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My prefix is ironic.

My infix is well-oiled.

My suffix briefly handled a worm.

There aren't many of me - what is my name?

As usual, please include an explanation for each line in your final answer. The title is obliquely related to the final answer.

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    $\begingroup$ Yay, this one made it longer than 7 minutes! $\endgroup$ – Brandon_J Mar 27 at 23:41
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    $\begingroup$ but not the 8th lol $\endgroup$ – Omega Krypton Mar 27 at 23:41
  • $\begingroup$ @OmegaKrypton wait do you have the answer already o_O? $\endgroup$ – Brandon_J Mar 27 at 23:42
  • $\begingroup$ nah, i mean it didnt made the 8th minute with score=0 ;) $\endgroup$ – Omega Krypton Mar 28 at 0:50
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    $\begingroup$ Could the downvoter please explain the downvote? 3 questions in a row? $\endgroup$ – Brandon_J Mar 28 at 1:55
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Possibly:

My prefix is ironic.

FE (iron) as others have pointed out

My infix is well-oiled.

E as in the logo for Enron, a "well-oiled" company

My infix is well-oiled - (second guess)

E as in Euler's Number (pronounced oiler)

My suffix briefly handled a worm.

EW - The exclamation made when touching a worm. EW!

There aren't many of me - what is my name?

FEW which also connects to the title (rare)

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  • $\begingroup$ So close! I was thinking of something else for the infix. Think math. $\endgroup$ – Brandon_J Mar 28 at 17:47
  • $\begingroup$ Edited with new infix $\endgroup$ – MetaZen Mar 28 at 17:49
  • $\begingroup$ You got it! Congratulations! $\endgroup$ – Brandon_J Mar 28 at 18:00
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Wild guess, but I’ll put it on here. The word is

FEWER

My prefix is ironic.

FE is the symbol for iron on the periodic table, as Omega Krypton indicated

My infix is well-oiled.

Not sure about this one - maybe a reference to how a collective (WE) can act like a machine that’s well-oiled, or perhaps a wordplay clue?

My suffix briefly handled a worm.

This one’s also stretch, but ERs - “emergency rooms” - have the ability to remove or at least mitigate the damage from worms that burrow inside the body

There aren't many of me - what is my name?

If there aren’t many of something, there are FEWER of that thing

As for the title,

having fewer of something would make it rarer to find

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    $\begingroup$ This is remarkably close. Infix is wordplay; I would probably add a knowledge tag for it and the prefix. $\endgroup$ – Brandon_J Mar 28 at 12:26
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Partial thoughts, havent come to an answer:

My prefix is ironic.

Fe, chemical symbol of "iron"?

My infix is well-oiled.

Lube for lubrication?

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    $\begingroup$ Don't want to confirm or deny yet :) $\endgroup$ – Brandon_J Mar 28 at 1:12
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    $\begingroup$ is that a hint? @Brandon_J $\endgroup$ – Omega Krypton Mar 28 at 1:15
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    $\begingroup$ No. I'm not that clever lol. $\endgroup$ – Brandon_J Mar 28 at 1:20
  • $\begingroup$ could well-oiled be rot13(qehax) or something along those lines? Struggling to make a word with that in it though $\endgroup$ – Smock Mar 28 at 17:14
  • $\begingroup$ @Smock true, thought of that too, but the OP said its wordplay, so... thanks nevertheless $\endgroup$ – Omega Krypton Mar 28 at 17:16

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