^yeah, this

( broadsword now that's fresh, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 9:43, 1 reply)

Is it an English North-South thing?
North seems to spell it puff, and Southern softies spell it poof?
(tom.joad, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 9:50, closed)

Think so, yes
and as is so often the case, the South is correct.
( broadsword now that's fresh, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 9:52, closed)

It's probably because Northerners
pronounce puff as poof with their dirty accents.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 10:48, closed)

We should pity the poor deprived Northerners
The locals up here suffer from a vowel shortage, you see.

Whereas normal people have both a long U and a short U to play with, as in "put" and "cut", and a long A and short A ("paths" and "maths") Northerners have to make do with just one of each.

Maybe some kind of charity appeal is in order. But don't ask Yazz to sing.
(Vice Admiral Sir Charles Cockbrush KCB MBE DSO, who is finding it increasingly difficult to log into b3ta.com wants to duck your aunt and kick your puppy, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 11:19, closed)

In the Northern accent "puff" and "poof" sound the same,
hence the confusion.
( Moon Girl Technologies horrendous beanbag, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 10:36, closed)

Does it shite!
Poof has an OO like Typh-oo.

Puff is a much shorter vowel sounding.

Anyway, in the real north it is spelt it s-h-i-t-s-t-a-b-b-e-r
( Piper Alpha is being a grumpy northerm bastard on:, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 10:46, closed)

It depends on which northern accent, I guess.
But nevertheless, that is the reason.
( Moon Girl Technologies horrendous beanbag, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 11:19, closed)

As a proud southern softy and poof
I say yes
(BearWithLittleBrain, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 10:40, closed)

Up North,
the plural of 'poof' is the elegant 'pooves'.
(Juan Quar is clinging to her front teeth on, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 16:24, closed)