Paul Anthony Jones

Joined: Jun 20, 2014

Paul Anthony Jones is a writer and musician from Newcastle upon Tyne. He is the author of word origins guide Haggard Hawks and Paltry Poltroons, and runs its tie-in Twitter account @HaggardHawks.

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #30

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #29

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #28

Where Did the Expression ‘Gung Ho’ Come From?

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #27

The riddle below dates back to the 19th century—can you figure it out?

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #26

The riddle below dates back to the 1600s—can you figure it out?

Where Did the Saying ‘Stick Out Like a Sore Thumb’ Come From?

The phrase dates back to the 19th century, but it took a fictional 20th century detective to take its popularity to new heights.

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #25

The riddle below dates back to 1806—can you figure it out?

What Does the Ship Designation ‘SS’ Mean?

The initialism was originally a bit of shipbuilder marketing—and now there are many different kinds of ship designations.

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #24

This brainteaser dates back to 1924—can you figure it out?

Why Do We Call the Country “the Boonies”?

We have the military to thank.

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #8

This riddle from the book ‘Wit Newly Revived’ dates back to the 18th century—can you figure it out?

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #7

This riddle dates back to the 19th century—can you figure it out?

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #1

This riddle, taken from the book ‘Food for the Mind‘ by “John-the-Giant-Killer, Esq.”, dates back to the 1770s. Can you figure it out?

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #2

The riddle below dates back to the 1790s—can you figure it out?

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #3

This riddle is a century old—can you figure out the answer?