Goldilocks zone
colloquial noun phrase

- the best or most favourable position or location for a certain action to occur

- the zone around a star where a planet could experience temperatures like those on Earth, allowing for the possible existence of liquid water and of life

YourDictionary

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PHRASE ORIGIN

In the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, like Baby Bear’s porridge which is neither too hot nor too cold, the temperatures on Earth are optimum for life. This ensures the existence of water and life because if we were too close to the sun, the planet would dry up. If we were too far away, the water would freeze. For this reason, we live in the so-called Goldilocks zone.

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THE SWEET SPOT

Goldilocks zone is meanwhile used in a more generic sense to describe something perfectly placed between two extremes, as in this car review:

"The Canyon’s ride feels identical to that of the Chevrolet Colorado. In both cases engineers found the Goldilocks zone. The ride is neither too hard over bumps, nor too floaty and bouncy when the pavement gets wavy."

Edmunds Car Shopping

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SYNONYMS

- optimum, suitable in the most precise manner

24-karat, A-1, A-grade, a cut above the rest, bang-up, best-case (-quality), best ever (possible), beyond compare, big, big-league, big-ticket, blue-ribbon, boffo, bully, bumper, champion, cherry-picked, choicest, consummate, corking, crackerjack, cracking, dynamite, eminent, exemplary, fab, fabulous, first-class, first-line, first-rate, first-string, five-star, flawless, front-page, gilt-edge(d), grade-A, highest-quality, highest-ranking (quality), illustrious, imperial, incomparable, industry leading, inimitable, jim-dandy, just right, loftiest, major-league, matchless, most excellent (outstanding, prominent), number-one, numero uno, of the first order (water), of the highest quality, one-in-a-million, on the button (money), out-of-sight, par excellence, peerless, perfect, pre-eminent, reigning, ruling, sans pareil, second to none, singular, sovereign, supereminent, superfine, superlative, supernal, tip-top, top-class (-drawer, -end, -grade, -hole, -notch, -range, -quality, -ranking, -shelf, -tier), top-of-the-line, topflight, topmost, tops, unassailable, unbeatable, unbeaten, unequalled, unexcelled, unmatched, unparalleled, unprecedented, unrivalled, unsurpassed, up to snuff, without equal, wizard, world-class, worthiest

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“We are surrounded by products in a GOLDILOCKS ZONE – they’re useful, sophisticated, reliable, cheap and immediately available! But is that a blessing or a curse?”

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HERZLICHEN DANK to all readers helping me keep OWAD alive with single or monthly donations at:

https://donorbox.org/please-become-a-friend-of-owad-3

and,

Paul Smith, IBAN: DE75 7316 0000 0002 5477 40