaces per nesting! Having this try to render causes my browser some grief, and I will keep it in the code-cage for now. Feel free to unlock it yourself!
The code input consists of 255 `>` followed by ~~`&` as the last character doesn't transform, but it does get escaped. *Thanks BWO*~~ `!` as the last character which gives the last blockquote the spoiler class with an empty p tag inside. *Thanks bta, 11 extra characters*
Input:
`>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!`
Output HTML:
```
...
  <blockquote>
    <blockquote class="spoiler">
      <p></p>
    </blockquote>
  </blockquote>
...
```
Here is what it looks like in the editor view!
[![crazy nested block quotes, makes a big triangle pointing right!](https://i.stack.imgur.com/n9IRz.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/n9IRz.png)
Plotting the results as the number of `>` increase as suggested by LambdaBeta:
[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/wH3dH.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/wH3dH.png)
[Answer]
# MathJax, 529\$\,\$252\$\,\$640ish / 256 ‚âà 2\$\,\$067\$\,\$393
A good old thousand-laughs-style code
`$$\def\a{ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£ü§£}\def\b{\a\a\a\a\a\a\a\a\a\a\a\a\a}\def\c{\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b}\def\d{\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c}\d\d\d\d\d\d\d\d$$`
multiplies the gross inefficiency of representing exotic characters in MathJax by a considerable factor.
The StackExchange MathJax configuration limitation of 10\$\,\$000 macro expansions is being honored, while the limitations of the client‚Äôs browser, which are highly likely to cause problems expanding the macros, are not. (My browser is uncooperative as well, so the figure is an estimate.)
[Answer]
# Shorthand links: 68,960 / 256 = 269.375
ASCII only: 10,114 / 256 = 39.508
```
[][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1][][1]
[1]:ftp://^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
```
Output is a sequence of elements that each look like:
```
<a href="ftp://%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E%5E" rel="nofollow noreferrer"></a>
```
After the fixed overhead for creating the URL reference, each 5-character link expands into `42+strlen(url)` characters output. Craft the URL to have the maximum number of characters that need escaping, and this grows to `47+3*strlen(url)` characters per link. A little experimentation showed that the optimal output involved 26 links, with 114 carets per link.
**Update**:
If you interpret the "256 character" limit to include Unicode characters, you can squeeze out more chaos. Replacing the carets with the Unicode bathtub character (üõÅ, codepoint U+1F6C1) results in `47+18*strlen(url)` output characters per input character for a total of 54,574 68,960 (thanks to jimmy23013's even-shorter link notation).
Unicode input:
```
[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1],[1]
[1]:ftp://üõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅüõÅ
```
Output is a series of:
```
<a href="ftp://%EF%BF%BD%EF%BF%BD...per character...%EF%BF%BD%EF%BF%BD" rel="nofollow noreferrer">1</a>,
```
[Answer]
# 15888/50 = 317.76: Abuse of MathJaX
This is the code:
```
$$&$$$$&$$$$&$$$$&$$$$&$$$$&$$$$&$$$$&$$$$&$$$$&$$
```
This is what it looks like:
$$&$$$$&$$$$&$$$$&$$$$&$$$$&$$$$&$$$$&$$$$&$$$$&$$
The resulting HTML is:
```
<p><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><div class="MathJax_Display" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-618-Frame" tabindex="0" style="text-align: center; position: relative;" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; display=&quot;block&quot;><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;amp;</mtext></merror></math>" role="presentation"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-3081" style="width: 5.447em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 4.503em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1.114em, 1004.5em, 2.614em, -999.997em); top: -2.164em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3082"><span id="MathJax-Span-3083" style="display: inline-block;"><span class="merror" id="null"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3084"><span class="mtext" id="MathJax-Span-3085" style=""><span style="font-size: 83%;">Misplaced &amp;</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 2.169em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.397em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 1.537em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML MJX_Assistive_MathML_Block" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;</mtext></merror></math></span></span></div><script type="math/tex; mode=display" id="MathJax-Element-618">&</script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><div class="MathJax_Display" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-619-Frame" tabindex="0" style="text-align: center; position: relative;" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; display=&quot;block&quot;><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;amp;</mtext></merror></math>" role="presentation"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-3086" style="width: 5.447em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 4.503em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1.114em, 1004.5em, 2.614em, -999.997em); top: -2.164em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3087"><span id="MathJax-Span-3088" style="display: inline-block;"><span class="merror" id="null"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3089"><span class="mtext" id="MathJax-Span-3090" style=""><span style="font-size: 83%;">Misplaced &amp;</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 2.169em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.397em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 