This App Named Every Single Square Metre Of Malta And The Codenames Are Scarily Accurate
An app that assigns three random words to every single 3×3 metre square on the entire planet has some weirdly accurate results for some of Malta’s hot spots – and they are hilarious.
What3Words is a geocoding app designed to replace the 16-digit codes of latitude and longitude that are currently used for geolocating places around the world.
Dividing the world into 57 trillion 3×3 metre squares that are named using three totally random words, the app is already being used for various services.
In Mongolia, the postal service has found a unique but perfect application for the app, and even the ever-popular travel guidebook Lonely Planet are using it to tag interesting locations in their travel guides. The British police themselves are even using it to save lives, according to the BBC.
Chris Sheldrick, the app’s founder, designed it after working in the music industry for 10 years, having trouble coordinating bands to specific entrances of venues.
I kinda get it, I mean, you can search for Wembley stadium on Google Maps, but you can’t exactly search for Wembley stadium gate 243-C.
The BBC reported yesterday that the police used the app to find a group of women lost in a forest. A 3×3 metre square called “Kicked. Converged. Soccer.” is way more specific than “I’m in the forest near a tree.”
So we downloaded the app and tested out a few of Malta’s hotspots – here are some of the best of our finds.
1. Kastilja
Codename: Brightly.Pleasing.Juices.
I mean, who could forget Joseph Muscat featuring on a ‘hottest heads of state’ list?
2. Parliament
Codename: Richest.Melons.Lobbed.
Scrolling around the building, the place also includes squares named cheater.prepared.words., money.forever.crop. and coffee.sheep.hotspot. We’re starting to suspect this app has some sort of political commentary filter.
3. Serkin
Codename: Below.Gets.Surgical.
Serkin – for all your hangover food and black-market-kidney-replacement needs.
4. Valletta Bus Terminus
Codename: Tractor.Estimate.Fire
Well, they obviously haven’t updated this one since the Arriva days.
5. Dar Ċentrali (PN Headquarters)
Codename: Ignoring.Remake.Trees.
Dar Ċentrali, informing us of the policies PN will be pushing next election.
6. Mile End (PL Headquarters)
Codename: Tender.Title.Passport.
And Mile End, hitting us with Labour’s PR strategies.
7. The Archbishop’s Curia
Codename: Slap.Supple.Kinks
No comment.
8. Il-Monument
Codename: Polluting.Pioneers.Committed.
All I’m gonna say is, it’d be way more appropriate if we moved the Luqa Monument to a Central Link roundabout.
9. Nadur
Codename: Migraines.Playlist.Festoons.
Well, that basically sums up the carnival, doesn’t it?
Jokes aside, the What3Words is actually pretty useful for finding off-road locations, and it’ll really take the hassle out of finding your friends on the beach if you’re late to a barbecue.