spod
= S =
spoiler space
spoiler n.
[Usenet] 1. A remark which reveals
important plot elements from books or movies, thus denying the
reader (of the article) the proper suspense when reading the book
or watching the movie. 2. Any remark which telegraphs the solution
of a problem or puzzle, thus denying the reader the pleasure of
working out the correct answer (see also interesting). Either
sense readily forms compounds like `total spoiler',
`quasi-spoiler' and even `pseudo-spoiler'.
By convention, articles which are spoilers in either sense should
contain the word `spoiler' in the Subject: line, or guarantee via
various tricks that the answer appears only after several
screens-full of warning, or conceal the sensitive information via
rot13, spoiler space or some combination of these techniques.
--The Jargon File version 4.3.1, ed. ESR, autonoded by rescdsk.