English word list: Noun — 1,447 words

/duː/

auxiliary marking questions or negation

Also means: perform an action · affirmative auxiliary substituting for a repeated verb · emphatic affirmative auxiliary

did you put the heating on??

/laɪk/

comparison marker: similar to; resembling

Also means: conversational filler or discourse marker · enjoyed or took pleasure in · approximation marker meaning “approximately”

ada was like that.

/wɪl/

marks a decision or intention

Also means: marks a future prediction · a person's resolve or determination · marks a characteristic or habitual tendency

ok. i will make tea.

/taɪm/

a period of duration

Also means: an occasion or instance · A particular or appropriate moment for something · the clock time or time of day

In this bakery, time does not matter.

/ˈpiːpəl/

people; human beings

so maybe like... 5 people?

/raɪt/

at this exact moment

Also means: correct or true · acknowledging agreement · the direction opposite left

good 👍 wait — i'm also at a clinic right now.

/bæk/

to a previous place

Also means: in reply · again, resuming a previous action · at the rear

go back to the machine!!

/lʊk/

direct one’s gaze

Also means: appear · search for · attention-getting discourse marker

Mia looks at the ring.

/jɪrz/

every winter. for over 20 years.

Wait, No, Not This Chat · A1

/lʌv/

strongly like or enjoy

Also means: feel deep affection for someone · term of endearment used in address · affectionate letter closing

she will love it!!

/waɪl/

during the time that

Also means: a period of time · whereas; marking a contrast

While they waited, Mrs. Aldea looked at him.

The Garden Gate Left Open the Morning She Disappeared · A2

/hɛlp/

assist someone

Also means: be useful · assistance · be unable to prevent or control it

We cannot help now.

/kɔːl/

phones someone

Also means: gives a name to · phone conversation · shouts to summon someone

Leo calls the number.

The Cheese That Rolled the Wrong Way Down Cooper's Hill · A2

/ˈsɛkənd/

following first in order

Also means: an additional or another one · unit of time

Last year, he came second.

/wɜːk/

do a job or be employed

Also means: job or work activity · artistic creation or body of creative work · function properly

He works at night.

/pleɪs/

location or spot

Also means: put or set something somewhere · rank or position · venue or establishment

It says: 'See you at the usual place.'

/ʃoʊ/

displayed or revealed something to someone

Also means: a program or performance · explained or demonstrated something to someone · became visible or apparent

The light showed a long, straight path.

/stɑp/

cease an activity

Also means: halt or pause a journey · cease operating or functioning · command to stop

The dog stops too.

/θɪŋ/

issues or developments

Also means: objects or items

Things that had been building for years and finally found a door to walk through.

The Seat Saved at the Wedding That Nobody Claimed · A2

/weɪ/

manner or style

Also means: route or path · exclamation of disbelief or refusal in “no way” · means or method

"Just not in the usual way."

/ˈfæməli/

a group of related people; relatives

Also means: relating to or belonging to a family

finn. they are family.

/neɪm/

personal name

Also means: name or title identifying something · called by a personal name · given a name or label

my name is Leo.

The Greengrocer Who Refused to Stock the New Potato · A2

/tʃeɪndʒ/

alter or modify something

Also means: become different · a different set of clothes · a difference or alteration

I am not changing my shop.

/stɑːrt/

begin an activity or event

Also means: the beginning · mark the beginning of a time span

can you start there?

The Brother Who Stopped Coming to Sunday Dinner · A1

/weɪt/

present-tense verb meaning remains until something happens

Also means: interjection expressing surprise or seeking confirmation · interjection signaling reconsideration or correction · imperative verb telling someone to pause

“Mama waits for you.”

/laɪf/

a period of someone’s existence

Also means: a person’s lived experience and activities · a person’s established existence in a place · a family’s shared existence and activities

that part of my life is over

/jɪr/

calendar year

Also means: a period of one year · school year or grade

This year was different.

The Candle Left in the Window the Night the Men Came Home · A1

/deɪ/

calendar day or 24-hour period

Also means: important occasion or event · part of the daily cycle · the present time or era

She waits every day.

/pleɪ/

perform music

Also means: take part in a sports match · label identifying the audio-playback button · engage in a game

The man plays the piano.

/ˈnʌmbɚ/

telephone number

Also means: numeric value or digit sequence · address number · numbered item or label

he gave me your number.

/lɛft/

on the left side

Also means: toward the left · left-hand side

The road on the left went somewhere else.

/lɑt/

a large amount or number

Also means: to a great extent; much · often; frequently · an overwhelming or intense experience

That tells me a lot.

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/ɡeɪm/

a single sporting match

Also means: an activity played by rules

They muttered on the bench, rolled their eyes at the coach, and sent unhappy text messages after games.

/tʃaɪld/

young human

Also means: offspring

She was holding a small child.

/səˈpɔrt/

support or assistance (group label)

Also means: be backed or confirmed by evidence · help or stand by someone

Except — in her panic, Priya sent the screenshot to the wrong chat. Not just to Mia. To the Greenfield Scholarship Support group. The one Jade is now in.

The Signature Scratched into the Tower Cell Wall · A2

/wɝld/

society or people generally

Also means: the surrounding reality or existence · a person’s whole life or sphere of importance · the Earth or globe as a whole

They wanted the world to know: I was here.

/ɡruːp/

online messaging group

Also means: organized group of people · sent to multiple people

this is a GROUP CHAT??

The Jar of Chutney Nobody Would Open After the Wake · A1

/təˈdeɪ/

on this day

Also means: the current day

'Not today,' she says.

