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Many times new users do not know how to correctly hide spoilers by using the corresponding tag (>!). They often just write something like "SPOILER ALERT" or some variant. One user attempted to obfuscate the spoiler by writing it backwards.

If these people knew there was a better way of showing spoilers, I'm sure they would use it. I suggest that when the editor detects the word "Spoiler" in an answer/question, it pops up something at the top telling the user how to use spoilers

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  • (not a serious comment) I have a question about adding custom parts to my car in Super Race Game...
    – Kevin
    Jan 3, 2014 at 2:00
  • I was thinking of something like the editing help box where it goes above the textbox, so people won't be disturbed by it @Kevin Jan 3, 2014 at 4:01
  • That's what it sounded like to me, and I think it's a great idea! I just wanted to make a really bad pun. =P
    – Kevin
    Jan 3, 2014 at 4:11
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    I'm tempted to ask the question "How can we stop people from using the spoiler tags?" Unnecessary spoiler tags drive me insane.
    – Sterno
    Jan 6, 2014 at 20:19
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    @Sterno better safe than sorry Jan 7, 2014 at 0:27
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    The best way to encourage more proper use is to make it more obvious its available
    – l I
    Jan 16, 2014 at 20:54
  • @spartacus I agree, my proposal would have it so that new users are informed of the feature. I don't even think there's a button in the toolbar for it. Jan 17, 2014 at 0:37

2 Answers 2

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I don't think we need a separate solution for this.

When you encounter a post that should obviously be spoilered, you can just edit in the spoiler tag yourself and leave a comment for the user.

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    What if it is a spoiler for you, the editor? Granted, if you dont' want things spoiled you might want to avoid reading questions about that game in the first place, but if we're going to have this discussion, it's a valid concern.
    – Zibbobz
    Jan 9, 2014 at 18:07
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    @Zibbobz Or, even worse, the spoilers presented are not at all related to the game(s) tagged in the question, like one I ran into a while back re: Bioshock 1 and Bioshock Infinite. Jan 16, 2014 at 17:47
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Good spoiler etiquitte also dictates that if you ARE going to be posting spoiler information, and you know what it's spoiling, you warn the person in your answer AND use the spoiler tag. Like this:


Here is my answer, note that it contains spoilers for the Prequel in Scene 3, Part 2, when playing as the combo platter chef.

I have no idea what kind of spoiler would include a combo platter chef, but this spoiler is explicitly part of that scene.

If I can, I include the answer to the question here without spoiling it, but if the spoiler is an intrinsic part of the answer, you'll find it in there.

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    This meta question is primarily targeting new users and is asking how to show that there's an easier way. I'm pretty sure it's already consensus that spoilers should be in the spoiler tag...
    – Schism
    Jan 16, 2014 at 22:05
  • @Schism I know that. This is a suggestion that, along with that, spoiler tags should be identified outside the tag.
    – Zibbobz
    Jan 17, 2014 at 2:10

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