Googlewhacking
Googlewhacking is the challenging pursuit of searching the popular Google search engine with a two-word or more search argument that will produce exactly (no less and no more than) one result. That is, only one Web page in the world (at least as indexed by Google) will happen to have the combination of words you've entered in the search box. Here are some examples of past "Googlewhacks" that have been successful:
- comparative unicyclist
- maladroit wheezer
- blithering clops
- demurrable insufficiencies
- fringe willowing phenomenon
Note that, now that these Googlewhacks have been listed here, they will no longer successfully qualify because once they have been added to another Google-indexed page (such as this one), Google will find more than one result. Although Googlewhacking gained fame with two-word combinations, it is easier to achieve a Googlewhack with three words (hint: use two words to narrow down to a small number of results, then add a third word to the search argument to narrow down to one).
Both the term and the occupation of Googlewhacking are the inventions of Gary Stock, a former cryptanalyst, software entrepreneur, and general Web idea man whose current job title is Chief Innovation Officer and Technical Compass of the technology firm Nexcerpt, Inc. Stock maintains a list of Googlewhacks (and made-up meanings) that searchers have contributed to his personal Web site, unblinking.com.
Googlewhacking can easily be confused with Googling , the use of Google to locate people and information about them.