When nothing comes back

An empty page and an error panel are different things. The empty page means the search ran and nothing passed your filters. The error panel means the search did not run at all. Each has its own fixes.

The empty page

It is headed No results for "..." with your search, and says "Your search returned no results with the current filters. Try adjusting them below." Under it, an "Adjust Your Search" card holds the library chips, the year range (blank boxes search every year) and the result count, with a "Search Again with New Filters" button, and three suggested searches to try instead.

If your search used TOPIC:, the page adds a reminder that the name must match a topic exactly, best picked from the suggestions under the search box, and that the scriptures and the Apocrypha are not tagged.

The usual causes

• A library is switched off. Interpreter and the Apocrypha are off unless you turn them on, and any chip you switched off earlier stays off. See Choosing libraries and years.
• A year range hides it. Every year is searched by default, but a range you set in this tab holds dated documents to it. The line above the results shows the range, highlighted; click "Change" and clear the Time Period boxes.
• The name matches nobody. A SPEAKER: or AUTHOR: name that matches no one returns nothing. Check the spelling, or pick the person from the suggestions.
• The topic is not an exact name. TOPIC: accepts only a topic's exact name, and two topics together require documents tagged with both.
• An INCLUDE is too strict. Every result must come from a document that also carries each INCLUDE phrase. Drop one, or loosen its wording.
• A quoted phrase that nothing contains. Quotes require the words exactly, so a misremembered line finds nothing. Use only the words you are sure of. Curly quotes from a phone keyboard count only when the phrase is the whole search; elsewhere, use straight quotes. See Exact phrases with quotes.
• The Accuracy Score is too high. Under Settings, Advanced, a high score keeps only very close matches. Lower it for more cards.

If none of those apply, the wording may be the problem. Rephrasing as a plain question often helps; see Asking by meaning.

The error panel

A panel headed "The search didn't go through" carries one of these messages. Most come with a "Try again" button that runs the same search once more.

• "Search is busy. Please wait a few seconds and try again." Searches are limited to one every three seconds. The tool waits and retries once by itself, showing "Search is busy, retrying…". If results were already on screen they stay, and this message appears as a small notice instead of the panel.
• "Search is at capacity for today. Please try again later." The site has a daily limit on searches shared by everyone, and it has been reached. Changing your search will not help; try again later.
• "The search could not be run. Try a shorter or simpler query." An operator's value was over 100 characters. Shorten it. (The search box itself stops at 500 characters, so a long paste is cut rather than refused.) This panel has no "Try again" button.
• "Network error. Please check your connection and try again." Your browser could not reach the site. The tool retries once on its own; after that, check your connection and try again.
• "Something went wrong on our side. Please try again." A fault on the server. The tool retries once on its own; if the panel still shows, wait a little and try again.

Notices before a search is sent

Two brief notices stop a search before it starts. "Select at least one library to search." means every library chip is off; switch one on. "Add a word or phrase to search for alongside the filter." means the box holds only a person filter or an exclusion, with nothing to search for; add the words you are looking for.