Quiz Guy John Chaneski has an inside-out puzzle that’s clued by a short sequence of letters inside a longer one. For example, what holiday contains the letters KSGI? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Inside Out Word Puzzle” You’re...
Fever is often diagnosed with an indefinite article attached—as in, you have a fever—but it was some time between the 1940s and 1960s that we added the article. And in the Southern United States, it’s still not uncommon to hear someone say they have...
Careful what you criticize! Not long ago, some words that sound perfectly normal today were considered gauche and grating on the ear. If the complainers had had their way, we couldn’t say a word like pessimism or use contact as a verb! Also, we’ll...
Father Dominic from Chicago wonders when “It’s a thing” became, well, a thing. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “It’s a Thing” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this is Father Dominic calling from Chicago. Father Dominic from...

