# Question about search capabilities on this board
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-search-capabilities-on-this-board/257540
**Category:** About This Message Board
**Created:** [July 30, 2004, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-search-capabilities-on-this-board/257540 "2004-07-30T02:09:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@rexnervous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rexnervous)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2004, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-search-capabilities-on-this-board/257540/1 "2004-07-30T02:09:49Z")
First, I’m probably gonna feel like a total idiot as I’ve been on this board for a few years now, but I can’t for the life of me figure out how to narrow down my searches in the keyword(s) box. And there doesn’t seem to be a help file on this topic.
Basically, does the search function support “AND” or “+” or “NEAR” or quoting a phrase etc. in the keyword(s) box, so I can not have sixty bazillion responses to a two- or more word search?
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### Author:  [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2004, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-search-capabilities-on-this-board/257540/2 "2004-07-30T03:42:58Z")
I know one of the mods or admins posted something about this, but a search didn’t turn it up. 🙂
The search facility is very limited.
Quick experiments seem to show AND is assumed, and OR can be used. The only other search thing I know about you may also know: a search term of “xyz\*” will find all words beginning with “xyz”.
I suggest to the admins/mods that everything known about the search operators should be added to the sticky thread “Sticky: FAQ - technical issues - please read this BEFORE posting a question”.