X's and O's or Xs and Os?

Whoops. Someone should have let them know the last 100 years.


I've been many places. The rules differ. The one that makes sense to the eye -- and to me -- is to use an apostrophe with a plural vowel.
Eliminates confusion of letter blending to form unintended words.
[To begin a sentence: A's outfielder... sted of... As outfielder? ....which makes sense, both common and to the eye?]
Never a problem with consonants.

 

To avoid confusion, perhaps the A's/As should go back to ... the elephant.

re: consonants, if you followed the letter of that law wouldn't it be ... Xs and O's?

I don't have a problem with the AP style here. X's and O's, Oakland A's. Just doesn't make sense the other way.

 

And, that's right. Xs and O's. This is about the only time it is a problem. And, really, it's not a problem. It just looks a bit odd because one is a consonant and one is a vowel. But, it's justified in virtually every other instance.

 

I'm just not a big fan of interjecting punctuation when it may cause confusion or stop a reader.
I know the NY Times and AP love slapping the apostrophe on everything, but these are neither contractions or possessives. So, why clutter?

 

Yes, I do. But I've seen it done both ways, and was curious what everyone thought.

Why be a jerk about it?

Obviously others didn't know, either.

 

The Oakland As (The World Turns)?

 

Athletics -> A's.

Though I can see using an apostrophe for vowels to make sure it's clear - it was never something I considered. I'm still a fan of using Js or Ps or Ws, but of course, I'd certainly try to write it another way.

Unless we want to go "Exxes and Ohs"

 

I realize nothing in life is absolute, but we are journalists, and our Bible is the stylebook. I wasn't aware that information in the stylebook was up for debate. If we don't go by our guidelines, then we have no rules.

It's X's and O's.

Period. End. Of. Story.

 

That's actually not entirely true. The AP makes yearly revisions to the Stylebook, and though I wish I had mine here instead of in the basement to look it up, I know a co-worker who often writes the offices to make suggestions on style. I believe they've discussed two or three in further detail with him in recent years.

 

Well, duh, I'm aware the stylebook gets changed and updated. But X's and O's have not been changed.

 

I'm not being a jerk. It's that the stylebook is rather clear on this one, it's something that could easily be found in 30 seconds, and your original post didn't ask for opinions on various styles.

 

For the most part, bigger papers have their own style guide.
So, there is not definitive answer as your post declares.