Our Quiz Guy Greg Pliska has a game based on Google searches, or at least what Google thinks you’re searching. For example, what do Elmo, pink, and plant all have in common? Google suggests them, in that order, after you’ve entered the words “tickle me.” This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Google Search-Completion Puzzle”
You’re listening to A Way with Words.
I’m Grant Barrett.
And I’m Martha Barnette.
And now we’re joined again by our quiz guy, Greg Pliska.
Hi, Greg.
Hello, Grant.
Hello, Martha.
Hey, buddy.
What’s up?
This week, we’re going to play some instant Google games. These are games, actually one game, that uses the feature where Google fills what it thinks you might be searching for before you finish typing it.
All right.
So how does this work?
So what I’ve done is type a word or a phrase into my Google search engine, and it’s given me some possible ways to complete that word or phrase. So I’ll give you several examples of what it is completing with, and you tell me what word or phrase I entered to get that result.
So for example, if I gave you blank with friends, blank with friends cheat, and blank that start with Z.
Words.
Words, exactly. Words is what I typed in, and those are the possible ways to complete that entry that Google gave me.
Okay.
Okay.
This sounds doable.
All right.
Here’s your first one.
Airlines, idle, express.
American.
American.
Very good.
Very straightforward.
Here’s a second one.
Ceiling, clock, consolidation.
Ceiling, clock, consolidation.
It’s not debt.
It’s not loan.
Bing, bing, bing, bing, bing.
Actually, it is debt.
Debt ceiling?
Debt ceiling.
Debt clock.
And debt consolidation.
You know the debt clock, the big clock? It’s actually in New York City.
All right.
Here’s another one for you.
Numerals, empire, gods, and shades.
Roman.
Roman.
Roman.
Yes.
Polanski was the next one on the list.
I thought maybe charges.
Roman shades, aren’t they usually called Roman lines?
Well, according to Google, they’re called Roman shades, and that’s what you’re looking for.
Interesting.
Roman shades.
Yeah.
Williams, flytrap, and de Milo.
Venus.
Got that one.
Venus.
And that’s the order in which they appear. So if you’re typing in Venus, most people are looking for Venus Williams. Some people are looking for a Venus flytrap. And the next group are interested in antiquities.
All right.
This one is two words.
Elmo, pink, plant.
Me?
It’s two words.
Two words in front of Elmo.
Oh, tickle me.
Oh, okay.
Tickle me, Elmo.
Tickle me, pink.
And tickle me, plant.
What’s a tickle me, plant?
It’s a mimosa. You know, the plant that reacts when you stroke its leaves.
Oh, the leaves close up.
Right.
It’s big these days with the kids. All the young people, they’re getting their tickle me plants.
No, come on.
Google it and see what you’ve come up with.
So instead of saying it with flowers, you say it with a mimosa plant?
Well, I don’t know. It’s just people are into the idea that a plant reacts when you touch it.
So how about housewives, estate, simple, and Madrid?
Real.
Real.
Oh, I was going to say desperate.
Real Madrid in the last one, though, right?
Yeah, right.
Real housewives, real estate, real simple, and Real Madrid, the football club.
How about this one?
Look, find my IP address, love thee.
How do I?
How do I?
The first thing is how do I look. The second one is how do I find my IP address. And the third is how do I love thee.
I love that because they represent such completely different parts of culture.
Isn’t that great?
I thought you’d like that.
Yes.
Isn’t that wonderful?
That’s nice.
And actually, I have to share one other one that really tickled me.
Okay.
Love, Grand Canyon, Appendix, Mall of America.
Not remove.
No, and it’s actually three words.
Where is?
Finding?
Where is the?
Where is the?
Where is the love?
Where is the Grand Canyon?
Where is the Appendix?
And where is the Mall of America?
These are the top four things people want to find.
Oh, my gosh.
That is fantastic.
Nice, Greg.
Thank you so much for the quiz.
This is fun.
Who knew technology could be fun?
I feel some song lyrics coming on.
That’s terrific.
There we go.
Where is the mall of America?
Well, if you’d like to provoke our thoughts, call us 877-929-9673.
And you can find the love at words@waywordradio.org.
