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Search Engines

If you have used 'Google' before, you've used a search engine. So how do they work? Delve a little deeper into the wonderful world of the internet and searching.

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A fun challenge - GoogleWhack!

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.

As of September 2019, Google is the world's most used search engine, with a market share of 92.96 percent, and the world's most used search engines are shown above.

Additional Reading

You can also read more about the topic here: https://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet/basics/search-engine.htm

If you want a history of search engines, including information on the first ever prototype search engine (Archie), click here: https://www.wordstream.com/articles/internet-search-engines-history

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