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Unix Dict/grep Solves Left-Side-of-Keyboard Puzzle

Posted by timothy on from the mysteries-of-the-ages dept.

destinyland writes "For decades, people have been asking this brain teaser: 'What's the longest word you can type with only the left-hand letters on a keyboard?' The answer is supposed to be 'stewardesses,' but grepping the standard dictionary that ships with Unix reveals a much better answer. There's nearly 2,000 shorter words that can typed with only the left hand — including one word that's even longer. (The article also quotes a failed novel attempt using nothing but words typed on the keyboard's left side.)"

3 of 423 comments (clear)

  1. Misleading summary by JonathanBoyd · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The longest word isn't found in the 'a much better answer' link, but rather the other one, somewhat misleadingly. The word, in case you're interested, is supposed to be 'devertebrated', though the Oxford English Dictionary doesn't recognise it.

    There's nearly 2,000 shorter words that can typed with only the left hand -- including one word that's even longer.

    How exactly can shorter words include a longer one?

  2. Past tense disqualified? by sxltrex · · Score: 5, Insightful

    From the article:

    Technically, the word "reverberated" is just as long, and so is "desegregated" - but they're sometimes disqualified because they require using the past tense.

    So past tense is disqualified but plural is ok? What official body is making up these rules?

  3. Honestly... by Orlando · · Score: 5, Insightful

    who cares?

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    -= This is a self-referential sig =-