Recomputed word pair tables with the new cont-diword-freqs:
  
    cat .wds \
      | sed -e 's/c?m$/am/g' \
      | sed -e '/?/s/^.*$/???/g' \
      > .fix.wds
      
    cat .fix.wds \
      | sort | uniq \
      > .fix.dic
      
    cat .fix.wds \
      | enum-word-pairs \
      | count-diword-freqs -v rows=.fix.dic -v cols=.ckeys \
      > .baz
      
    tac .fix.wds \
      | sed -e '/=/d' \
      | enum-word-pairs \
      | count-diword-freqs -v rows=.fix.dic -v cols=.rkeys \
      > .bar
      
  I took all words with 8 or more occurrences, and looked at the
  probabilities "in" and "fn" of the "word" occurring at
  beginning-of-line and end-of-line, respectively.
  
  I added the two probabilities, and got the probability "ex" of each word 
  occuring at an extremal position in the line.  
  
  Here are the words, sorted by the probability "in" of being line-initial:
  
    word         freq in fn ex
    ------------ ---- -- -- --
    Poe             8 99  0 99
    8zcc8a         17 88  0 88
    zor            10 79  0 79
    azcc8a          8 74  0 74
    8ccc8a          9 66  0 66
    zoe            25 59  0 59
    Hccc8a         14 49  0 49
    zam            52 44  5 49
    Pccc8a         14 42  7 49
    aHcc8a         12 41  8 49
    8an            12 33  0 33
    zae            14 28 14 42
    zar            11 27 27 54
    aHc8a          12 24  8 32
    eoe            17 23 58 81
    zccor           9 22  0 22
    8am           100 19  8 27
    qoHccc8a       11 18  9 27
    zcoe           11 18  0 18
    8oe            17 17  0 17
    ???          1294 17 18 35
    qoHcca         81 16  3 19
    qoHcc8a       183 15  2 17
    oeHcc8a        14 14  0 14
    qoHoe          21 14  0 14
    qoHca          43 13  4 17
    qoPccc8a        8 12 12 24
    qoe            81 12 11 23
    qoeccca         8 12  0 12
    cccoe          17 11  0 11
    qoHam         200 11  2 13
    zccc8a         36 11  0 11
    oeHcca         19 10  0 10
    ccoe           11  9  0  9
    eor            10  9 39 48
    ezcc8a         21  9 14 23
    qoHan          54  9  1 10
    oeccca         12  8  8 16
    8ar            51  7  9 16
    oezcc8a        14  7 14 21
    qoHae         113  7  7 14
    qoHc8a        198  7  3 10
    Ham            16  6  0  6
    oHan           16  6 12 18
    8ae            50  5 15 20
    eccc8a         52  5 17 22
    oHcca          34  5  2  7
    zccoe          17  5  0  5
    oHc8a          83  4  3  7
    oeccc8a        23  4 26 30
    qoHar          48  4  2  6
    zcca           69  4  4  8
    zccca          23  4  0  4
    cccca          31  3  0  3
    ccc8a         172  2  6  8
    oHae           39  2 10 12
    or             40  2  7  9
    qoHa           79  2 25 27
    ccca           67  1  5  6
    8a             35  0 31 31
    Hae            10  0  9  9
    Hc8a           25  0  7  7
    Hcc8a          14  0  0  0
    aHcca           9  0  0  0
    ae             12  0 24 24
    am             20  0  9  9
    cc8a           16  0 12 12
    cccHa          12  0  0  0
    cccHc8a         8  0  0  0
    cccHca         50  0  7  7
    cccc8a         19  0 10 10
    ccccHa         12  0  0  0
    ccccHca        35  0  0  0
    cccz            8  0  0  0
    e8a             8  0 74 74
    eHam            8  0  0  0
    eHc8a           8  0  0  0
    eccca          15  0 19 19
    oHa            25  0 27 27
    oHam           76  0  3  3
    oHar           35  0  2  2
    oHca           21  0  4  4
    oHcc8a         56  0  8  8
    oHoe           11  0  0  0
    oPccc8a        14  0  7  7
    oe            127  0 12 12
    oe8a            9  0 77 77
    oeHa           10  0  0  0
    oeHam          22  0  4  4
    oeHc8a         19  0 21 21
    oea            23  0 78 78
    oeoe            8  0 49 49
    oeor           13  0 23 23
    oezcca          8  0 12 12
    qoHccca         8  0  0  0
    ram            14  0 21 21
    roe             9  0 33 33
    zca             9  0 11 11
    zcc8a         204  0  4  4
    zccHa          14  0  7  7
    zccHca         37  0  0  0
    zccHcca         8  0  0  0
    zcccHa         12  0  8  8
    zcccHca        31  0  0  0