1.537em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML MJX_Assistive_MathML_Block" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;</mtext></merror></math></span></span></div><script type="math/tex; mode=display" id="MathJax-Element-619">&</script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><div class="MathJax_Display" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-620-Frame" tabindex="0" style="text-align: center; position: relative;" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; display=&quot;block&quot;><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;amp;</mtext></merror></math>" role="presentation"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-3091" style="width: 5.447em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 4.503em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1.114em, 1004.5em, 2.614em, -999.997em); top: -2.164em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3092"><span id="MathJax-Span-3093" style="display: inline-block;"><span class="merror" id="null"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3094"><span class="mtext" id="MathJax-Span-3095" style=""><span style="font-size: 83%;">Misplaced &amp;</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 2.169em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.397em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 1.537em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML MJX_Assistive_MathML_Block" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;</mtext></merror></math></span></span></div><script type="math/tex; mode=display" id="MathJax-Element-620">&</script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><div class="MathJax_Display" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-621-Frame" tabindex="0" style="text-align: center; position: relative;" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; display=&quot;block&quot;><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;amp;</mtext></merror></math>" role="presentation"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-3096" style="width: 5.447em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 4.503em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1.114em, 1004.5em, 2.614em, -999.997em); top: -2.164em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3097"><span id="MathJax-Span-3098" style="display: inline-block;"><span class="merror" id="null"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3099"><span class="mtext" id="MathJax-Span-3100" style=""><span style="font-size: 83%;">Misplaced &amp;</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 2.169em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.397em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 1.537em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML MJX_Assistive_MathML_Block" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;</mtext></merror></math></span></span></div><script type="math/tex; mode=display" id="MathJax-Element-621">&</script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><div class="MathJax_Display" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-622-Frame" tabindex="0" style="text-align: center; position: relative;" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; display=&quot;block&quot;><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;amp;</mtext></merror></math>" role="presentation"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-3101" style="width: 5.447em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 4.503em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1.114em, 1004.5em, 2.614em, -999.997em); top: -2.164em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3102"><span id="MathJax-Span-3103" style="display: inline-block;"><span class="merror" id="null"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3104"><span class="mtext" id="MathJax-Span-3105" style=""><span style="font-size: 83%;">Misplaced &amp;</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 2.169em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.397em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 1.537em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML MJX_Assistive_MathML_Block" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;</mtext></merror></math></span></span></div><script type="math/tex; mode=display" id="MathJax-Element-622">&</script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><div class="MathJax_Display" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-623-Frame" tabindex="0" style="text-align: center; position: relative;" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; display=&quot;block&quot;><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;amp;</mtext></merror></math>" role="presentation"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-3106" style="width: 5.447em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 4.503em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1.114em, 1004.5em, 2.614em, -999.997em); top: -2.164em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3107"><span id="MathJax-Span-3108" style="display: inline-block;"><span class="merror" id="null"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3109"><span class="mtext" id="MathJax-Span-3110" style=""><span style="font-size: 83%;">Misplaced &amp;</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 2.169em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.397em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 1.537em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML MJX_Assistive_MathML_Block" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;</mtext></merror></math></span></span></div><script type="math/tex; mode=display" id="MathJax-Element-623">&</script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><div class="MathJax_Display" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-624-Frame" tabindex="0" style="text-align: center; position: relative;" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; display=&quot;block&quot;><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;amp;</mtext></merror></math>" role="presentation"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-3111" style="width: 5.447em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 4.503em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1.114em, 1004.5em, 2.614em, -999.997em); top: -2.164em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3112"><span id="MathJax-Span-3113" style="display: inline-block;"><span class="merror" id="null"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3114"><span class="mtext" id="MathJax-Span-3115" style=""><span style="font-size: 83%;">Misplaced &amp;</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 2.169em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.397em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 1.537em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML MJX_Assistive_MathML_Block" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;</mtext></merror></math></span></span></div><script type="math/tex; mode=display" id="MathJax-Element-624">&</script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><div class="MathJax_Display" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-625-Frame" tabindex="0" style="text-align: center; position: relative;" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; display=&quot;block&quot;><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;amp;</mtext></merror></math>" role="presentation"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-3116" style="width: 5.447em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 4.503em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1.114em, 1004.5em, 2.614em, -999.997em); top: -2.164em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3117"><span id="MathJax-Span-3118" style="display: inline-block;"><span class="merror" id="null"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3119"><span class="mtext" id="MathJax-Span-3120" style=""><span style="font-size: 83%;">Misplaced &amp;</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 2.169em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.397em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 1.537em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML MJX_Assistive_MathML_Block" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;</mtext></merror></math></span></span></div><script type="math/tex; mode=display" id="MathJax-Element-625">&</script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><div class="MathJax_Display" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-626-Frame" tabindex="0" style="text-align: center; position: relative;" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; display=&quot;block&quot;><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;amp;</mtext></merror></math>" role="presentation"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-3121" style="width: 5.447em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 4.503em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1.114em, 1004.5em, 2.614em, -999.997em); top: -2.164em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3122"><span id="MathJax-Span-3123" style="display: inline-block;"><span class="merror" id="null"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3124"><span class="mtext" id="MathJax-Span-3125" style=""><span style="font-size: 83%;">Misplaced &amp;</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 2.169em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.397em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 1.537em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML MJX_Assistive_MathML_Block" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;</mtext></merror></math></span></span></div><script type="math/tex; mode=display" id="MathJax-Element-626">&</script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><div class="MathJax_Display" style="text-align: center;"><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-627-Frame" tabindex="0" style="text-align: center; position: relative;" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; display=&quot;block&quot;><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;amp;</mtext></merror></math>" role="presentation"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-3126" style="width: 5.447em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 4.503em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1.114em, 1004.5em, 2.614em, -999.997em); top: -2.164em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3127"><span id="MathJax-Span-3128" style="display: inline-block;"><span class="merror" id="null"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-3129"><span class="mtext" id="MathJax-Span-3130" style=""><span style="font-size: 83%;">Misplaced &amp;</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 2.169em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.397em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 1.537em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML MJX_Assistive_MathML_Block" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><merror><mtext>Misplaced &amp;</mtext></merror></math></span></span></div><script type="math/tex; mode=display" id="MathJax-Element-627">&</script></p>
```
Don't forget your MathJax folks.
Caveat: The MathJaX only shows the error during editing, so you have to view it in the editor. This is still a markdown implementation on this site, so should be valid. Once posted the `Misplaced &` warnings turn into normal &'s.
[Answer]
# Syntax highlighting, ~~6376~~ 6464/256 ‚âà 25.25
+0.34375 thanks to [Ismael Miguel](https://codegolf.stackexchange.com/users/14732/ismael-miguel?tab=profile) (using a tab instead of 4 spaces)!