/wiːk/

seven-day duration

Also means: calendar week

Martin reached Birmingham two weeks later.

/ˈwɔtər/

water, as a liquid or body of water

The water was brown and slow.

/ˈmjuːzɪk/

music; organized sounds

Tom loves the music.

/mæn/

adult male person

Also means: informal term of address · male attendant at a wedding

A man is at the desk.

The Apology Written on the Back of a Till Receipt · A1

/waɪt/

white in color

Also means: a type of coffee drink · pale from worry · the chess side or player using the white pieces

It is small and white.

/ˈprɒbləm/

issue or difficulty

Mia has a problem.

The Apology Written on the Back of a Till Receipt · A1

/tɜːn/

rotate

Also means: change direction · face or move toward · prove to be the case

She turns it over.

The Apology Written on the Back of a Till Receipt · A1

/hoʊm/

to one’s home

Also means: at home · one’s home as a residence · residential care facility

It says: 'Come home.'

The Candle Left in the Window the Night the Men Came Home · A1

/skuːl/

educational institution

Also means: school classes or hours

i teach primary school.

/rʌn/

move quickly on foot

Also means: manage or operate something · extend or follow a course · continue functioning despite having no sleep

Maren did not run.

Wrong Chat: The Birthday Party Secret · A0

/ˈpɑrti/

social celebration or gathering

Also means: group of people working together

Party is at 6.

/pɑːrt/

aspect or area

Also means: section or segment · component of a whole · participant or member

The notes are the best part of her week.

/hoʊp/

want something good to happen

Also means: a desire or expectation that something good happens

I hope we can be friends.'

The Candle Left in the Window the Night the Men Came Home · A1

/ˈwʊmən/

adult female person

Other women see the candle.

/wɑtʃ/

observe or look at

Also means: timepiece worn or carried · viewing, as in a watch party · stay alert and protect yourself

They did not move, but they were watching her.

/hænd/

body part used for holding or touching

Also means: passed or gave something to someone · manual method; done by a person · handwriting style

he saw your ticket in my hand.

No Milk in the Fridge · A0

/haʊs/

dwelling or home

Also means: auction business or venue

Go to my house.

/ruːm/

an enclosed space in a building

Also means: the people gathered in a room

Inside, the room is very dusty.

/ɛnd/

come to an end

Also means: final point or conclusion · far extremity

No one talked about where that road ended.

The Garden Gate Left Open the Morning She Disappeared · A2

/θɪŋz/

objects or items

Also means: situations or circumstances · abstract concepts or matters · statements or comments

Everyone forgets things, Tomás said.

/θɪŋ/

notable fact or aspect

Also means: physical object or creation · event or situation · written content or statement

that's the best thing i've heard all day.

The Wrong Coat Taken from the School Lost Property · A1

/klæs/

group of students

Also means: instructional course or lesson

She goes to Class 4B.

/frɛnd/

person you have a friendly relationship with

I hope we can be friends.'

The Seat Saved at the Wedding That Nobody Claimed · A2

/frend/

friends

Friends and family sat and talked.

/fuːd/

something to eat

The jar is not just food.

The Jar of Chutney Nobody Would Open After the Wake · A1

/wɔːk/

move on foot

Also means: a journey on foot · command to move on foot

She walked to her room and closed the door.

The Apology Written on the Back of a Till Receipt · A1

/ˈsɪti/

urban municipality

London is a very big city.

The Trophy Left in the Changing Room After the Final · A1

/tiːm/

group working together

Also means: sports side · close circle of people around someone

The team forgets it!

/θɔt/

idea in the mind

Her first thought was not of herself.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/ˈmʌni/

money or funds

"I am offering you a lot of money!"

The Fishmonger Who Refused the Catch of the Day · A2

/naɪt/

nighttime, the dark part of a day

Also means: an especially important or significant occasion · good-night farewell

At night, it is very quiet.

The Apology Written on the Back of a Till Receipt · A1

/ˈmɔrnɪŋ/

morning, the early part of the day

Also means: morning greeting

Now it is morning.

/plæn/

an intended course of action

Also means: intend to do something · devising a course of action · decided or arranged in advance

it was a bad plan.

/rɪˈpɔːrt/

tell or give information about something

Also means: written account or document

i didn't report anything.

/deɪt/

calendar date

Also means: marked with a date · had a romantic relationship

The library stamp said: DUE DATE: MARCH 14, 1984.

/diːl/

an interjection meaning “agreed”

Also means: a large amount · an important matter or issue · a negotiated business agreement

Deal.

The Apology Written on the Back of a Till Receipt · A1

/ˈmɪnɪts/

plural unit of time

Also means: written record of a meeting

Five minutes later, the door opens.

/deɪz/

days; 24-hour periods

Three days later, the men come.

The Candle Left in the Window the Night the Men Came Home · A1

/poʊst/

publish online

Also means: postal/mail-related · an online post · letters and parcels sent or delivered by mail

zara posted a photo...

/ˈaʊər/

unit or period of time

I do not look at the hours.

/ˈkʌmpəni/

pleasant companion

Also means: business organization

Is Velta a good company?

/saʊnd/

seem or give an impression

Also means: an audible noise or tone · audio-related; used for reproducing sound

oh no! that sounds really painful.

/pɔɪnt/

indicated by pointing

Also means: main point or central issue · an unspecified time · intended purpose

She points at the mermaid.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/sɛt/

place something somewhere

Also means: arrange or position something for use · go below the horizon · musical performance

'You're doing it again,' she said, setting her bag down on the concrete.

