Q. Now that we’re into May, summer vacation days are peeking over the horizon. Where are the places that we’re dreaming that we can visit as we take a break from work, from school? . A. In digging into Google’s ample data – which includes flight and accommodation searches –

Q. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We’ll see joyous green everywhere today – on clothes, on plates, in glasses. Sure there is green on the tri-striped Irish flag, but why the green and why today? After all, St. Patrick’s official colour is blue. . A. The green on the Irish National

Q. What is the official motto for your country? . A. Chances are that you can identify the flags, national anthems, signature foods and most popular sports of a number of countries. But what about the neglected national mottos? Country Motto Challenge How many of these mottos can you link

Q. What are some of the many luck-inspired superstitions centred around pennies? . A. One thing is for certain: there are a lot. Here in Canada, you better hold on tight to the pennies you have. Our Royal Mint stopped making the ‘costs more to make one than have one’

Q. ‘Gird your loins.’ Do you hear Stanley Tucci voicing that phrase? I certainly do. Boss Miranda Priestly, aka the incredible Meryl Streep, is foot out of the car, eyes on the elevator, and soon to thunder into the offices of Runway Magazine. “Why is no one REAdy?” Tucci as

Q. Why are there so many superstitions around travelling? Which ones have deep historic roots? . A. With all of the mystery and unpredictability of travel, it is no wonder that it has attracted so many superstitions. Anything for an illusion of control. Many clutch their lucky talismans in ever-squishier planes,

Q. One thing is for sure: this is not how most of us would want to be described. ‘Dull as dishwater’. Dirty, dish-soiled water moves quickly from dull to disgusting. Of all the possible representations of dullness, how did dishwater find its way into the back of this idiom? .

Q. Well, that one horrid thing happened. And now, there’s the threat of more grief to follow. Murder hornets, you say. There’s a well-used expression to describe this feeling of impending doom: ‘Waiting for the other shoe to drop’.  But, why shoes? Where does that phrase originate? . A. Have

Q. What are some forgotten idioms that are well-suited to our odd times? . A. We scanned the Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms (because, you know, rabbit hole …) to find old-fashioned sayings that could be revived for life as we currently know it. In our words … . .

Q. Which country chose the unicorn as their national animal? And how did that come to be? . A. Hint: In the historically rooted language of the area, the unicorn is known as: aon-adharcach. . Gustave Moreau. Les Licornes. 1887 . ‘Aon-adharcach’ is the Gaelic word for unicorn. The mythical