Mistake in print

[Glizdka]

I'm looking for a phrase that would mean that all the answers in an exercise provided by the author of a textbook are incorrect because they, for instance, have made a typo or missed a word. Would mistake in print work?

"It seems there's a mistake in print. The answer key says B is the correct answer, but I don't think it's correct. In fact, I think all the answers are incorrect!"

---

Where _______?

A) those photos were taken
B) those photos taken
C) have been taking those photos
D) those photos have been taken

Answer key: B

---

The example comes from Grammar Sense published by Oxford University Press.

The author probably meant B to be were those photos taken.

 

[GoesStation]

I'm looking for a phrase that would mean that all the answers in an exercise provided by the author of a textbook are incorrect because they, for instance, have made a typo or missed a word. Would mistake in print work?

No. The only common word I can think of is typo. It's short for "typographical error".

 

[Glizdka]

Hmmm... Crossword clue finders, such as this one, offered me mistake in print. I thought I was onto something.

I don't like typo. I know what it means, and it's not what I want. Any other suggestions, even if they completely rephrase the sentence in OP?

 

[probus]

Such errors used to be called errata, the plural of the Latin erratum. With physical typesetting now obsolete there are far fewer errors of that kind making it into print.

 

[emsr2d2]

"I think a word has been omitted from answer choice B."

 

[5jj]

With physical typesetting now obsolete there are far fewer errors of that kind making it into print.

moSt fo the tim!

 

[GoesStation]

Crossword clue finders, such as this one, offered me mistake in print. I thought I was onto something.

Crossword clues are often awkward, unusual rephrasings of common words. This is a good example.

Typographical error is a more formal phrase. Why don't you like it?

 

[Glizdka]

Typographical error is a more formal phrase. Why don't you like it?

I don't like typo because it suggests the mistake is the result of a fumble, as in "I;m, vrry bad at tyoing; I'm slopey". Even though typographical error sounds fancier, it's still the same kind of deal - a mechanical error.

I don't want something that would suggest the mistake is simply because the writer's hands didn't cooperate with their brain. When making exercises, it's extremely difficult to remain vigilant of every single mistake because the point of these exercises is that there are numerous intentionally incorrect answers among much fewer correct ones. I'd like an expression that would suggest the author has simply forgotten to include a correct answer among plentiful incorrect answers. Am I looking for a unicorn?

 

[GoesStation]

You've described an oversight. Does that word work?

 

[Glizdka]

You've described an oversight. Does that word work?

I suppose, but I'd rather it be more specific to the situation. Oversight applies to a much wider variety of contexts.

 

[jutfrank]

I don't think this is a printing error. It's probably an error at the editing/proofreading stage, as the editor/proofer should have spotted that the word were is missing.

I suppose I'd call it a proofing error.

 

[probus]

That is why Private Eye has always referred to The Guardian as The Grauniad.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hmmm... Crossword clue finders, such as this one, offered me mistake in print. I thought I was onto something.

I don't like typo. I know what it means, and it's not what I want. Any other suggestions, even if they completely rephrase the sentence in OP?

Yes, the name for a mistake in print is typo (or the never-used erratum). It's not called a mistake in print — that's not natural — but it could be called, for instance, an editing error or just a mistake.

Not many people know what erratum means. Typo is a perfectly good, commonly used word, and it's exactly right for the meaning you want: a mistake in a written text.

So why don't you like it or want it?

 

[tedmc]

"Typo" sounds good. It doesn't sound like an mistake though it is an inadvertent error.

 

[Glizdka]

Seems like I trying to find a word that either doesn't exist or nobody would know what it means anyway even if it does exist.

Thank you.

 

[slevlife]

"It seems there's a mistake in print. The answer key says B is the correct answer, but I don't think it's correct. In fact, I think all the answers are incorrect!"

Just to add another opinion...

I agree with the others that "mistake in print" doesn't work here. First, it sounds to me like an error that originated from the printing or production process. I would probably jump to the assumption that you're referring to an error in the text, but still it's unclear what you mean specifically.

The suggestion of "proofing error" is a good one but is fairly narrow. It implies the error was made by a proofer/editor rather than the author.

I also share your concern about the word "typo". It's almost certainly fine to use it in this case, but it does imply a relatively small and specific kind of error like misspelling/omitting/duplicating a word, or unintentionally using the wrong word. It doesn't refer to any possible kind an error/mistake in the text.

If I wanted to make that distinction, I'd say something like "the author made an error" or "there's an error in the text".

 

[Tdol]

Printing error