  By the probability "fn" of being line-final:

    word         freq in fn ex
    ------------ ---- -- -- --
    oea            23  0 78 78
    oe8a            9  0 77 77
    e8a             8  0 74 74
    eoe            17 23 58 81
    oeoe            8  0 49 49
    eor            10  9 39 48
    roe             9  0 33 33
    8a             35  0 31 31
    oHa            25  0 27 27
    zar            11 27 27 54
    oeccc8a        23  4 26 30
    qoHa           79  2 25 27
    ae             12  0 24 24
    oeor           13  0 23 23
    oeHc8a         19  0 21 21
    ram            14  0 21 21
    eccca          15  0 19 19
    ???          1294 17 18 35
    eccc8a         52  5 17 22
    8ae            50  5 15 20
    ezcc8a         21  9 14 23
    oezcc8a        14  7 14 21
    zae            14 28 14 42
    cc8a           16  0 12 12
    oHan           16  6 12 18
    oe            127  0 12 12
    oezcca          8  0 12 12
    qoPccc8a        8 12 12 24
    qoe            81 12 11 23
    zca             9  0 11 11
    cccc8a         19  0 10 10
    oHae           39  2 10 12
    8ar            51  7  9 16
    Hae            10  0  9  9
    am             20  0  9  9
    qoHccc8a       11 18  9 27
    8am           100 19  8 27
    aHc8a          12 24  8 32
    aHcc8a         12 41  8 49
    oHcc8a         56  0  8  8
    oeccca         12  8  8 16
    zcccHa         12  0  8  8
    Hc8a           25  0  7  7
    Pccc8a         14 42  7 49
    cccHca         50  0  7  7
    oPccc8a        14  0  7  7
    or             40  2  7  9
    qoHae         113  7  7 14
    zccHa          14  0  7  7
    ccc8a         172  2  6  8
    ccca           67  1  5  6
    zam            52 44  5 49
    oHca           21  0  4  4
    oeHam          22  0  4  4
    qoHca          43 13  4 17
    zcc8a         204  0  4  4
    zcca           69  4  4  8
    oHam           76  0  3  3
    oHc8a          83  4  3  7
    qoHc8a        198  7  3 10
    qoHcca         81 16  3 19
    oHar           35  0  2  2
    oHcca          34  5  2  7
    qoHam         200 11  2 13
    qoHar          48  4  2  6
    qoHcc8a       183 15  2 17
    qoHan          54  9  1 10
    8an            12 33  0 33
    8ccc8a          9 66  0 66
    8oe            17 17  0 17
    8zcc8a         17 88  0 88
    Ham            16  6  0  6
    Hcc8a          14  0  0  0
    Hccc8a         14 49  0 49
    Poe             8 99  0 99
    aHcca           9  0  0  0
    azcc8a          8 74  0 74
    cccHa          12  0  0  0
    cccHc8a         8  0  0  0
    ccccHa         12  0  0  0
    ccccHca        35  0  0  0
    cccca          31  3  0  3
    cccoe          17 11  0 11
    cccz            8  0  0  0
    ccoe           11  9  0  9
    eHam            8  0  0  0
    eHc8a           8  0  0  0
    oHoe           11  0  0  0
    oeHa           10  0  0  0
    oeHcc8a        14 14  0 14
    oeHcca         19 10  0 10
    qoHccca         8  0  0  0
    qoHoe          21 14  0 14
    qoeccca         8 12  0 12
    zccHca         37  0  0  0
    zccHcca         8  0  0  0
    zccc8a         36 11  0 11
    zcccHca        31  0  0  0
    zccca          23  4  0  4
    zccoe          17  5  0  5
    zccor           9 22  0 22
    zcoe           11 18  0 18
    zoe            25 59  0 59
    zor            10 79  0 79