/fiːld/

open or cultivated land

Also means: sports playing area · real-world or on-site setting outside a laboratory or office · noun modifier: for use outdoors

of the farm. of the fields.

/feɪs/

front of the head; facial appearance

Also means: front side of an object · turn or orient toward · people referred to by their faces

Rosa's face is pale.

The Wrong Umbrella Taken from the Garrick Club · B1

/kɛr/

feel concern or importance

Also means: residential care · careful attention · look after or provide care for

Rosa does not care.

What Thomas Means · A2

/ˈmɛmbər/

member of a group

Also means: staff member

I’ve only been a member for six weeks.

/tɑp/

uppermost part or position

Also means: upper surface · initial fragrance note

as in top-of-every-class jade??

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈɡʌvərnmənt/

the governing authority

The British government, in its haste to map the Highlands, had not seen fit to hire interpreters.

/ˈwɪmɪn/

adult female people

Women in aprons running through the town, flipping pancakes.

The Best Man's Toast That Stopped in the Middle · A2

/ˈstɔri/

tale or narrative

Also means: account or version of events · social-media post or update

The old story was finally finished.

/saɪd/

a direction or position

Also means: a party or group in a conflict · a lateral part of something · next to each other

Maybe with broccoli on the side 🥦😇

/ˈkʌvər/

verb: put over or block

Also means: noun: front of a publication · adjective: having something over it · noun: physical covering

The water will cover the footprints.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/wɝd/

a unit of language

Also means: spoken statement · news or information

A single word: "Ha."

/ˈɔːrdər/

a request to buy food or goods

Also means: requested food or goods

i got a bag from Lucky Noodle. but it is not my order.

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/taɪmz/

occasions or instances

yes. FIVE times now.

/ˈsɪstəm/

organized method or framework

Also means: connected audio equipment

'The one we used in 2022, before the system changed.'

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/saɪn/

write your name on a document

Also means: posted notice or marker · signing or approval in a compound · an indication or signal

Did you sign a contract with him?

/ˈpɛrənt/

mother or father

Her parents got married in 1993.

/kɑɹ/

car, an automobile

I saw your car.

/prɪˈzɛnt/

put forward for consideration

Also means: a gift · emotionally available and attentive · current; existing now

Draft documents saved in my name weeks before Dan 'presented' anything.

/ˌaʊtˈsaɪd/

outside something, on its exterior

Also means: outdoors, in the open air · outdoors, to the exterior · outer surface or exterior

Someone is outside the door.

/ˈpɝsən/

human individual

Also means: physically present, face-to-face

No person sits in the chair.

The Violin Left Under the Seat at the Last Night of the Proms · A1

/keɪs/

protective container

Also means: legal matter or proceeding

Under seat 14, there is a small brown case.

/ˈpleɪər/

A person who plays a musical instrument

Also means: sports athlete · game participant

He was the youngest player in the Coldwater Brass Band.

The Brass Band That Played On When the Parade Turned Back · A2

/hɛd/

head, body part

Also means: chief or leading · going or traveling

Rosa shakes her head.

The Brother Who Stopped Coming to Sunday Dinner · A1

/faɪn/

okay or well

Also means: acceptance or agreement · monetary penalty · of high quality

He felt completely fine.

The Best Man's Toast That Stopped in the Middle · A2

/ˈsiːzən/

sports season

Also means: period of the year

He continued working as a linesman for another four seasons.

/ˈrɛkərd/

an official recorded entry

Also means: documented in writing · a written account or document

do you have a bank record? a receipt?

The Signature Scratched into the Tower Cell Wall · A2

/ˈpaʊər/

political control or authority

Then, Queen Mary I took power and sent Jane to the Tower.

/mɛn/

adult male people

Three days later, the men come.

The Candle Left in the Window the Night the Men Came Home · A1

/dʒɑb/

paid position or employment

Also means: duty or responsibility · task or piece of work

bristol. i got a new job here in london.

/fɪlm/

motion-picture; noun modifier

Film footage—grainy, incomplete, but genuine— showed Hartley clearly behind the ball when it was played.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/kaɪnd/

type or sort

Also means: somewhat; to a limited degree · caring and gentle

The theatre was in complete chaos — the beautiful kind.

/ˈfɑloʊ/

follow someone online

Also means: come after in time · go after someone · act according to someone's guidance or instructions

He follows us both, I think.

/ˌɪnˈsaɪd/

in an enclosed place

Also means: within the interior of a place · to the inside; indoors · the interior or inner part

Inside is a notebook.

/ˈpraɪvət/

not public or disclosed

Also means: personal; belonging to an individual · military rank of a soldier

they're from jade's own private chat with her friends.

/fækt/

something true or real

Also means: an emphasis marker meaning actually

just the facts.

/laɪn/

boundary mark

Also means: fishing cord · telephone connection · drawn stroke or mark

The finish line was very close.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ækt/

deed or action

Also means: pretend or behave as if · performances · take action

The very deliberate act of not thinking about water.

/fɔrm/

document to fill out

Also means: application document · created or made · type or format

Maya saved the bank receipt. The next morning, she went to the housing office. Cole's name was on the complaint form. Her name came off the lease that same day.

The Letter Forwarded to the Wrong Address for Seven Years · A2

/ˈkʌntri/

nation or state

Seven years ago, her best friend Daniel moved to another country.

/ˈbɑdi/

physical human body

She sat down on the bench, closing her eyes, trying to force her body to shed the weight through sheer focus.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/kɔz/

make something happen

Also means: reason something happens

She just... never pushed to meet because she didn't want to cause problems.

