quote/unquote - Google removes exact phrase match if no results

[Receptional Andy]

Just noticed that for phrase (i.e. quoted) searches, if no results are found Google searches for the result using the default matching (boolean AND, I believe):

[google.com...]

No results found for "a widget's life for me".

Results for a widget's life for me (without quotes)

Nothing major: if I was a grumpy old cynic I'd say perhaps another step towards ease of use and away from precision.

[tedster]

It seems this is a new treatment - it was just covered today on one of the blogs that covers Google Search.

I can see how this might be useful, but there should be a very hard to miss message that your exact search was changed. Call me a grumpy old cycnic, too.

By the way, now that this thread is indexed, your pharse match search does have a result ;)

[Bones]

There is a pretty hard to miss message that says:

No results found for "[query]".
Results for [query] (without quotes):

[steveb]

This page now shows as the single result.

[Receptional Andy]

Personally, I understand the approach, but I don't support it. I think it encourages people not to bother to learn better searching habits, which in the long term is worse for everyone.

now that this thread is indexed, your phrase match search does have a result

Bah. Back to the drawing board ;)
Now to think of what words to include in this thread to get it dropped out of Google. Actually, better not....;)

[arubicus]

Now since it has a result (this page) I see:

See results for: "search term without quotes" right below.

I also shortened what was in the quotes and it gave me 3 exact the the "See results for:" right below.