Q. You might have heard that ‘parasocial’ is Cambridge Dictionary’s 2025 recipient of word of the year. Its meaning? The vivid ‘relationship’ a person feels with someone they don’t actually know, such as a celebrity, a bot, or a fictional character. ‘Oh, Kate. What has Hal done now?!’ What kind

Q. As holiday season and buffet-rich ‘of course they will’ romance movies abound, one key question arises: what exactly are mince or mincemeat pies? Plenty of people who have eaten them at holiday parties aren’t so sure. . A. We see mince pies featured in multi-layer meaning nursery rhymes: Little

Q. Which film and TV scores do you particularly enjoy? Would you listen to the music on its own, or only in its screen context. Looking across the decades, which scores do renowned film and TV composers respect and enjoy the most? . A. BBC Classical Music asked 60 top

Q. Where is your ideal setting for a first date? How much external distraction do you favour – a full-on show vs. some built-in distractions just in case conversation runs dry? Are you looking for a setting with high romantic cues, or a neutral setting that could fit all manner

Q. We remember and offer our deepest respect to those who serve. As we watch Remembrance Day services, we see red poppies on uniforms, on jackets, on wreaths. How did the poppy come to represent those who have fallen in service of their country?   A. We turn to Veterans

Q. The suitcase slog, the airport crush, the churning boats, the bumpy, endless flights. It’s easy to find plenty of reasons to moan as we voyage cross sea and sky. Once again, however, the animals put us in our place. Which of them have the most impressive migration journeys? .

Q. “This is true.” 🫠 Those were three words that invoked instant cringe in my twenty-something brain. No deep reason for the loathing; now I must flee. Are there any much-used phrases that you cannot bear? What do others think? . A. In one survey, Preply asked 2,007 people  across

Q. As we look forward to National Candy day tomorrow (🩷): what are some Canadian-born sweets? 🇨🇦 . A. What does it say about our culture that we are the inventors of a gum whose tagline reads: ‘It still tastes like soap’? They may think us mad, but many of

Q. A window to the soul? Poets, lyricists, and spies have gushed over all that can be learned from reading the eyes. What are some examples of paintings where the subject’s eyes are particularly compelling? What do their expressions say to you? . A. . Leonardo da Vinci. Salvator Mundi.

Q. “Trick or treat!” With each new open door came chatty adults – some beghouled – and new household noises, smells, and Halloween lighting. If we were lucky, friendly dogs would come bounding up to meet us. But, one key question remained: what would these strangers drop in our goodie