Q. ‘Un’ words can seem unforgivably lazy. First, we invent a treasure cave of words. Then, we just slap ‘un’ on a bunch of them and claim the opposite meaning. Voila! Forgiving. Unforgiving. Grateful. Ungrateful. But, un words can also be unabashedly harsh. What are some of the most unencouraging

Q. What is a Semordnilap? And what are some examples? . A. A Semordnilap is a two for one word: that’s one word when you read it forwards, and an altogether different word when you read it backwards. Any idea how they got this odd name? Answer at the bottom.

Q. Do you have a favourite emoji? Maybe an ambiguous facial expression or innocent fruit that fills in your blanks just right. Do you use different emojis in and outside work? And how do your emoji preferences compare to others? . A. In a 2021 survey of 7,000 emoji users

Q. For decades, cooks, bartenders, and derring-do diners have been rating the hotness of peppers with the Scoville scale. But what is the Scoville Scale and how was it developed? . A. We know that the Trinidad Scorpion rates near the top of the scale with a hotness rating of

Q. What was your dream job when you were a child? How does that compare to the dreams of your peers? . A. A well-tooled detective who could avoid violence and make it home for tea at two? Sign me up. In a recent survey of 2000 American adults, Zety

Q. We’ve been waiting on them for centuries now, but what exactly are tenterhooks? . A. Thankfully, they are not as grisly as one might imagine. For those who haven’t heard the phrase, being ‘on tenterhooks’ means that you’re on edge, nervous, waiting painfully to find something out, or to

Q. “At this time, we invite you to turn off all cell phones, smart watches, tablets, electronic devices..” Before cell phones became omnipresent, what sounds were most likely to interrupt on stage performances? . A. There have long been ill-timed coughs, crackling candy wrappers, and livestock who love themselves an

Q. Why do people differ so much about dolls? Love dolls, hate dolls. Treasure my doll, creeped out by your doll. . A. There are some who find all dolls creepy. Pick up a doll couture magazine in the store and watch people back away slowly.  Those who experience extreme,

Q. For all the random things we keep, there are those childhood toys we only wish we still had. Toys that you’d like to share with young children in your life now. Toys that you’d like to sneak a play with yourself. What are the most coveted childhood toys? .

Q. As we prepare for some more unbelievably warm weather, it’s time to stock the freezer. What are Canada’s favourite ice-cream flavours? . A. Well, time will tell in a month or two for this particular heat wave. But, the flavour that fascinated us most in 2020? Banana. This according