Microsoft KB Archive/86033

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Words Beginning or Ending with &quot;#&quot; in Custom Dictionary

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Q86033

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c

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SYMPTOMS
If you add a word that begins or ends with the number sign (#) to the custom dictionary in Microsoft Word for Windows, the word will not be recognized when you choose Spelling from the Tools menu; Word will still flag the word as misspelled.

CAUSE
The number symbol ( or pound sign, #) is used in foreign language, custom dictionaries as a reserved character and, though added to a custom dictionary, will continue to be flagged as misspelled.

STATUS
This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION
When you run the spelling checker in a document and add a word to the custom dictionary, Word should no longer flag that word as incorrect. If you add a word that begins with a number sign to the custom dictionary, the word will be successfully added to the dictionary. However, when you run the spelling checker on this word, Word will continue to flag the word as misspelled, as if the word is not in the custom dictionary.

Also, if you add a word that begins or ends with a number sign to the custom dictionary, Word will ignore subsequent occurrences of the word. If you run the spelling checker a second time, every occurrence of the word will be flagged as incorrect unless you choose the Ignore All button.