Google no longer accepts the + operator.  If I attempt to use the + operator, I get the following message:The + operator has been replaced.To search for an exact word or phrase, use double quotation marks: <query>Why has Google replaced the + operator, now requiring double quotes to search for an exact word or phrase instead?Related, but not a duplicate: Forced words in Google search query are being ignored, plus no longer working as explicit inclusionEdit: Google now silently ignores the +, producing results that are no different than without the +.  A warning is no longer issued.
Why did Google replace the + operator?
search;google search
Perhaps this is because when linking to Google+ members the + is a prefix to the member name.See, e.g, Google Kills Its Other Plus, and How to Bring It Back on Wired:Google wouldnt disclose exactly why they phased it out, though it seems obvious that theyre paving the way for Google+ profile searches. When Google+ launched, instead of adopting Twitters @reply syntax, they coined their own format for mentioning people  adding a plus to the beginning of a name  triggering the future conflict with the + operator.