Oh man, the lint filter is like a black hole for socks. I swear I've lost more socks there than in the actual wash. Once I found a whole mismatched pair wedged behind it, and I was just happy to see them again. It's like my dryer is secretly saving socks for later, which is pretty funny. But yeah, checking that spot is solid advice, even if it makes me feel a bit silly for not noticing sooner.
Your disappearing sock saga hits close to home. I spent ages thinking my dryer was eating clothes until I found the same hidden spot. That lint filter trap is no joke, I've pulled out so many strays from there. It's a weird mix of relief and annoyance when you solve it. Now I just laugh when a sock goes missing, knowing it's probably hiding in plain sight.