  By probability "ex" of being line-extreme:

    word         freq in fn ex
    ------------ ---- -- -- --
    Poe             8 99  0 99
    8zcc8a         17 88  0 88
    eoe            17 23 58 81
    zor            10 79  0 79
    oea            23  0 78 78
    oe8a            9  0 77 77
    azcc8a          8 74  0 74
    e8a             8  0 74 74
    8ccc8a          9 66  0 66
    zoe            25 59  0 59
    zar            11 27 27 54
    Hccc8a         14 49  0 49
    Pccc8a         14 42  7 49
    aHcc8a         12 41  8 49
    oeoe            8  0 49 49
    zam            52 44  5 49
    eor            10  9 39 48
    zae            14 28 14 42
    ???          1294 17 18 35
    8an            12 33  0 33
    roe             9  0 33 33
    aHc8a          12 24  8 32
    8a             35  0 31 31
    oeccc8a        23  4 26 30
    8am           100 19  8 27
    oHa            25  0 27 27
    qoHa           79  2 25 27
    qoHccc8a       11 18  9 27
    ae             12  0 24 24
    qoPccc8a        8 12 12 24
    ezcc8a         21  9 14 23
    oeor           13  0 23 23
    qoe            81 12 11 23
    eccc8a         52  5 17 22
    zccor           9 22  0 22
    oeHc8a         19  0 21 21
    oezcc8a        14  7 14 21
    ram            14  0 21 21
    8ae            50  5 15 20
    eccca          15  0 19 19
    qoHcca         81 16  3 19
    oHan           16  6 12 18
    zcoe           11 18  0 18
    8oe            17 17  0 17
    qoHca          43 13  4 17
    qoHcc8a       183 15  2 17
    8ar            51  7  9 16
    oeccca         12  8  8 16
    oeHcc8a        14 14  0 14
    qoHae         113  7  7 14
    qoHoe          21 14  0 14
    qoHam         200 11  2 13
    cc8a           16  0 12 12
    oHae           39  2 10 12
    oe            127  0 12 12
    oezcca          8  0 12 12
    qoeccca         8 12  0 12
    cccoe          17 11  0 11
    zca             9  0 11 11
    zccc8a         36 11  0 11
    cccc8a         19  0 10 10
    oeHcca         19 10  0 10
    qoHan          54  9  1 10
    qoHc8a        198  7  3 10
    Hae            10  0  9  9
    am             20  0  9  9
    ccoe           11  9  0  9
    or             40  2  7  9
    ccc8a         172  2  6  8
    oHcc8a         56  0  8  8
    zcca           69  4  4  8
    zcccHa         12  0  8  8
    Hc8a           25  0  7  7
    cccHca         50  0  7  7
    oHc8a          83  4  3  7
    oHcca          34  5  2  7
    oPccc8a        14  0  7  7
    zccHa          14  0  7  7
    Ham            16  6  0  6
    ccca           67  1  5  6
    qoHar          48  4  2  6
    zccoe          17  5  0  5
    oHca           21  0  4  4
    oeHam          22  0  4  4
    zcc8a         204  0  4  4
    zccca          23  4  0  4
    cccca          31  3  0  3
    oHam           76  0  3  3
    oHar           35  0  2  2
    Hcc8a          14  0  0  0
    aHcca           9  0  0  0
    cccHa          12  0  0  0
    cccHc8a         8  0  0  0
    ccccHa         12  0  0  0
    ccccHca        35  0  0  0
    cccz            8  0  0  0
    eHam            8  0  0  0
    eHc8a           8  0  0  0
    oHoe           11  0  0  0
    oeHa           10  0  0  0
    qoHccca         8  0  0  0
    zccHca         37  0  0  0
    zccHcca         8  0  0  0
    zcccHca        31  0  0  0

