It was nothing to do with income tax, local government or pet licences. It was The Complete Plain Words and, though its aims were modest, its impact on British society was immeasurable.

The Woven Words puzzle grids come in all different shapes and sizes, and when you’re done every row and every column will spell out complete words!

LANGUAGE ON VACATION by Dmitri A. Borgmann. 318 pages. Scribner. $6.95. Subbookkeeper is the only English word that contains four successive pairs of letters. Triennially is one of the very few ...

Read on for a complete list of Shakespearean words and phrases you need to learn. You’ll know your “doth” from your “dost” in no time. JUMP TO.