Google can search backwards

#1

Post by blago » Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 2:09 AM UTC

Google can search backwards
google.com

Re: Google can search backwards

#2

Post by espeed » Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 3:15 AM UTC

looc s'taht llew

Re: Google can search backwards

#3

Post by waqf » Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 4:21 AM UTC

This is a trick with Unicode RTL. The search query in the URL contains the character U+202E RIGHT-TO-LEFT OVERRIDE, followed by the searched-for text in normal (nonreversed) order.

Apparently Google ignores this character when searching for matches (so the matches are displayed normally), but the character appears when the query is reproduced in the search box at top of the screen, so the search string appears backwards.

Re: Google can search backwards

#4

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 4:22 AM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Google can search backwards

#5

Post by blago » Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 4:28 AM UTC

waqf wrote: post #3

This is a trick with Unicode RTL. The search query in the URL contains the character U+202E RIGHT-TO-LEFT OVERRIDE, followed by the searched-for text in normal (nonreversed) order. Apparently Google ignores this character when searching for matches (so the matches are displayed normally), but the character appears when the query is reproduced in the search box at top of the screen, so the search string appears backwa…

Bingo. I wish I had a price for you.

Re: Google can search backwards

#6

Post by veyron » Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 4:50 AM UTC

blago wrote: post #5

waqf wrote: post #3

This is a trick with Unicode RTL. The search query in the URL contains the character U+202E RIGHT-TO-LEFT OVERRIDE, followed by the searched-for text in normal (nonreversed) order. Apparently Google ignores this character when searching for matches (so the matches are displayed normally), but the character appears when the query is reproduced in the search box at top of the screen, so the search string appears backwa…

Bingo. I wish I had a price for you.

s/price/prize/

Re: Google can search backwards

#7

Post by antimora » Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 5:08 AM UTC

But did you guys know you can search a height of a celebrity?

https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&#...

Try some other celebrity

Re: Google can search backwards

#8

Post by namank » Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 5:24 AM UTC

This is cool! So Google is Wolfram Alpha for everything in the world?

Re: Google can search backwards

#9

Post by sjs » Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 5:29 AM UTC

waqf wrote: post #3

This is a trick with Unicode RTL. The search query in the URL contains the character U+202E RIGHT-TO-LEFT OVERRIDE, followed by the searched-for text in normal (nonreversed) order. Apparently Google ignores this character when searching for matches (so the matches are displayed normally), but the character appears when the query is reproduced in the search box at top of the screen, so the search string appears backwa…

Interesting character. You can copy & paste it in front of any text in an editable field and the text immediately flips.

Re: Google can search backwards

#10

Post by nostrademons » Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 5:37 AM UTC

antimora wrote: post #7

But did you guys know you can search a height of a celebrity? https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&#... https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&#... Try some other celebrity

Buildings and ships too:

https://www.google.com/search?q=height+of+empire+state+build...

https://www.google.com/search?q=length+of+titanic