The Candle Left in the Window the Night the Men Came Home · A1

/aɪˈdiːə/

thought or plan

Also means: knowledge or awareness

Mary has an idea.

/ˈmætər/

be important or significant

Also means: an issue, subject, or affair

In this bakery, time does not matter.

/kɪd/

child

Also means: teenager or young person

haha kids are so honest.

The Candle Left in the Window the Night the Men Came Home · A1

/wɔː/

armed conflict

The war is over.

/lɔː/

official legal rules

Also means: legal, relating to law

By law, the royal family in Vienna only received three rounds of applause.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/ˈɛəriə/

a place or region

Also means: a geographic region

i moved to this area two months ago

The Greengrocer Who Refused to Stock the New Potato · A2

/trʌst/

have confidence in a person or thing

Also means: believe that something is true · legal arrangement in which property is held for someone · believe what someone says

I trust this potato."

/kɔɹt/

inheritance tribunals

When a name appeared on an Ordnance Survey map, it became the name that administrators used, that inheritance courts referenced, and that schools eventually taught.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈstuːdənt/

student or learner

Leo is a student.

The Letter Forwarded to the Wrong Address for Seven Years · A2

/breɪk/

physically damaged

Also means: not functioning · a pause in an event · violated or disobeyed

The mailbox at 14 Crane Street had a broken latch.

/ˈmænɪdʒɚ/

person who manages or supervises

Also means: person responsible for hiring

the hiring manager at Nova Tech called me this morning

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/ˈɔfər/

provide or include as available

Also means: propose money in exchange for something · propose giving someone a job · extend one’s hand for a handshake or assistance

There was a university there, and they had offered him a small scholarship.

/ˈloʊkəl/

of a particular area

Also means: people from a particular area

The office acknowledged that local variations in Gaelic pronunciation could lead to inconsistencies in transcription.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/noʊt/

written message or reminder

Also means: recorded audio message · written notes or records · musical sound or pitch

On the back, there is a note.

/kɔːrs/

naturally; certainly

Also means: a period of time

of course, what's up?

/nuz/

favorable information

The surgeon had good news.

/hɛlθ/

relating to physical well-being

Also means: physical well-being

She stopped, then added carefully, "He had a small health scare last week.

The Clock That Stopped at the Same Time Every Tuesday · A1

/bʊk/

She has a book.

/θæŋks/

expression of gratitude

Also means: gratitude or appreciation

thanks. dad always liked the olive bread so.

/ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən/

facts or details

“When the priest made a mistake, he wrote the correct information here.”

/aɪ/

eyes (organs of sight)

Also means: expressive gaze or look · fresh perspective or way of seeing

It has yellow eyes.

The Soldier Whose Name Was Spelled Wrong on the Memorial · A2

/lɪst/

a series of written or displayed entries

Also means: put a property up for sale or rent · enumerate items · record or include an entry

"I see a Thomas Marsch on our list," he said slowly.

/ɹɪˈtɝn/

go back to a place or thing

Also means: give something back · for sending something back to its sender

At 6 a.m., she returned.

The Chair That Moved Three Inches Every Morning · A2

/taɪp/

enter text using a keyboard or phone

Also means: kind or variety

i typed a message to them twice.

/ˈfʊtbɔːl/

the sport of football

Football decisions never are, entirely.

/hæf/

one of two equal parts

Also means: 50% of a stated amount or time · partly; not fully (prefix)

The other half did not.

The White Hare That Sits at the Crossroads on Midsummer Night · A2

/maɪnd/

mind; mental thoughts or faculties

Also means: opinion or decision · object to; be bothered by

You do not hear words, but you feel the answer in your mind like a memory.

/ɡaɪz/

informal address to a group

hey guys!!

Wait, No, Not This Chat · A1

/faɪt/

a fight or bout

Also means: compete in a fight · fight-related; modifying a noun · fight against someone

“I had a fight with Papa,” he says.

The Brother Who Stopped Coming to Sunday Dinner · A1

/sɔŋ/

a piece of music

Then the song stops.

The Song Finished in the Margins of a Borrowed Hymn Book · A1

/ˈɔfɪs/

a room or workplace

Also means: an administrative department or branch · the staff working there · relating to work in an office

Leo leaves the office.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/dɛθ/

The cause of death was cardiac arrest.

/ɡaɪ/

man

haha sorry. i'm the guy with the grey scarf.

/praɪs/

monetary amount asked or charged

The price tag said twelve pounds.

/ˈhɪstəri/

past events and developments

Also means: an account of past events · a family’s past background

The coin is a small piece of history.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsɪti/

higher-education institution

Also means: university life or education

There was a university there, and they had offered him a small scholarship.

/ɛm/

the letter M

She covers the letter M with a new flower.

The Only Passenger at the Smallest Station in Wales · A1

/ˈbɪldɪŋ/

structure

Also means: constructing

There are no buildings.

/faɪr/

fire or flames

Also means: shoot a weapon

She was thinking about the warm fire in her new home.

/ɡɜːrl/

girl; young female person

and of a girl.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/ˈstʌdi/

examine closely

Also means: learn through study · a detailed investigation or analysis

The officer studied him for a moment.

/fɔrs/

compel or make happen

Also means: strength or power

He forced himself to keep rowing at the same steady pace.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/striːt/

road in a town or city

Also means: casual clothes worn outside the home

The street is big and dark.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/bɪt/

to a small degree

Also means: a small amount · a short time

"He was a bit like that."

