The edit distance form work to zork is 1.

For this, and because of tab completions (perhaps tab completions post-date zork, but nonetheless) I find the work:zork story compelling. I have used the first letter is replaced by "z" trick many times (z-tab, done!), and that pre-dated any contemplation of the zork mystery.

Ah, but there are plenty of folk etymologies which, although they make a lot of logical sense, aren't true.

Also, W and Z are switched in the AZERTY keyboard. So maybe someone mistyped work on the wrong layout??