This uses the shortest (unfortunately spaces seem to matter) annotation to get syntax-highlighting `lang-c`, opens a code block and fills it with `&` and `0`:
```
<!-- language: lang-c -->
    &0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0
```
We start with `&` because it expands to `&amp;` and use `0` next, alternating these constantly creates new `<span>` elements with a `class` attribute. Unfortunately we can't use only `&` or `&<&<...` since they stay in the same `pun`-`<div>`
It produces:
```
<pre class="lang-c prettyprint prettyprinted" style=""><code><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span><span class="pun">&amp;</span><span class="lit">0</span></code></pre></div>
```
And rendered by your browser it results in:
```
&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0&0
```
[Answer]
# 190/50 = 3.8: Italics
As it turns out, your 3-character worry is true. `*q*` generates `<em>q</em>` giving a ratio of 10/3. Two carriage returns give `<p>...</p>\n\n` (the two carriage returns aren't necessary, but do appear to be produced) and a resulting ratio of 9/2. Total ratio, 19/5.
```
*q*
*q*
*q*
*q*
*q*
*q*
*q*
*q*
*q*
*q*
```
Resulting html:
```
<p><em>q</em></p>
<p><em>q</em></p>
<p><em>q</em></p>
<p><em>q</em></p>
<p><em>q</em></p>
<p><em>q</em></p>
<p><em>q</em></p>
<p><em>q</em></p>
<p><em>q</em></p>
<p><em>q</em></p>
```
In action:
*q*
*q*
*q*
*q*
*q*
*q*
*q*
*q*
*q*
*q*
[Answer]
# 222/53 = <4.2: Nasty escapes in an image inclusion.
```
> ![&](https://&)
![&](https://&)
> ![&](https://&)
```
Results in:
> 
> ![&](https://&)
> 
> 
> 
![&](https://&)
> 
> ![&](https://&)
> 
> 
> 
Resulting HTML should be approximately:
```
<blockquote>
  <p><img src="https://&amp;" alt="&amp;" title=""></p>
</blockquote>
<p><img src="https://&amp;" alt="&amp;" title=""></p>
<blockquote>
  <p><img src="https://&amp;" alt="&amp;" title=""></p>
</blockquote>
```
This abuses image inclusion and having to escape things.
It used to be much better, but apparently SE's markdown is sufficiently non-standard to ruin it.
My previous submission (which wasn't how SE rendered it) was:
# ~~428/50 = 8.56: Nasty escapes in an image inclusion.~~
`![&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&](&)`
Resulting HTML should be approximately:
```
<p><img src="&amp;" alt="&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;&amp;amp;"></p>
```
This abuses the fact that most markdown editors will replace the ampersands in the alt text with doubly-escaped ampersands in order for it to show up correctly. Meanwhile a single ampersand is tossed into the src section so that the parser will actually see it as an image.
[Answer]
# MathJax: 13,579 / 52 = 261.13
```
\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$
```
Just creates a bunch of empty in-line MathJax:
\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$\$
HTML Code (can inspect on the empty space above):
```
<p><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-1064-Frame" tabindex="0" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; />" role="presentation" style="position: relative;"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-2127" style="width: 0em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 0em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(3.785em, 1000em, 4.17em, -999.997em); top: -3.971em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-2128"></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 3.978em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.073em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 0.158em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"></math></span></span><script type="math/tex" id="MathJax-Element-1064"></script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-1065-Frame" tabindex="0" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; />" role="presentation" style="position: relative;"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-2129" style="width: 0em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 0em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(3.785em, 1000em, 4.17em, -999.997em); top: -3.971em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-2130"></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 3.978em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.073em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 0.158em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"></math></span></span><script type="math/tex" id="MathJax-Element-1065"></script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-1066-Frame" tabindex="0" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; />" role="presentation" style="position: relative;"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-2131" style="width: 0em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 0em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(3.785em, 1000em, 4.17em, -999.997em); top: -3.971em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-2132"></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 3.978em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.073em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 0.158em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"></math></span></span><script type="math/tex" id="MathJax-Element-1066"></script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-1067-Frame" tabindex="0" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; />" role="presentation" style="position: relative;"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-2133" style="width: 0em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 0em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(3.785em, 1000em, 4.17em, -999.997em); top: -3.971em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-2134"></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 3.978em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.073em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 0.158em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"></math></span></span><script type="math/tex" id="MathJax-Element-1067"></script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-1068-Frame" tabindex="0" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; />" role="presentation" style="position: relative;"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-2135" style="width: 0em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 0em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(3.785em, 1000em, 4.17em, -999.997em); top: -3.971em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-2136"></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 3.978em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.073em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 0.158em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"></math></span></span><script