/ɛr/

atmospheric air

The air was cold and very still.

The Name Whispered Back from the Malham Tarn on Still Nights · A2

/tɛst/

check or examine

Also means: an examination or evaluation

The generator was tested.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/laɪt/

illumination

Also means: lamp or light fixture · less burdened · becomes illuminated

It is a yellow light.

The Light That Came On in the Locked Cottage at Dungeness · A1

/ˈteɪbəl/

She puts it on the table.

/mʌnθs/

months: plural units of calendar time

She moved to Merton only eight months ago.

The White Hare That Sits at the Crossroads on Midsummer Night · A2

/ˈkwɛstʃən/

an inquiry seeking an answer

Also means: an issue or matter under consideration

If you ask it one honest question, it will answer you.

/ˈɪʃu/

problem or concern

Also means: officially provided

The rational part understood that the milk was not the issue.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/pæs/

time elapses

Also means: a kick or throw of the ball to a teammate · move past a place or thing · walk past someone

Tom stops typing. He puts his phone down. One minute passes.

/sʌn/

male child

'My son can drive you home.'

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/kəˈmjunəti/

for the local community

But the Carnival is six months of women in community centres hand-sewing feathers.

/əˈkaʊnt/

online profile or page

Also means: description or report · explain or give a reason for · accounting department

The unknown user left the chat. Their account showed "deleted user" seconds later. Jess and Maya sat in silence for a moment.

The Seat Saved at the Wedding That Nobody Claimed · A2

/ˈmoʊmənt/

a brief period of time

Also means: a particular point in time · an opportunity or turn to act or succeed

Harold was quiet for a moment.

/təˈnaɪt/

during this evening or night (adverb)

Also means: this evening or night (noun)

Your cookies were very good tonight.

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/pəˈlis/

law-enforcement authorities

Also means: related to law enforcement

like something I can show the police?

/ˈfjuːtʃər/

future prospects or fate

Also means: time to come

The losing club faced a different future: wage cuts, the sale of their best players, and what the local press called "a slow and undignified retreat from the top flight."

The Soldier Whose Name Was Spelled Wrong on the Memorial · A2

/si/

the letter C

But the stone said Marsch with a 'C'.

/təˈmɑːroʊ/

time adverb: the day after today

Also means: attributive time modifier: on the day after today · predicative time expression: the day after today · noun-like time expression used as the object of “for”: the day after today

Me too 😊 See you tomorrow.

/ˈɹizən/

cause or explanation

Also means: motive for an action · justification for doing something

she didn't tell anyone the real reason.

The Signature Scratched into the Tower Cell Wall · A2

/ˈænsər/

a response or reply

Also means: respond or reply · pick up a phone call

Nobody knows the true answer.

/lænd/

ground or property

Also means: came down onto a surface

She spent years gathering evidence: interviews, land records, and a nineteenth-century estate document that referred to the summit by its original name.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈwɝkɚ/

people who work

The workers have a big stone.

The Envelope Sealed Inside the Cornerstone of the Old School · A1

/ˈkærəktər/

fictional person in a story

priya sharma. character development 📈

/hɑɹt/

emotions or inner feelings

Also means: heart shape or symbol · physical organ that pumps blood · memorized knowledge

She feels something warm and quiet in her heart.

What Thomas Means · A2

/wɛr/

have clothing or an accessory on

Also means: show facial lines · clothing worn for office work

He wears heavy metal clothes.

/ruːl/

rule or regulation to follow

Also means: usual pattern or norm

new chat, new rules.

/foʊn/

telephone device

Also means: telephone-related · telephone call or conversation

someone sent me a message from your phone.

/fʌn/

enjoyment

The party is loud. The music is good. There are crisps everywhere. Leo's mum brings out the cake. Everyone sings. Maya laughs so hard her eyes go red. It is the most fun Leo has ever seen her have on her birthday.

The Garden Gate Left Open the Morning She Disappeared · A2

/ˈdiːteɪl/

a specific fact or feature

He realized that a small detail can mean everything if you pay attention.

/ɑːt/

art as a school subject

Also means: the art field or community · artistic work or expression

OH. Yes! Jake is in my art class.

The Fishmonger Who Refused the Catch of the Day · A2

/ˈmɑrkɪt/

a place where goods are sold

Also means: commercial demand or trading activity

The harbor market smelled of salt and ice.

/wɛst/

westward direction

It was a different hill entirely—a smaller, less significant one two miles to the west.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/frʌnt/

the area ahead of something

Also means: located at the front or entrance · the foremost part or area · the forward outer face or side

That evening, Elena put the coat on in front of the mirror.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈkɝənt/

flowing water

Also means: present or existing now

"The current is starting to push you east, but that's expected.

/draɪv/

travel by car

Also means: operate a boat · car journey · transport someone by car

She decided to drive to her mother's house to get some clothes for the hospital.

The Best Man's Toast That Stopped in the Middle · A2

/ˈfiːlɪŋ/

emotion or inner feeling

Also means: romantic affection

He kept his feelings to himself.

/ˈtitʃɚ/

educator

Also means: teacher-related noun modifier

The teacher, Mr. Hoffmann, has an idea.

The Envelope Sealed Inside the Cornerstone of the Old School · A1

/əˈfɪʃəl/

formally authorized or recognized

Also means: person in authority

The official reason given was offside.

/mætʃ/

sports game or contest

Also means: resembled or corresponded to

Today is the big match.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/tæks/

government charge

Also means: related to taxation

They were looking for smugglers — men who traded with American merchants without paying the King's taxes.

