What is an Efficient Phrase™?

Question

If a phrase adheres to a certain rule, then I call it an Efficient Phrase™.

Use the examples below to find the rule.

Efficient Phrases and Not Efficient Phrases

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score 19 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 29 '15 at 11:50

19

An Efficient Phrase™ is one where

each of its letters can be drawn as a single line, without lifting the pen or retracing your path. This allows the letters BCDGIJLMNOPSUVWZ. This limits the word more than it might seem because the three most common letters ETA are disallowed.

edited Jun 29 '15 at 11:50

JLee

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answered Jun 27 '15 at 03:49

xnor

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The only problem is that you can write "E", "T", and "A" without lifting your pen. You have to retrace your line though. – Klyzx Jun 27 '15 at 07:23
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@CaelanO'Toole Retracing could be considered "not efficient". – user41805 Jun 27 '15 at 07:54
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Fair enough, I'll give you that. – Klyzx Jun 27 '15 at 11:18
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You draw your A's different than I do, as I have no need to lift my pen. Also they look like stars missing a leg. – corsiKa Jul 21 '15 at 21:29

Ian MacDonald · Answer 2 · 2015-08-12T21:44:25.790

7

Perhaps it's that an 'E'fficient Phrase^tm has

no 'ETA' (estimated time of arrival).

Though I would have thought the opposite to be true.

Also,

the full list of letters that are missing are: AEFHKQRTXY, which, when rearranged, gives us TRAHKXEFQY*, a common antonym of "efficient".
_{*not a word}

edited Aug 12 '15 at 21:44

answered Jun 27 '15 at 11:44

Ian MacDonald

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What is an Efficient Phrase™?

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