type="math/tex" id="MathJax-Element-1068"></script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-1069-Frame" tabindex="0" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; />" role="presentation" style="position: relative;"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-2137" style="width: 0em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 0em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(3.785em, 1000em, 4.17em, -999.997em); top: -3.971em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-2138"></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 3.978em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.073em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 0.158em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"></math></span></span><script type="math/tex" id="MathJax-Element-1069"></script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-1070-Frame" tabindex="0" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; />" role="presentation" style="position: relative;"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-2139" style="width: 0em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 0em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(3.785em, 1000em, 4.17em, -999.997em); top: -3.971em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-2140"></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 3.978em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.073em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 0.158em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"></math></span></span><script type="math/tex" id="MathJax-Element-1070"></script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-1071-Frame" tabindex="0" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; />" role="presentation" style="position: relative;"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-2141" style="width: 0em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 0em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(3.785em, 1000em, 4.17em, -999.997em); top: -3.971em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-2142"></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 3.978em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.073em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 0.158em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"></math></span></span><script type="math/tex" id="MathJax-Element-1071"></script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-1072-Frame" tabindex="0" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; />" role="presentation" style="position: relative;"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-2143" style="width: 0em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 0em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(3.785em, 1000em, 4.17em, -999.997em); top: -3.971em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-2144"></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 3.978em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.073em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 0.158em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"></math></span></span><script type="math/tex" id="MathJax-Element-1072"></script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-1073-Frame" tabindex="0" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; />" role="presentation" style="position: relative;"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-2145" style="width: 0em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 0em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(3.785em, 1000em, 4.17em, -999.997em); top: -3.971em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-2146"></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 3.978em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.073em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 0.158em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"></math></span></span><script type="math/tex" id="MathJax-Element-1073"></script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-1074-Frame" tabindex="0" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; />" role="presentation" style="position: relative;"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-2147" style="width: 0em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 0em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(3.785em, 1000em, 4.17em, -999.997em); top: -3.971em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-2148"></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 3.978em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.073em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 0.158em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"></math></span></span><script type="math/tex" id="MathJax-Element-1074"></script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-1075-Frame" tabindex="0" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; />" role="presentation" style="position: relative;"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-2149" style="width: 0em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 0em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(3.785em, 1000em, 4.17em, -999.997em); top: -3.971em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-2150"></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 3.978em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.073em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 0.158em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"></math></span></span><script type="math/tex" id="MathJax-Element-1075"></script><span class="MathJax_Preview" style="display: none;"></span><span class="MathJax" id="MathJax-Element-1076-Frame" tabindex="0" data-mathml="<math xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML&quot; />" role="presentation" style="position: relative;"><nobr aria-hidden="true"><span class="math" id="MathJax-Span-2151" style="width: 0em; display: inline-block;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 0em; height: 0px; font-size: 120%;"><span style="position: absolute; clip: rect(3.785em, 1000em, 4.17em, -999.997em); top: -3.971em; left: 0em;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-2152"></span><span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; height: 3.978em;"></span></span></span><span style="display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: -0.073em; border-left: 0px solid; width: 0px; height: 0.158em;"></span></span></nobr><span class="MJX_Assistive_MathML" role="presentation"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"></math></span></span><script type="math/tex" id="MathJax-Element-1076"></script></p>
```
[Answer]
# 4830 / 256 = 18.87
```
[1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1<p>1](http://localhost:8080/welcome-to-my-fantastic-amazing-homepage-and-why-not-share-it-to-your-facebook-right-now.html)
```
An idea based on HTML autocorrect. Not quite high score though.