/ɪˈfɛkt/

personal belongings

Also means: result or impact

She worked as an archivist for the National Music Conservatory in Prague, a job that involved cataloguing instruments, scores, and the kinds of personal effects that musicians leave behind when they die with more ambition than family.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈfɑːðər/

male parent

The coin is a gift from his father.

/ˈprɑːsɛs/

a procedure or series of steps

Also means: mentally work through

Send the 👀 and trust the process 😂

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/tʃæns/

possibility of success

Her trainer’s words, spoken with the careful understatement of a man who had been disappointed too many times, were that the horse was 'not without a chance today.'

/ˈfɑːðər/

A male parent

Father: William Calloway.

/ˈɔfɪsɚ/

official or officer

The next morning, Maya, Claire, and Priya went to the police station together. Maya showed them the contract photo and Daniel's messages. The officer said they knew this man — his real name was not Daniel Marsh.

/ˈædrɛs/

mailing or contact location

Also means: directed to someone or somewhere · deal with or tackle an issue

and... your address is in it.

The White Hare That Sits at the Crossroads on Midsummer Night · A2

/ˈnoʊˌbɑdi/

no person

Also means: an unimportant or unknown person

Nobody told Mira the truth.

/dæd/

the name or title “Dad”

Also means: father, informally · familiar address to one’s father · characteristic of a dad; father-like

Jake put the new cake in the kitchen. Gran arrived at 3. She ate the old cake. Dad never knew.

My Gran Joined the Group Chat · A1

/ˈprɑdʌkt/

product management field

Senior Product Manager at Velta Co.

The Best Man's Toast That Stopped in the Middle · A2

/wɝdz/

individual units of language

Also means: written message or text · spoken language or utterances

'I found better words,' he said.

/mʌnθ/

month, a period of about four weeks

the listing says available from the 1st of next month.

/dɪˈsɪʒən/

a choice made

Also means: a judgment or ruling

exactly. the point is he made a big decision about YOUR home without you.

The Letter Forwarded to the Wrong Address for Seven Years · A2

/bɪl/

written demand for payment

Also means: restaurant check · advertising handbill or poster

Most were bills or advertisements.

/ˈmʌðər/

female parent

He sees his mother's window.

The Candle Left in the Window the Night the Men Came Home · A1

/rəʊd/

route for travel

The old Roman road is very long.

/taʊn/

town; a populated place

Also means: town authorities or municipality

Marco is a baker in a small town.

/bɔrd/

governing body

Also means: game board · disciplinary panel · notice or display board

i've been sitting here for an hour looking at the board's email contact

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/kɔst/

required a sacrifice

Also means: price or expense

Her voice was steady, but it cost her something to keep it that way.

/ˈmʌðər/

Mother's name corrected: Rose Malone, not Rose Calloway.

The Song Finished in the Margins of a Borrowed Hymn Book · A1

/peɪdʒ/

a page of a document or book

Also means: an app or website screen

The pages are yellow.

/kɪŋ/

Kings and queens sent their enemies to this place.

The Signature Scratched into the Tower Cell Wall · A2

/ˈmiːtɪŋ/

a planned gathering or appointment

yeah, in a meeting til 11:30. what's up?

/ˈfɪɡjər/

person or human form

Also means: in “figure out”: understand or solve

On both sides, she saw dark figures standing very still.

/waɪf/

married female partner

“This is my wife.

The Fishmonger Who Refused the Catch of the Day · A2

/ɹɛst/

remaining part or amount

Also means: repose or sleep

"Pay me the rest next week.

/ˈsʌmər/

season noun

Also means: seasonal modifier

Nani made it every summer.

The Jar of Chutney Nobody Would Open After the Wake · A1

/ˈɛnɚdʒi/

mood or vitality

Also means: providing fuel · excess vitality

Mara loves that energy.

The Carriage Where No One Speaks on the Last Train North · A2

/ˈrʌnɪŋ/

for jogging; activity modifier

Also means: the activity of jogging; gerund noun

she found him through a running hashtag.

/speɪs/

personal distance or privacy

Also means: gap or interval · physical area or place · personal private realm

'I need more space,' she said.

/pɔɪnts/

units of score

Also means: judges’ score deciding a contest · items in a list

They need four points to win, but there is only one ball left.

/ˈvɪzɪt/

visit someone

Also means: go to a place · a visit or stay

and Ada visited every winter for…

/ˈfɪnɪʃ/

complete a task or activity

Also means: the endpoint of an event · be over or come to an end · consume all of a food or drink

you find new ways to finish work!!

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/pəˈzɪʃən/

put in a particular place

Also means: physical location · view or stance

She positioned herself exactly where she had practised.

/kæʃ/

money in notes and coins

Also means: relating to a cash payment

She also paid cash.

/siːt/

place for sitting

Seat number seven is empty.

/ˈprɒdʒekt/

planned piece of work

yes him. ok so at the team meeting on friday, he took credit for MY project report.

/piːs/

a portion or part of a material

Also means: a written article · an individual item of a particular kind · a final part or element of something

He gives a piece of bread to Elena.

/ˈfoʊkəs/

concentrated and purposeful

Also means: concentrate or direct attention · mental concentration

okay I need to go pretend to be focused in this 10am meeting 😅 but thank you. seriously.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/ˈtoʊtəl/

altogether; in all

Also means: complete; absolute

The audience applauded five times in total that night.

/vɔɪs/

spoken vocal sound

Also means: recorded speech or audio · tone or manner of speaking

Her voice is soft.

