Style Invitational Week 1470: Your add here
Put a ‘prefix’ on a name or phrase. Plus fun with newspaper corrections.

(Bob Staake for The Washington Post)
By Pat Myers
Yesterday at 9:52 a.m. EST



(Click here to skip down to the winning faux corrections)

RoseBUD LIGHT: Xanadu microbrew. (“Andrew Mueller,” actually Chris Doyle)

toGAS FOOD LODGING: Last exit on the Appian Way. (“Sarah Gay,” also actually Chris Doyle)

BiarRITZ CRACKERS: The Beverly Hillbillies go chichi in France. (Helen Schaffer, not Chris Doyle)

This contest was suggested by Style Invitational GOAT Chris Doyle. Before amassing his 2,000-plus blots of ink with us, Chris got even more than that (under a variety of names) in the old New York Magazine Competition, the inspiration for the Invite. Chris suggests we revisit one of its 973 contests, this one from 1995: This week: Add a “prefix” — by which we mean at least one syllable of any kind (but not multiple words) — to the beginning of any word in a well-known phrase, name, book title, etc., and describe the result, as in the examples above adapted from the NYM contest. As always with such new-coinage Invite contests, you’re welcome to make your entry funnier and unique by using the term in a funny sentence. You could even add more than one “prefix” within your phrase; just be sure that the original phrase or name is still obvious.

Way more cuddly than a toy virus: This week's second prize.
Way more cuddly than a toy virus: This week's second prize.

Submit up to 25 entries at wapo.st/enter-invite-1470 (no capitals in the Web address). Deadline is Monday, Jan. 17; results appear Feb. 6 in print, Feb. 3 online.

Winner gets the Clowning Achievement, our Style Invitational trophy. For second place: For those who would not enter our recent contest in which we offered a cute plush coronavirus with googly eyes — this week we have a cute plush vial of coronavirus vaccine with googly eyes. Donated by our drug connection, Dave Prevar.

Other runners-up win their choice of our “For Best Results, Pour Into Top End” Loser Mug or our “Whole Fools” Grossery Bag. Honorable mentions get one of our new lusted-after Loser magnets, “A Small Jester of Appreciation” or “Close, but Ceci N’est Pas un Cigare.” First Offenders receive only a smelly tree-shaped air “freshener” (FirStink for their first ink). See general contest rules and guidelines at wapo.st/inviteFAQ. The headline “Comedy of Errors” was submitted by both Chris Doyle and Jesse Frankovich”; Jesse also wrote the honorable-mentions subhead. Join the lively Style Invitational Devotees group on Facebook at on.fb.me/invdev; “like” the Style Invitational Ink of the Day on Facebook at bit.ly/inkofday; and follow @StyleInvite on Twitter.


The Style Conversational: The Empress’s weekly online column discusses each new contest and set of results. See this week’s, published late Thursday, Jan. 6, at wapo.st/conv1470.

And from The Style Invitational four weeks ago . . .

Comedy of Errors: 'Corrections' from Week 1466
In Week 1466 we asked the Loser Community to coin faux corrections to this paper or other publications. To those submitting “corrections” noting that their entries from old contests should have gotten ink: The Empress has no regrets.

4th place:
An article yesterday incorrectly said Sen. Joe Manchin III wants to put “more minors back to work” in the West Virginia coal industry. Sen. Manchin is actually in favor of automation. (Kevin Dopart, Washington)

3rd place:
Because of a typographical error, President Biden was quoted as saying, “Vice President Harris is dead to me.” He actually said she was “dear to me.” (Stephen Gold, London)

2nd place
and the cat-butt tissue dispenser:
The feature on Tesla in Wednesday’s business section inadvertently omitted the word “for” from Elon Musk’s statement that the company was “going for broke.” (John Klayman, Fairfax, Va.)

And the winner of the Clowning Achievement:
Yesterday's opinion piece "Bald Is Beautiful" neglected to disclose that The Washington Post is owned by Jeff Bezos. (Sam Mertens, Silver Spring, Md.)

Revision-impaired: Honorable mentions
Yesterday’s headline “Delta Infects More Air Travelers” should have been reworded. We apologize to the airline and its lawyers. (Jonathan Jensen, Baltimore)


Our review of Bright Day Vegan Restaurant should have said the dishes were “all really fresh.” The use of “flesh” was inadvertent. (Mark Raffman, Reston, Va.)

Yesterday’s main sports section headline should have been “WFT Is Coach Rivera’s Problem,” rather than “WTF Is Coach Rivera’s Problem?” (Tom Witte, Montgomery Village, Md.)

A recent sports column described Daniel Snyder as having “all the charm of a squashed slug.” The correct quantity is closer to one-third. (Duncan Stevens, Vienna, Va.)

In Tuesday’s profile of calligrapher Otis Scrivener, his wife was incorrectly quoted; she actually spoke of his “magical pens.” (Leif Picoult, Rockville, Md.)

Our review of “A Lingering Reek” warned of plot spoilers but neglected to include them: Clive hid the doorknobs; Aunt Janice is really Audrey’s nephew; and Doris murdered the glee club. (Frank Osen, Pasadena, Calif.)


There was an error in our recent coverage of three alien spaceships landing near a Montana town. The corner store is Murphey’s Dry Goods, not Murphy’s Dry Goods. (Terri Berg Smith, Rockville, Md.)

Yesterday’s article about the Springfield High valedictorian should have said that she would be pursuing a BS-MD program, a path to medical school, rather than a BDSM program. (Pam Shermeyer, Lathrup Village, Mich.)

We regret that the senator who is holding up all climate change legislation makes his living from the coal industry. There is no correction here; we are just sorry. (Milo Sauer, Fairfax, Va.)