[Answer]
# 421 / 56 = 7.518
```
>&
&
>&
&
>&
&
>&
&
>&
&
>&
&
>&
```
Which produces the following HTML on SE:
```
<blockquote>
  <p>&amp;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>&amp;</p>
<blockquote>
  <p>&amp;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>&amp;</p>
<blockquote>
  <p>&amp;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>&amp;</p>
<blockquote>
  <p>&amp;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>&amp;</p>
<blockquote>
  <p>&amp;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>&amp;</p>
<blockquote>
  <p>&amp;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>&amp;</p>
<blockquote>
  <p>&amp;</p>
</blockquote>
```
... and the following output:
---
> 
> &
> 
> 
> 
&
> 
> &
> 
> 
> 
&
> 
> &
> 
> 
> 
&
> 
> &
> 
> 
> 
&
> 
> &
> 
> 
> 
&
> 
> &
> 
> 
> 
&
> 
> &
> 
> 
> 
[Answer]
# 11190 / 255 = ~43.88
I was inspired by [this](https://codegolf.stackexchange.com/a/172493/43446) top answer, but am too dumb to beat it and reached the max character count so, I guess I'll have to be satisfied with what I have ¬Ø\\_(„ÉÑ)\_/¬Ø. There's actually two spaces after the last blockquote, but the formatting does not show it. 
`> - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - > - >`
**HTML:**
```
<blockquote>
  <ul>
  <li><blockquote>
    <ul><li><blockquote>
      <ul><li><blockquote>
        <ul><li><blockquote>
          <ul><li><blockquote>
            <ul><li><blockquote>
              <ul><li><blockquote>
                <ul><li><blockquote>
                  <ul><li><blockquote>
                    <ul><li><blockquote>
                      <ul><li><blockquote>
                        <ul><li><blockquote>
                          <ul><li><blockquote>
                            <ul><li><blockquote>
                              <ul><li><blockquote>
                                <ul><li><blockquote>
                                  <ul><li><blockquote>
                                    <ul><li><blockquote>
                                      <ul><li><blockquote>
                                        <ul><li><blockquote>
                                          <ul><li><blockquote>
                                            <ul><li><blockquote>
                                              <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                  <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                    <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                      <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                        <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                          <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                            <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                              <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                  <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                    <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                      <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                        <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                          <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                            <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                              <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                  <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                    <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                      <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                        <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                          <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                            <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                              <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                  <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                    <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                      <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                        <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                          <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                            <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                              <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                                <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                                  <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                                    <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                                      <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                                        <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                                          <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                                            <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                                              <ul><li><blockquote>
                                                                                                                              </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                                                            </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                                                          </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                                                        </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                                                      </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                                                    </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                                                  </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                                                </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                                              </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                                            </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                                          </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                                        </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                                      </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                                    </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                                  </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                                </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                              </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                            </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                          </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                        </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                      </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                    </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                  </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                                </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                              </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                            </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                          </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                        </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                      </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                    </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                  </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                                </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                              </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                            </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                          </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                        </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                      </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                    </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                  </blockquote></li></ul>
                                                </blockquote></li></ul>
                                              </blockquote></li></ul>
                                            </blockquote></li></ul>
                                          </blockquote></li></ul>
                                        </blockquote></li></ul>
                                      </blockquote></li></ul>
                                    </blockquote></li></ul>
                                  </blockquote></li></ul>
                                </blockquote></li></ul>
                              </blockquote></li></ul>
                            </blockquote></li></ul>
                          </blockquote></li></ul>
                        </blockquote></li></ul>
                      </blockquote></li></ul>
                    </blockquote></li></ul>
                  </blockquote></li></ul>
                </blockquote></li></ul>
              </blockquote></li></ul>
            </blockquote></li></ul>
          </blockquote></li></ul>
        </blockquote></li></ul>
      </blockquote></li></ul>
    </blockquote></li></ul>
  </blockquote></li>
  </ul>
</blockquote>
```
]