The Jar of Chutney Nobody Would Open After the Wake · A1

/prɛs/

activate by pressing

Also means: exert pressure against · the news media or newspapers · force or place something into someone’s hand

I pressed the wrong chat 😭

/ˈfoʊtoʊ/

photograph

Also means: profile picture

maya. ada kept photos.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/əˈmaʊnt/

quantity or total

He grew tomatoes, courgettes, runner beans, and, for reasons nobody fully understood, an enormous amount of parsley.

/klʌb/

sports team

Also means: nightclub · school group

The losing club faced a different future: wage cuts, the sale of their best players, and what the local press called "a slow and undignified retreat from the top flight."

/sɪˈkjʊrəti/

protection and safety

A security guard walks past the door.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/dɛd/

deceased; no longer alive

Also means: deserted; no longer inhabited · dead people as a group

"Ondřej is dead," Sokolová said.

/ˈsɛntər/

middle part

The name in the center is IANE.

The Signature Scratched into the Tower Cell Wall · A2

/sɛns/

way or respect

Also means: feeling or impression

They were, in a very real sense, official reality.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/pɑrk/

public green area

Also means: parking area for cars · left stationary in a parking position

Leo sees a green park.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃən/

set of circumstances

Also means: account of what is happening

She had done all of them before, in worse situations than this.

/ˈmɪdəl/

central part of a space or object

Also means: partway through an activity · central part of a time period

She stepped off the scales and stood very still in the middle of the room.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/rɪˈzʌlt/

outcome

is it the result???

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/ˈtɹeɪnɪŋ/

practice

But every Tuesday and Thursday evening, long after the rest of the team had gone home, the groundskeeper at the training ground would see a single figure still on the field.

/ɪˈvɛnt/

organized occasion

When a journalist attempted to approach him at the event, a colleague placed a hand on the journalist's arm and quietly suggested that the evening was not the moment.

/stɛp/

move or walk in a direction

Also means: stair or raised foothold · continue walking

She stepped back four steps.

/tʃɔɪs/

decision

Also means: option

It was not because of speed, but because of a choice.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈhændəl/

a grip or part used to hold an object

Also means: deal with or manage someone or something · a nickname or username

"Send me a photograph of the handle."

/bɔɪ/

young male person

Also means: male messenger or worker

She sees a boy.

The Wrong Coat Taken from the School Lost Property · A1

/dɪˈzaɪn/

design as a field or practice

Also means: create or plan

i work at a small design studio.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/kɪŋ/

male monarch

The king and queen costumes hung on dress forms inside the garage, glittering under a single strip light.

/əˈtɛmpt/

try to do something

Also means: a try or effort

She had attempted the crossing once before, two years ago.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/stʌf/

things or content

Also means: filled or packed

Yeah, like 3 people sent 'haha' 😂 Normal stuff.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/treɪd/

commerce; buying and selling

Also means: conducted business or exchanged goods

It was dangerous work, but it kept families fed during hard winters when the official trade system offered almost nothing.

/tʃɝtʃ/

church building

Also means: noun modifier meaning associated with a church

There is an old church.

/bæŋk/

land along the edge of a river or other body of water

Also means: financial institution

Finn was standing at the bank.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/pərˈfɔrməns/

a public artistic show or concert

The whole performance could fall apart.

/roʊl/

job or position

The role is properly senior, not just the title.

/ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃən/

formal request for a scholarship

Also means: form used to apply for a scholarship

mia. i withdrew my application

/dɪˈvɪʒən/

sports league or level

The match was a First Division fixture between Midlands United and Mersey Athletic, two clubs that had not won a title in decades.

/mɑɹk/

labeled as delivered

Also means: point in a period of time · punctuation symbol (!) · left a visible sign on

screenshot of the chat screen — message marked delivered, and three dots appearing

/roʊz/

flower

Also means: past tense of rise

Mia sees the rose bushes.

/ɡraʊnd/

the earth’s surface

Also means: an area used for training · A sports venue used by a club

Mark looks at the ground.

/ˈkwɛstʃənz/

questions; things asked

Could she really knock on doors and ask questions?

/bʊks/

books, written works

her books. her clothes.

/ˈvæljuː/

apparent or stated worth

Also means: practical importance or usefulness

took everything at face value.

/dəˈrɛktər/

person in charge

Mr. Holt, the director, knocked on the door.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/sɔːrs/

provider of something

She found a train ticket purchased with cash, impossible to trace but not impossible to find, tucked into a programme from a 2012 concert that had been donated to the Conservatory library by an anonymous source.

/ˈfɔrwərd/

send on to another recipient (verb)

Also means: attacking player in soccer (noun) · ahead or onward (adverb of movement) · ahead of the main force (military adjective)

it's a forwarded email.

/rɪˈkwɛst/

a social-media follow request

Also means: a request for action or service · by-request; on-demand modifier · formally asking for something (verb)

because she just sent me a follow request.

/ˈɛvɪdəns/

proof or supporting facts

Also means: modifies a noun to mean related to evidence

I already emailed HR a formal complaint this morning with evidence.

/raʊnd/

circular or curved in shape

Also means: stage of a competition

It is small and round.

/ɡriːn/

green in color

Also means: the color green

He sees the green grass.

/ˈpɪktʃɚ/

image or drawing

The picture was black and white.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/saɪz/

physical dimensions or scale

This is not because of the distance alone, but because of everything that comes with it: the tidal currents that shift every six hours, the water that sits at a relentless fourteen degrees Celsius, and the shipping lanes where cargo vessels the size of apartment blocks move without concern for lone human bodies.