A recent review of a new brewery in Bethesda reported that its beer is “poured in pants.” The correct word is “pints.” (Mark Calandra, Wenham, Mass.)

Yesterday’s education column incorrectly stated that the new middle school would “offer curses in French, Spanish and Italian.” (Beverley Sharp, Montgomery, Ala.)


A Retropolis article about the 1991 confirmation hearings for Justice Clarence Thomas incorrectly said that Thomas was accused of putting a “public hair” on Anita Hill’s Coke can. (Peter Jenkins, Bethesda, Md.)

An earlier version of this article mistakenly said that Donald Trump hosted “a group of gofers” at Mar-a-Lago. It was a group of golfers. The gofers appeared individually. (Chris Doyle, Denton, Tex.)

The fashion coverage of Tuesday’s White House state dinner mistakenly commented on the first lady’s “stylish pimps.” (John Klayman)

Because of an editing error, George F. Will’s column on Wednesday consisted entirely of words that readers actually know. (Jesse Rifkin, Arlington, Va.)

Due to a production error, the same “Beetle Bailey” comic strip has been running for the past 47 years. (David MacGregor, Arlington, Va.)


Clarification: In our video interview with the New York Jets cheerleading squad, they said that they give the team “chants to win.” (Jesse Frankovich, Lansing, Mich.)

Fox News apologizes for cutting into Mr. Hannity’s program last night to project that Donald Trump had been elected to a third term in 2024. (Hildy Zampella, Alexandria, Va.)

In Tuesday’s obituary of Martin J. Smith, his widow described him as “a lifelong contrarian.” Mr. Smith disputes that description. (Amanda Yanovitch, Midlothian, Va.)

We regret that next week’s issue of Psychic Digest will contain several factual errors. (Jesse Frankovich; Sam Mertens)

Editor’s Note: It is Public Relations 101 to demand the correction of any element of a news story to undermine the credibility of the whole. Still, here at the Rusty Bugle we are indebted to Rep. Wayward’s spokeswoman for the following clarifications: (a) He was wearing a lion costume, not a gorilla suit, when arrested at the Outskirts Motel; and (b) the young woman with him was 15, not 14, as initially reported by police. We deem it best to republish the entire corrected article in today’s edition. (Tim Dobbyn, Bethesda, Md., a First Offender)


A recent piece about Kimberly Guilfoyle incorrectly stated that she had not been heard in Washington all year. In fact, Ms. Guilfoyle recently gave a speech in Los Angeles. (Duncan Stevens)

In the birth announcements in the Your Neighborhood section, statistics were transposed for Kayla Smith-Jones; she actually was 7 pounds and 20 inches long. (David Shombert, Harrisonburg, Va.)

We’re soooo sorry about a backward quotation mark in last week’s article about sarcasm. Thanks evvver so much for bringing this important matter to our attention. (Jeff Contompasis, Ashburn, Va.)

In cave Oog paint mammoth with three leg. Mammoth have four leg. Oog sorry. (Jesse Frankovich)

Last week’s cookie decorating guide accidentally gave instructions for pentagrams instead of snowflakes. Readers who inadvertently summoned Baphomet in their kitchen are advised to offer him some tea and a few of the cookies and he will likely return home shortly. (Hannah Seidel, Alexandria, Va.)


A recent article about Bob Dylan incorrectly described “Blowin’ in the Wind” as posing unanswerable questions. In fact, researchers have discovered that a man, on average, must walk down 67.2 roads before somebody calls him a man. (Duncan Stevens)

Because of what seems to have been a successful hack by the Lincoln Middle School IT Club, the name of the school’s principal was given as Pete O. File rather than Peter Finley. (David Stonner, Washington)

Our “Where Are They Now” story on Lorena Bobbitt erroneously reported that after her rise to national prominence she considered becoming a mohel. She had considered becoming a model. (Seth Tucker, Washington)

An incorrect caption appeared under a photograph from the scene of yesterday’s tragic mine collapse in Pennsylvania. “Be ready when unexpected guests drop in” was supposed to appear in the Food King supermarket ad on the next page. (Hildy Zampella)

Last week’s Second Glance feature contained 11 differences between the two photos instead of the usual 12. This was a one-time joke designed to irk our most gullible and obsessive readers. Suckers! (Eric Nelkin, Silver Spring, Md.)

There was a misprint in yesterday’s ad for the Pamper Yourself salon. It should have said that the technicians specialize in manicures, pedicures and brow jobs. (Duncan Stevens)

Yesterday’s edition incorrectly stated that the lengthy list of former Trump loyalists and appointees who have now been condemned by Trump included John Bolton, Steve Bannon, Michael Cohen, Rex Tillerson, Anthony Scaramucci, Jeff Sessions, Omarosa Newman, Jerome Powell, John Kelly, Jim Mattis, Mitch McConnell, Elaine Chao, Boris Badenov, Natasha Badenov and the entire Local 12 of the Villains, Thieves and Scoundrels Union. Actually, Natasha’s last name is Fatale. (Steve Leifer)

Clarification: While it does not refute The Post’s motto, the weather was actually sunny on Jan. 6, 2021. (Peter Jenkins)

Monday’s profile of Elon Musk referred to him as “the world’s richest person.” While technically accurate, the story should have emphasized that no matter how wealthy Musk is, Jeff Bezos still owns The Washington Post. (Eric Nelkin)

And Last: Last week’s Style Invitational incorrectly indicated that Losers’ prizes would be nailed to them. The Empress actually will send the prizes via the U.S. Postal Service; the recipients may choose how to display them. (Dave Airozo, Silver Spring, Md.)

Still running — deadline Monday night, Jan. 10: Our contest for poems about people who died in 2021. See wapo.st/invite1469.

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