A screw for a plasticating apparatus, the screw comprising: a longitudinal axis, the screw being rotatably supportable in a barrel for rotation about the longitudinal axis, the screw having a core and at least one helical flight extending along a length of the screw, the helical flight radially extending from and winding around the core in a first threaded direction defining a first helical path having a first helix angle less than ninety degrees; the first helix angle being relative to the longitudinal axis; the helical flight defining a helical channel; and a longitudinal portion of the screw having a plurality of advancing grooves with each having at least one closed-end, the plurality of advancing grooves being arranged in a noncontinuous helix cut in the screw core in the helical channel of the screw, the plurality of advancing grooves being dimensioned to receive material therein as the material is conveyed by forming a forward helical pathway in the helical channel for conveying material along the at least one helical flight the advancing grooves being parallel to and having the same helical pitch and the same helix angle as the forward helical flight through the helical channel the longitudinal portion further having a plurality of noncontinuous cross-cut grooves (37C, 37N) traversing at least one advancing groove; the plurality of cross-cut grooves (37C, 37N) comprising at least one first cross cut groove being oriented in the first threaded direction common to that of the helical flight having a second helix angle (H2, H2', H2"), characterized by the plurality of cross-cut grooves further comprising at least one second cross-cut groove oriented in a neutral direction parallel to the longitudinal axis and having a third helix angle, wherein the first helix angle, the second helix angle (H2, H2', H2"), and the third helix angle are different. a longitudinal axis, the screw being rotatably supportable in a barrel for rotation about the longitudinal axis, the screw having a core and at least one helical flight extending along a length of the screw, the helical flight radially extending from and winding around the core in a first threaded direction defining a first helical path having a first helix angle less than ninety degrees; the first helix angle being relative to the longitudinal axis; the helical flight defining a helical channel; and a longitudinal portion of the screw having a plurality of advancing grooves with each having at least one closed-end, the plurality of advancing grooves being arranged in a noncontinuous helix cut in the screw core in the helical channel of the screw, the plurality of advancing grooves being dimensioned to receive material therein as the material is conveyed by forming a forward helical pathway in the helical channel for conveying material along the at least one helical flight the advancing grooves being parallel to and having the same helical pitch and the same helix angle as the forward helical flight through the helical channel the longitudinal portion further having a plurality of noncontinuous cross-cut grooves (37C, 37N) traversing at least one advancing groove; the plurality of cross-cut grooves (37C, 37N) comprising at least one first cross cut groove being oriented in the first threaded direction common to that of the helical flight having a second helix angle (H2, H2', H2"), characterized by the plurality of cross-cut grooves further comprising at least one second cross-cut groove oriented in a neutral direction parallel to the longitudinal axis and having a third helix angle, wherein the first helix angle, the second helix angle (H2, H2', H2"), and the third helix angle are different.