The structural and electronic properties of Pt induced nanowires on Ge(110) surfaces have been studied by scanning tunneling microscopy and low energy electron microscopy. The deposition of a sub-monolayer amount of Pt and subsequent annealing at 1100 (+/- 30) K results into nanowires which are aligned along the densely packed [1-10] direction of the Ge(110) surface. With increasing Pt coverage the nanowires form densely packed arrays with separations of 1.1 +/- 0.1 nm, 2.0 +/- 0.1 nm and 3.4 +/- 0.1 nm. Ge pentagons reside in the troughs for nanowire separations of 3.4 nm, however for smaller nanowire separations no pentagons are found. Spatially resolved scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements reveal a filled electronic state at -0.35 eV. This electronic state is present in the troughs as well as on the nanowires. The -0.35 eV state has the strongest intensity on the pentagons. For Pt depositions exceeding two mono layers, pentagon free nanowire patches are found, that coexist with Pt/Ge clusters. Upon annealing at 1040 K these Pt/Ge clusters become liquid-like, indicating that we are dealing with eutectic Pt-0.22 Ge-0.78 clusters. Low energy electron microscopy videos reveal the formation and spinodal decomposition of these eutectic Pt/Ge clusters. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.