64-straight games

Um, that should be AN 11-10 victory. Win is a verb, and it's an, not a.

 

i hate your face

 

Would you hyphen advocates write "64-consecutive games" since, by your logic, "64-consecutive" is the compound modifier of "games?"

Looks awkward both ways. Write around it if you can but no hyphen otherwise.

 

I'd say yes.

 

I'd agree.

 

OK, I understand what you're saying, but it's just not correct. I mean, I'm no editor, but people are throwing hyphens around unecessarily. I keep seeing things like, "Pierce hit five-of-seven free throws." Just not correct. Can't cite a specific rule of grammar, but it's not right. No need for hyphens.

 

It's correct to use a hyphen in the case of "64-straight games," but it's one of those instances where it just doesn't look right, you know?

The Chicago Manual of Style, I believe, says you can do without the hyphen as long as there is no ambiguity in what is being said. So, in this case, you could easily leave it out.

 

I don't see how "64-straight games" is a compound modifier.

Neither 64 nor straight is a type of game.

Correct?

 

-- It seems like the most asked question (most-asked question) on our desk is whether something should have a hyphen. We're trying to get away from them.
-- Straight is a direction (newspapers are going straight to hell). We use consecutive or in a row when referring to a streak. This is a hard and fast rule for us.

 

I think the best answer to this is.....discuss with your editors and use one or the other. Stay consistent either way.

 

Now that I'm a full-time desker, this is my new pet peeve to stop at my paper.

Also, what's the feeling on long dashes? Are they interchangeable with ellipses? I had a former SE who swore up and down that long dashes are misused to no end in newspapers and should rarely, if ever be used.

 

Ellipses are to be used when information is omitted (though the notes on the end of every AP gamer would suggest otherwise). The are, IMHO, no way interchangeable with em dashes.

Like all writing, there's no hard-and-fast rule (I suppose we disagree there, Dude, on their existence and on the hyphenation of the term), and ellipses can be used with a bit more wiggle room in columns and purple features.

As for the topic at hand: Why not "won 64 straight at home"? I am all for using "consecutive" over "straight" every time, save when a good column/feature finds it necessary to use "straight" or a headline/graphic needs the room.