I mainly use it flicking between tabs to set ad hoc timers after browsing nextfilm.uk (sometimes replacing SD versions imported from ye olde Topfield).
Well, beggar me, I can't have looked very far! I've been unnecessarily switching between the old & new interfaces for months. I've occasionally tried to get my head around the lay of E2/openvix components - and even decompiled a couple of likely looking python files - but I knew I was blowing against the wind.switching off include description ends up with no hits.
Anyway, just to confirm: on the OpenWebif 'modern' interface (only), if EPG Search "include description" is enabled, all searches fail. (If not, they don't).
Thanks for the replies.