  Since there are 765 occurrences of "//" in about 6900 words, the
  expected probability of a word occuring at a specific end of a line
  is about 12%, and 24% of it occuring at either end.
    
  Taking 12% as the split point for "in" or "fn", we get the following 
  tentative categories:
  
  Extremists:

    word         freq in fn ex
    ------------ ---- -- -- --
    ???          1294 17 18 35
    eoe            17 23 58 81
    qoPccc8a        8 12 12 24
    zae            14 28 14 42
    zar            11 27 27 54

  Finalists:

    word         freq in fn ex
    ------------ ---- -- -- --
    8a             35  0 31 31
    8ae            50  5 15 20
    ae             12  0 24 24
    cc8a           16  0 12 12
    e8a             8  0 74 74
    eccc8a         52  5 17 22
    eccca          15  0 19 19
    eor            10  9 39 48
    ezcc8a         21  9 14 23
    oHa            25  0 27 27
    oHan           16  6 12 18
    oe            127  0 12 12
    oe8a            9  0 77 77
    oeHc8a         19  0 21 21
    oea            23  0 78 78
    oeccc8a        23  4 26 30
    oeoe            8  0 49 49
    oeor           13  0 23 23
    oezcc8a        14  7 14 21
    oezcca          8  0 12 12
    qoHa           79  2 25 27
    ram            14  0 21 21
    roe             9  0 33 33

  Initialists:

    word         freq in fn ex
    ------------ ---- -- -- --
    8am           100 19  8 27
    8an            12 33  0 33
    8ccc8a          9 66  0 66
    8oe            17 17  0 17
    8zcc8a         17 88  0 88
    Hccc8a         14 49  0 49
    Pccc8a         14 42  7 49
    Poe             8 99  0 99
    aHc8a          12 24  8 32
    aHcc8a         12 41  8 49
    azcc8a          8 74  0 74
    oeHcc8a        14 14  0 14
    qoHca          43 13  4 17
    qoHcc8a       183 15  2 17
    qoHcca         81 16  3 19
    qoHccc8a       11 18  9 27
    qoHoe          21 14  0 14
    qoe            81 12 11 23
    qoeccca         8 12  0 12
    zam            52 44  5 49
    zccor           9 22  0 22
    zcoe           11 18  0 18
    zoe            25 59  0 59
    zor            10 79  0 79

  Medialists:

