WHAT ABOUT HYPHENS?

“What about hyphens?”
“Uh?”
“Does a hyphenated word count as one or two?”
“One. Two.” She sighed. “Whatever.”
“It really matters,” he said, agitated. “If it’s one, I’ve got forty-nine words. If it’s two, I’ve got fifty-one.” “What about numbers?” she asked, mischievously. 49? 51? Now he was really worried.

© Tim Footman 2001