NOTES & QUERIES

Putting a wild new spin on why class divides us all

What do the terms “working class” and “middle class” mean?

I know two ways to ascertain class: 1) whether you shower before or after work; 2) what time you open your presents on Christmas Day – the earlier you open them the more working class you are. Elizabeth Creasy Molieres, France

• That the “upper class” is idle and peripheral. Graham Farr Melbourne, Australia

• You’re middle class if you put the word “wild” in front of gentle hobbies, to make them appear more exciting. Hectormandarin via theguardian.com

• Nobody outside the UK knows what these terms mean.

Dr HLC Hermans Mantgum, Netherlands • In pandemics the former go to work with tools and a mask, while the latter stay at home with a computer and coffee.

Neville Williamson Kassel, Germany

• Fred Trueman said the difference between a professional and a gentleman cricketer was that the latter got out the bath to take a piss. BelleVueRendezvous via theguardian.com

Exclusively yours

Why is news broken? Because if it were fixed, we wouldn’t believe it. Chris Barnett Tokyo, Japan

• Because it can never be mended.

Jennifer Horat Lengwil, Switzerland

• Bad news is broken. Good news is a balm. David Isaacs Sydney, Australia

• Long ago each page of the newspaper was set up in metal type and clamped into position ready for the printing press. If new news arrived, it had to broken and reset in order to include the latest news. Paul White Auckland, New Zealand

Is nothing sacred?

Do people’s names affect their personality?

New Scientist magazine used to run a “Feedback” column on nominative determinism.

David Blest (not a saint) Tasmania, Australia

Any answers?

If sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, what is the highest?

Dr Willis Stone London, UK

When will we have the world’s first quadrillionaire?

Kate Stewart Queensland, Australia

Maslanka’s answers

1 5 [It must be a multiple of 9 [Why?]; the only two-digit multiple of 9 ending in 4 is 54.] 2 Wordpool a)

3 EPU METEORITES 4 Dropouts PLAYGOER 5 End of the Word

RIDE 6 Missing Links a) dread/ lock/keeper, b) fool’s/gold/rush, c) shooting/star/quality, d) bear/cat/ call, e) cover/story/book, f) depth/ charge/sheet.