10
$\begingroup$

This puzzle is based off the What is a Word™ and What is a Phrase™ series started by JLee and their spin-off What is a Number™ series.

If a word conforms to a certain rule, I call it an Infinite Word™. Use the following examples to find the rule:

$$ % set Title text. (spaces around the text ARE important; do not remove.) % increase Pad value only if your entries are longer than the title bar. % \def\Pad{\P{1.0}} \def\Title{\textbf{ Infinite }} % \def\S#1#2{\Space{#1}{20px}{#2px}}\def\P#1{\V{#1em}}\ \def\V#1{\S{#1}{9}} \def\T{\Title\textbf{Words}^{\;\!™}\Pad}\def\NT{\Pad\textbf{Not}\T\ }\displaystyle \smash{\lower{29px}\bbox[yellow]{\phantom{\rlap{rubio.2018.03.05}\S{6px}{0} \begin{array}{cc}\Pad\T&\NT\\\end{array}}}}\atop\def\V#1{\S{#1}{5}} \begin{array}{|c|c|}\hline\Pad\T&\NT\\\hline % \text{OMISSION}&\text{HYPOCRISY}\\ \hline \text{JEALOUSY}&\text{OBLIVIOUS}\\ \hline \text{OFFSTAGE}&\text{ISOLATION}\\ \hline \text{YAWNER}&\text{EXCITER}\\ \hline \text{SOCIETAL}&\text{MISANTHROPE}\\ \hline \text{FRENZIED}&\text{HOEDOWN}\\ \hline \text{YACHTSWOMEN}&\text{KLEPTOMANIACS}\\ \hline \text{VACUOUS}&\text{PHILOSOPHIC}\\ \hline \text{UNSOCIAL}&\text{SEGREGATION}\\ \hline \text{IMMOLATE}&\text{ZEPPELIN}\\ \hline \text{HEATEDLY}&\text{HEAT}\\ \hline \text{QUESTION}&\text{WEASEL}\\ \hline \text{SEPULCHER}&\text{JAIL}\\ \hline \text{ESCAPISM}&\text{WONDER}\\ \hline \text{MUTATION}&\text{UNIQUE}\\ \hline \text{TRICKERY}&\text{OPINION}\\ \hline \text{VERIFIED}&\text{VALIDATION}\\ \hline \end{array}$$

The puzzle satisfies the series' inbuilt assumption, that each word can be tested for whether it is a Infinite Word™ without relying on the other words.

These are not the only examples of Infinite Words™, many more exist.

CSV version for Analysis:

OMISSION,HYPOCRISY
JEALOUSY,OBLIVIOUS
OFFSTAGE,ISOLATION
YAWNER,EXCITER
SOCIETAL,MISANTHROPE
FRENZIED,HOEDOWN
YACHTSWOMEN,KLEPTOMANIACS
VACUOUS,PHILOSOPHIC
UNSOCIAL,SEGREGATION
IMMOLATE,ZEPPELIN
HEATEDLY,HEAT
QUESTION,WEASEL
SEPULCHER,JAIL
ESCAPISM,WONDER
MUTATION,UNIQUE
TRICKERY,OPINION
VERIFIED,VALIDATION

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
7
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ It doesn't particularly matter (I assume), but you have two ISOLATIONs in the right-hand column. $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan ♦
    Commented May 14, 2018 at 15:50
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Oh, and two MISANTHROPEs. $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan ♦
    Commented May 14, 2018 at 15:50
  • $\begingroup$ @GarethMcCaughan TY, changed them to UNIQUE ones. :) $\endgroup$
    – Chowzen
    Commented May 14, 2018 at 16:14
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ And two WONDERs. $\endgroup$
    – gnovice
    Commented May 14, 2018 at 16:15
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ An infinite word is one that goes on without end. Consider, for example, the infinite word "banananananananananananananananananananananananan $\endgroup$
    – Mark
    Commented May 15, 2018 at 1:04

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
13
$\begingroup$

An Infinite Word™...

has a single capital letter with a closed region (e.g. A, D, O, P, Q, or R) in its left half and one in its right half, with the center letter of odd-lettered words not being one of those. This bears similarity to an infinity symbol, where there is a closed region on each side (hence the name Infinite Word™, I presume).

There is one undefined condition: it's unclear from the examples above how to consider the letter B, since it has two closed regions. The only word with a B is OBLIVIOUS, which is already disqualified as an Infinite Word™ because it has an O on the right and a OB on the left. If a letter B is treated just like any other letter with a closed region then, for example, BIGOT would be an Infinite Word™.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
8
  • $\begingroup$ Does "OBLIVIOUS" fail because of the "B" then? $\endgroup$
    – Alexis Olson
    Commented May 14, 2018 at 19:54
  • $\begingroup$ @AlexisOlson: Yeah. $\endgroup$
    – gnovice
    Commented May 14, 2018 at 19:56
  • $\begingroup$ Yes. rot13 (Bqq yrggrerq jbeqf pnaabg unir n "ubyr" va gur zvqqyr yrggre, naq "O" artngrf nal jbeq.) $\endgroup$
    – Chowzen
    Commented May 14, 2018 at 20:26
  • $\begingroup$ Is it wrong for me to have considered calling this type "A Tainted Word™?" $\endgroup$
    – Chowzen
    Commented May 14, 2018 at 20:27
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ The "undefined condition" noted in the answer, to me at least, is clear. Any B in any position makes two holes—either on the left, the right, or (god forbid!) in the middle—disqualifying the word. $\endgroup$
    – Chowzen
    Commented May 15, 2018 at 1:41
9
$\begingroup$

Infinite words:

have exactly two holes in their all-caps form, like $\infty$ does. Non-infinite words have $0,1$ or $\gt2$ holes.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
5
  • 7
    $\begingroup$ except for ZEPPELIN $\endgroup$
    – JMP
    Commented May 14, 2018 at 16:59
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ soooooo close... $\endgroup$
    – Chowzen
    Commented May 14, 2018 at 17:51
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ NIPPLE = Infinite word... but NIPPLES is not Infinite $\endgroup$
    – Chowzen
    Commented May 14, 2018 at 17:56
  • $\begingroup$ @Chowzen Does that mean SUPPLE is infinite but AMPLE is not? =D Specifically because 'gurl erdhver bar ubyr ba rvgure fvqr bs gur jbeq'? $\endgroup$
    – hagfy
    Commented May 14, 2018 at 18:24
  • $\begingroup$ @hagfy This is true. $\endgroup$
    – Chowzen
    Commented May 14, 2018 at 20:29

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.