    word         freq in fn ex
    ------------ ---- -- -- --
    cccoe          17 11  0 11
    qoHam         200 11  2 13
    zccc8a         36 11  0 11
    oeHcca         19 10  0 10
    ccoe           11  9  0  9
    qoHan          54  9  1 10
    oeccca         12  8  8 16
    8ar            51  7  9 16
    qoHae         113  7  7 14
    qoHc8a        198  7  3 10
    Ham            16  6  0  6
    oHcca          34  5  2  7
    zccoe          17  5  0  5
    oHc8a          83  4  3  7
    qoHar          48  4  2  6
    zcca           69  4  4  8
    zccca          23  4  0  4
    cccca          31  3  0  3
    ccc8a         172  2  6  8
    oHae           39  2 10 12
    or             40  2  7  9
    ccca           67  1  5  6
    Hae            10  0  9  9
    Hc8a           25  0  7  7
    Hcc8a          14  0  0  0
    aHcca           9  0  0  0
    am             20  0  9  9
    cccHa          12  0  0  0
    cccHc8a         8  0  0  0
    cccHca         50  0  7  7
    cccc8a         19  0 10 10
    ccccHa         12  0  0  0
    ccccHca        35  0  0  0
    cccz            8  0  0  0
    eHam            8  0  0  0
    eHc8a           8  0  0  0
    oHam           76  0  3  3
    oHar           35  0  2  2
    oHca           21  0  4  4
    oHcc8a         56  0  8  8
    oHoe           11  0  0  0
    oPccc8a        14  0  7  7
    oeHa           10  0  0  0
    oeHam          22  0  4  4
    qoHccca         8  0  0  0
    zca             9  0 11 11
    zcc8a         204  0  4  4
    zccHa          14  0  7  7
    zccHca         37  0  0  0
    zccHcca         8  0  0  0
    zcccHa         12  0  8  8
    zcccHca        31  0  0  0


  Note that the average line has about 10 words.  The average number
  of lines per paragraph is at most 10 (but an unknown number
  of paragraph breaks may have been lost in the transcription).
  
  Here are three explanations I can think of for a word w to have a
  marked preference for or aversion to these extremal positions:
  
    (1) Grammar: If w occurs preferably at the end of a sentence, it 
        will be often found at the end of paragraphs, which
        are a significant fraction (10% or more) of all end-of-lines.

        This effect can only boost the end-of-line probability up to
        the fraction F of sentences that end at end-of-line.  The
        extreme cases are `e8a' and `oe8a' (around 75%).  To explain
        these numbers by cause (1), it would require at least 3/4 of
        all sentences to end at end-of-line.

        Conversely, if w has preference for beginning-of-sentence,
        it will be found at end-of-line only if a paragraph 
        contains two or more sentences.

        An extreme case is `qoHam', that occurs 200 times, but only 2%
        of those occurrences are at end-of-line.  We tentatively
        conclude that at most 2% of the sentences begin one word
        before end-of-line.  If the second and subsequent sentences of
        a paragraph begin at random positions of the line, then such
        sentences are less than 20% of all sentences, and hence 80% of
        all paragraphs contain only one sentence.

    (2) Word splitting. In the VMs, words may have been split across 
        line breaks without obvious markings.  The left halves of
        split words would then show up as end-loving, begin-loathing;
        and symmetrically for ther right halves.
        
        This explanation canot account for the many end-loving words
        ending in `8a', like `eccc8a', because `8a' rarely occurs in
        the middle of a word: it is almost always final, and a few
        times initial.  Likewise, it cannot account for end-loathing
        words that begin with `qo', which appears to be strictly
        word-initial.
        
        Also, this effect cannot explain words that 
        avoid both ends of the line, like 

            Hcc8a          14
            aHcca           9
            cccHa          12
            cccHc8a         8
            ccccHa         12
            ccccHca        35
            cccz            8
            eHam            8
            eHc8a           8
            oHoe           11
            oeHa           10
            qoHccca         8
            zccHca         37
            zccHcca         8
            zcccHca        31
            
    (3) False line breaks: In a sense the opposite of (2).
        Suppose w is part of a longer word x, but the letter spacing
        is such that x is often transcribed as two or three separate
        words, one of them being w.  Then w will seem to avoid
        end-of-line, begin-of-line, or both, depending on the position
        of w in x.
        
        This effect can only explain end-avoidance, not
        end-attraction.  Also, it seems unlikely to be due to bad
        judgement by the transcribers; the word spaces in VMs are
        usually pretty clear, and anyway I only considered word breaks
        where both Friedman and Currier agreed.  So, this explanation
        only flies if the the word spaces are bogus by design.
         
  Conclusion: the most likely explanation for most
  anomalous words seems to be (1).  
  
  Posted an improved version of these comments to the "voynich" list.