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Re-writing this answer gives another solution:

(format-spec "%a %a %a %b %b %b" (format-spec-make ?a "a" ?b "b")) 

Edit: Another format-spec solution

As Malabarba gives another solution in comments:

(format-spec "%a %a %a %b %b %b" '((?a . "a") (?b . "b"))) 

Edit 2: Evaluation before substitution:

Here are examples with evaluation before substitution:

(let ( (a 1)   (b 2) )   (message (format-spec "a = %a; b = %b" (format-spec-make ?a a ?b b))) ) ;; ⇒ a = 1; b = 1 (let ( (a 1)   (b 2) )   (message (format-spec "a = %a; b = %b" `((?a . ,a) (?b . ,b)))) ) ;; ⇒ a = 1; b = 2 

Re-writing this answer gives another solution:

(format-spec "%a %a %a %b %b %b" (format-spec-make ?a "a" ?b "b")) 

Edit: Another format-spec solution:

As Malabarba gives another solution in comments:

(format-spec "%a %a %a %b %b %b" '((?a . "a") (?b . "b"))) 

Edit 2: Evaluation before substitution:

Here are examples with evaluation before substitution:

(let ((a 1) (b 2)) (format-spec "a = %a; b = %b" (format-spec-make ?a a ?b b))) ;; ⇒ "a = 1; b = 2" (let ((a 1) (b 2)) (format-spec "a = %a; b = %b" `((?a . ,a) (?b . ,b)))) ;; ⇒ "a = 1; b = 2" 

Re-writing this answer gives another solution:

(format-spec "%a %a %a %b %b %b" (format-spec-make ?a "a" ?b "b")) 

Edit: Another format-spec solution

As Malabarba gives another solution in comments:

(format-spec "%a %a %a %b %b %b" '((?a . "a") (?b . "b"))) 

Edit 2: Evaluation before substitution:

Here are examples with evaluation before substitution:

(let ( (a 1) (b 2) ) (message (format-spec "a = %a; b = %b" (format-spec-make ?a a ?b b))) ) ;; ⇒ a = 1; b = 1 (let ( (a 1) (b 2) ) (message (format-spec "a = %a; b = %b" `((?a . ,a) (?b . ,b)))) ) ;; ⇒ a = 1; b = 2 

Re-writing this answer gives another solution:

(format-spec "%a %a %a %b %b %b" (format-spec-make ?a "a" ?b "b")) 

Edit: Another format-spec solution

As Malabarba gives another solution in comments:

(format-spec "%a %a %a %b %b %b" '((?a . "a") (?b . "b"))) 

Edit 2: Evaluation before substitution:

Here are examples with evaluation before substitution:

(let ( (a 1) (b 2) ) (message (format-spec "a = %a; b = %b" (format-spec-make ?a a ?b b))) ) ;; ⇒ a = 1; b = 1 (let ( (a 1) (b 2) ) (message (format-spec "a = %a; b = %b" `((?a . ,a) (?b . ,b)))) ) ;; ⇒ a = 1; b = 2 

Re-writing this answer gives another solution:

(format-spec "%a %a %a %b %b %b" (format-spec-make ?a "a" ?b "b")) 

Edit:

In comments Malabarba suggests that '((?a . "a") (?b . "b")) might also be used. This works for strings, but doesn't seem to be working for numbers:

(let ( (a 1) (b 2) ) (message (format-spec "a = %a; b = %b" (format-spec-make ?a a ?b b))) ) ;; ⇒ a = 1; b = 1 (let ( (a 1) (b 2) ) (message (format-spec "a = %a; b = %b" '((?a . a) (?b . b)))) ) ;; ⇒ a = a; b = b 

Re-writing this answer gives another solution:

(format-spec "%a %a %a %b %b %b" (format-spec-make ?a "a" ?b "b")) 

Edit: Another format-spec solution

As Malabarba gives another solution in comments:

(format-spec "%a %a %a %b %b %b" '((?a . "a") (?b . "b"))) 

Edit 2: Evaluation before substitution:

Here are examples with evaluation before substitution:

(let ( (a 1) (b 2) ) (message (format-spec "a = %a; b = %b" (format-spec-make ?a a ?b b))) ) ;; ⇒ a = 1; b = 1 (let ( (a 1) (b 2) ) (message (format-spec "a = %a; b = %b" `((?a . ,a) (?b . ,b)))) ) ;; ⇒ a = 1; b = 2