Every spell has a story

Why do we say…?

The stories behind 101 everyday sayings, from ships stuck in the ice to Shakespeare’s stage. Pick a card.

PLEASE
The first magic word

Why is please the magic word?

The small word that turns a demand into a kind request. It began as a long, courtly phrase. A famous magic password helped make it “the magic word.”

Read the story

Sailing Sayings

9 sayings
BREAK THE ICELEARN THE ROPESHIGH AND DRYBATTEN DOWN THE HATCHESPASS WITH FLYING COLORSA CLEAN BILL OF HEALTHGIVE A WIDE BERTHIN THE DOLDRUMSBY AND LARGE

Kitchen Charms

9 sayings
COOL AS A CUCUMBERTHE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDINGBEST THING SINCE SLICED BREADTAKE IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALTTHAT TAKES THE CAKEEAT HUMBLE PIEAPPLES AND ORANGESMAKE NO BONES ABOUT ITFROM SOUP TO NUTS

Weather Spells

9 sayings
EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LININGONCE IN A BLUE MOONOVER THE MOONRAINING CATS AND DOGSUNDER THE WEATHERWHEN IT RAINS IT POURSA BOLT FROM THE BLUETHE DOG DAYS OF SUMMERTEMPEST IN A TEAPOT

Animal Tales

9 sayings
LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAGHAPPY AS A CLAMBARKING UP THE WRONG TREEA RED HERRINGTHE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOMSLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACEMAKE A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILLDON’T COUNT YOUR CHICKENSSHED CROCODILE TEARS

Theater & Stage

9 sayings
BREAK A LEGCUT TO THE CHASETHE SHOW MUST GO ONPLAY IT BY EARIN THE LIMELIGHTROLL OUT THE RED CARPETSTEAL MY THUNDERWAITING IN THE WINGSPULL OUT ALL THE STOPS

Money & Trade

9 sayings
TIME IS MONEYA NEST EGGA PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNEDKEEP UP WITH THE JONESESBORN WITH A SILVER SPOONSELL LIKE HOT CAKESJACK OF ALL TRADESA WHITE ELEPHANTDYED IN THE WOOL

Sports & Games

9 sayings
A HAT TRICKTAKE A RAIN CHECKSTART FROM SCRATCHSKATING ON THIN ICEREST ON YOUR LAURELSDOWN TO THE WIREPAR FOR THE COURSETURN THE TABLESWIN HANDS DOWN

Words & Letters

9 sayings
IN A NUTSHELLSPELL IT OUTREAD BETWEEN THE LINESNEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVERTHROUGH THE GRAPEVINETHE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORDSILENCE IS GOLDENOFF THE CUFFSIGNED SEALED AND DELIVERED

Farm Life

9 sayings
TILL THE COWS COME HOMETHE LAST STRAWBRING HOME THE BACONTHE PECKING ORDERLONG IN THE TOOTHHIGH ON THE HOGWET BEHIND THE EARSRULE THE ROOSTBY HOOK OR BY CROOK

Words of Courage

10 sayings
KEEP CALM AND CARRY ONROME WASN’T BUILT IN A DAYTURN OVER A NEW LEAFTHIS TOO SHALL PASSBACK TO THE DRAWING BOARDKEEP A STIFF UPPER LIPA JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILESNOTHING VENTURED NOTHING GAINEDHOPE SPRINGS ETERNALFORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD

Shakespeare’s Words

9 sayings
ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLDINTO THIN AIRA WILD GOOSE CHASETHE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTERTOO MUCH OF A GOOD THINGWEAR YOUR HEART ON YOUR SLEEVEWHAT THE DICKENSWITH BATED BREATHIT IS ALL GREEK TO ME
Words have power

Break a spell.
Keep its story.

Spell words from a board of stacked tiles to light up a hidden saying, then guess it to break the spell.

Free · No download · In your browser