### Moving either version should break the spell, at a DM's discretion

As [Jack points out][1], *Glyph of Warding* has nearly the same language. The designer intent of this language (for *Glyph of Warding*) as [shared by Mike Mearls in a tweet][3] was:

> if you can move it, it's an object can can't [sic] go more than 10 feet from casting point

Presumably this means; "If you can move the thing it is cast on, then it is an object and thus cannot go more than 10 feet from the casting point"

[As Thomas inferred][4], in practical terms the surface is the option that cannot be moved, so you need the movement clause for only the object case.

However, as a table would normally [qualify as an object under game term definitions][5], this caused problems and confusion. 

*Glyph* is much more heavily played<sup>1</sup> and thus has been a source of these questions, while *Symbol* has not. Its language has [been errata'ed in 2016][2] to include the following sentence:

> If the **surface or object is moved** more than 10 feet from where you cast this spell, the glyph is broken, and the spell ends without being triggered 

The errata solved the issue by making sure movement breaks the spell regardless of what it is cast on. So why did they not apply the same errata to *Symbol*?

One could argue that *Symbol* is much higher level, and therefore moving it is an option that was consciously left in. Because frankly, you can upcast *Glyph* to any level and cause effects with it that are just as nasty as *Symbol*'s, so what is the point of *Symbol* at 5 times the gp cost, to conserve an extra slot when prepping the effect? 

Or, leaving out the movement clause could simply have been an oversight, as *Symbol* did not come up. We cannot know for sure. 

Strictly as written, you could move it if you chose the surface option. That makes little logical sense, as you point out yourself. So, you as the DM need to decide how you want this to play out. 

Personally, I think the lack of errata was just an oversight, and **you should play it as if it would also break on surfaces when moved**, but you can decide against it and follow the text. 

P.S. If you really wanted them to bring pre-cast *symbols* along, they could cast them on the [surface walls of a portable hole][6] or [Demiplane][7]. I think these are pretty "gamey" tactics, though.

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<sup>1</sup> *[90% of play happens in tier 1 and 2][8], where players can use *Glyph* but not yet *Symbol*.* 


  [1]: https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/199307/do-i-understand-the-difference-between-the-two-versions-of-symbol-and-why-would/199309#199309
  [2]: https://media.wizards.com/2016/downloads/DND/PH-Errata.pdf
  [3]: https://twitter.com/mikemearls/status/750393751214764032
  [4]: https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/199307/do-i-understand-the-difference-between-the-two-versions-of-symbol-and-why-would/199310#199310
  [5]: https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/95532/what-is-considered-an-object
  [6]: https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/113708/can-the-portable-hole-magic-item-be-used-to-get-around-the-10-foot-movement-rest
  [7]: https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/demiplane
  [8]: https://www.enworld.org/threads/90-of-d-d-games-stop-by-level-10-wizards-more-popular-at-higher-levels.666097/