What’s all tis nonsense ??

This topic has 35 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 6 February 2026 at 09:11 by Michael Gilligan.

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9 December 2025 at 16:35 #828233
Michael Gilligan
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@michaelgilligan61133
Advert

9 December 2025 at 16:37 #828237
Nigel Graham 2
Participant
@nigelgraham2
Someone trying to hack the site?
9 December 2025 at 16:48 #828238
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
Must be a Mac thing, not showing on my PC or Android
9 December 2025 at 16:52 #828239
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
I shall re-boot the iPad in the hope that it goes away !

MichaelG.
9 December 2025 at 16:53 #828240
David Ambrose
Participant
@davidambrose86182
Nor on my iPad.
9 December 2025 at 16:58 #828241
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
On 9 December 2025 at 16:53 David Ambrose Said:

Nor on my iPad.

Oh dear !

MichaelG.

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9 December 2025 at 17:58 #828251
Nigel Graham 2
Participant
@nigelgraham2
No sign of it on the original, full multimeter thread shown on my PC, which does carry all of the photographs (spider and all).

I’ve never seen any of those curious tools, either, so what social-medium is carrying the blank message panel?

(Next question… identify the little arachnid…)
9 December 2025 at 20:11 #828261
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
On 9 December 2025 at 17:58 Nigel Graham 2 Said:

[…] I’ve never seen any of those curious tools, either, so what social-medium is carrying the blank message panel? […]

This very forum, Nigel … as you will see from my screen-grabs

The curious thing is that my ‘phone displays the usual icons … so presumably the issue does not lie with either the forum software, or my account.

I remain bewildered !

MichaelG.
9 December 2025 at 20:23 #828263
Grindstone Cowboy
Participant
@grindstonecowboy
Can’t explain why they are there, but they look like standard emoticons (at least in the Apple environment). What happens if you click on them? Does it insert that emoticon into the message, or does it perform the action expected from the control that normally appears in that position?

Rob
9 December 2025 at 20:52 #828266
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
On 9 December 2025 at 20:23 Grindstone Cowboy Said:

[…] or does it perform the action expected from the control that normally appears in that position?

Rob

Yes, Rob … they just seem to be the wrong ‘labels’ on the standard set of buttons.

MichaelG.

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Edit: I should probably have mentioned that my 9.7” iPad Pro is now ‘frozen’ on iPadOS version 16.7.12
13 December 2025 at 11:52 #828603
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
This problem persists … and it’s driving me nuts !

I don’t know enough to even put a suitably-phrased question to the Artificial Intelligences … Can anyone help, please ?

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In summary: My other devices show the menu-ribbon normally

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but the iPad suddenly started displaying it like this:

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MichaelG.

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Edit:__ Apologies for the mixed scaling in those screen-grabs
13 December 2025 at 12:57 #828617
John Hinkley
Participant
@johnhinkley26699
Michael,

You could try “off-loading” the browser to temporarily remove the app whilst retaining its data and documents, then reinstalling it. This apparently clears its cache(s) which may have become corrupted and confusing the unicode translations.

I profess no expertise in trouble-shooting the iPad or other devices , just relaying a suggestion from a google search.

John
13 December 2025 at 13:15 #828627
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
Thanks, John

Strictly-speaking, Safari cannot be off-loaded, as it is embedded in the OS … BUT, your advice led me to find this:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/ipad/ipadb24579ee/ipados

… which may be the route to salvation.

MichaelG.
13 December 2025 at 13:29 #828628
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
Sadly, not … Safari profiles were introduced with iPadOS 17

🙁

MchaelG.
13 December 2025 at 18:40 #828679
John Hinkley
Participant
@johnhinkley26699
In that case, Michael, I would be tempted to download another browser – Firefox, for example – albeit only temporarily, to see if the same aberration happens in that application. After that, I don’t know!

John
13 December 2025 at 19:17 #828682
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
Any good
13 December 2025 at 19:46 #828686
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
It tells a good story, Jason… BUT

having added the Emoji keyboard, all it does is gives me the facility to directly insert the stupid things … it has made no difference to the menu ribbon

Thanks for the suggestion though.

MichaelG.

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Edit: __ Yes, Ialso shut down and re-started the iPad
13 December 2025 at 21:53 #828691
Keith Petley
Participant
@keithpetley53472
Michael,

Have you tried deleting the cache data for safari?

Settings -> Safari -> Clear History and Website Data

Keith
13 December 2025 at 22:05 #828693
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
Yes

Like everything else I have tried, it had no effect

… I am beginning to think the error is on the WordPress side.

🙁

MichaelG.
13 December 2025 at 22:21 #828697
SillyOldDuffer
Moderator
@sillyoldduffer
I think these are Icons rather than Emojis, and the cause may be a corrupt cache or cookie. Try deleting them as advised on this website. Most browsers have similar controls.

Rebooting doesn’t clear cookies should one happen to get mangled because they are stored on disc.

Although cookies usually time-expire automatically, could be a long wait, forever if the expiry date is damaged too. Zapping them manually forces the server to send a replacement.

The recent outbreak of Solar Flares, which grounded Airbus recently might be the cause. Unlike servers, laptops and workstations don’t have error correcting memory, so energetic particles occasionally cause malfunctions by flipping a bit. As do spikes on the mains, passing radio transmitters in taxis, or a neighbour running a VFD without an EMC filter!

Dave
13 December 2025 at 22:59 #828699
Keith Petley
Participant
@keithpetley53472
Michael,

Do you have any extensions loaded (an add blocker for example)?

Keith
13 December 2025 at 23:39 #828700
Grindstone Cowboy
Participant
@grindstonecowboy
Found this when searching “ios showing emoticons instead of links”

“This issue may occur if the iPhone cannot find the specific icon associated with a CSS class name, causing it to default to emoji icons instead. Clearing the cache in your browser or app may help resolve this problem.”

Rob
14 December 2025 at 09:43 #828713
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
On 13 December 2025 at 22:59 Keith Petley Said:

Michael,

Do you have any extensions loaded (an add blocker for example)?

Keith

Loaded/Unloaded … tried both, makes no odds

MichaelG.
14 December 2025 at 09:49 #828715
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
On 13 December 2025 at 23:39 Grindstone Cowboy Said:

Found this when searching “ios showing emoticons instead of links”

“This issue may occur if the iPhone cannot find the specific icon associated with a CSS class name, causing it to default to emoji icons instead. Clearing the cache in your browser or app may help resolve this problem.”

Rob

Thanks, Rob

… I have already cleared the cache by every means known to me.

When I’ve finished watching LauraK, I will study Dave’s note.

MichaelG.
14 December 2025 at 10:18 #828716
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
On 13 December 2025 at 22:21 SillyOldDuffer Said:

I think these are Icons rather than Emojis, and the cause may be a corrupt cache or cookie. Try deleting them as advised on this website. […]

The fact that I don’t even know for sure what to call them is one of the reasons that I’m struggling to find advice !

It appears that a set of Icons has been replaced by a set of Apple Emojis

[would this qualify as ‘font substitution’ ? … and could a missing font be the underlying problem ?]

… The functionality remains.

Your link, Dave, only describes what I have already done.

🙁

MichaelG.
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