/læf/

past-tense verb: laugh

Also means: present-tense verb: laugh · progressive participle: laugh · noun: laugh

A woman on the path laughed.

The Signature Scratched into the Tower Cell Wall · A2

/ˈhʌndrəd/

the number 100

Also means: an unspecified large number

However, the carving is still there after five hundred years.

/sliːp/

Also means: sleep as a state of rest

That night, Dorothy does not sleep.

Flat 6 · A1

/kiː/

object used to open a lock

Also means: solution or crucial clue

It is a silver key.

Wait, Who Is in the Selfie? · A0

/mɑm/

mother

Also means: addressing one’s mother

Haha! It is Mom!

/bɑːks/

box, a container

Also means: telephone booth · dialog box, an on-screen message window · penalty enclosure

Mum, what is in my lunch box?

/træk/

rough path or road

Also means: A course or surface used for racing · monitoring a position · awareness of progress

On the walk back to the cottage, Callum passed the track to the Mere and kept walking.

/ˈfeɪvərɪt/

most liked; preferred

Also means: preferred thing

It is my favorite place.

/prəˈfɛʃənəl/

showing skilled, careful work

Also means: related to a profession or work · done as a paid occupation · people who work professionally

Dan sent Priya a handwritten note with three clear, professional sentences about her. He took a photo and sent it.

/treɪn/

a railway vehicle

Also means: having been taught or prepared through practice · to practice or exercise

the train is late.

/duːd/

casual address to a person

Dude. We talked for 4 hours.

/kʌp/

cupful or serving

Also means: drinking container · competition trophy

She made him a cup of tea.

The White Hare That Sits at the Crossroads on Midsummer Night · A2

/ˈbrʌðər/

male sibling

Also means: term of address for a brother

Her brother, Dani, was very sick.

/əˈtɛnʃən/

focused concentration

Also means: notice or interest

Give him your attention.

The White Hare That Sits at the Crossroads on Midsummer Night · A2

/ˈprɑpərti/

belongings or possessions

Also means: land or buildings owned

'Look in the lost property box,' says her teacher.

The Wrong Coat Taken from the School Lost Property · A1

/plænt/

plant; living organism

Also means: plant; put seeds or bulbs in soil

He looks at his potato plants.

/rɪˈspɛkt/

high regard or esteem

Also means: hold in high regard · aspect or regard

Sometimes, it is about respect.

/tʌtʃ/

make physical contact with

Also means: a physical contact

He touches the warm bread.

/əˈwɔːrd/

prizes or scholarships given for achievement

Sunday night, 11:02 PM. Priya has been studying for three hours. Her phone is next to her biology notes. She is applying for the Greenfield Scholarship — one of the most competitive awards at her school. Only one student gets it each year.

/sɔɹt/

organize into categories or order

Also means: resolve or settle · type or kind · handle or fix

Ada's farm. Wales. A cold Tuesday in November. Ada died three weeks ago. Her two grandchildren, Maya and Finn, are here to sort through her things. The farm is very remote. There is one bar of signal.

/tɛkst/

send or exchange text messages

Also means: relating to text messages · text message

but he texted me today.

The Last Scone in the Staff Room · A0

/dɔɡ/

dog, a domesticated canine

Yes. The dog.

/ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/

a particular human language

Also means: visual artistic style · vocabulary for expression · language ability

Yet, the architecture of small decisions— the refusal to hire speakers of the language, the lack of a verification process— allowed a single mishearing to become a permanent record.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/steɪdʒ/

theater performance area

Also means: for theatrical performances

You must go on stage.'

/lɔːrd/

nobleman or ruler

Three hundred years ago, a local lord had drowned his own reflection in it— or so the story went, depending on who was telling it.

/ˈsteɪtmənt/

a spoken or written account

Also means: an assertion or proposition

The referee, who was elderly and retired within the year, gave a short statement saying he had "acted on the information available to him."

/ˈkʌlər/

The dragon is the color of the gray stone.

/ɡaɪd/

a person who leads or shows the way

Also means: a book providing information about a subject

It is a guide.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/dɪˈɡriː/

temperature unit

Water temperature's dropped half a degree.

/ˈkɑntækt/

person one communicates with

Also means: phone address-book entry or list · got in touch with · visual meeting of the eyes

A new message arrives on the screen from a contact named 'Mystery Man'.

A Message in the Rain · A1

/sɝtʃ/

look for

Also means: check ownership records

Priya doesn't reply to Jade. Instead, she does something she knows she probably shouldn't. She goes back to the scholarship group chat and scrolls up — searching for the merged messages that appeared earlier. Most of them are gone now. But not all of them.

/ˈmɛnʃən/

refer to or talk about

Also means: a reference or acknowledgment

ok we don't need to mention that again 😭

/ˈtrævəl/

move from place to place

Also means: related to journeys

Word traveled fast.

/dɔː/

Also means: adjacent/nearby (in “next door”) · emotional opening (metaphorical)

is the door ok?

/reɪs/

competition

The race starts now.

/hɛr/

hair on a person's head

She has long hair.

/koʊd/

a system of symbols or rules

Also means: a telephone area prefix

The writing is a strange code.

The Chair That Moved Three Inches Every Morning · A2

/stæf/

employees working for an organization

"I will ask the cleaning staff," Maya said.

/triː/

tree (plant)

The key is under a tree.

/dɑɹk/

dark-colored or deep in shade

Also means: without light; unlit · darkness; absence of light · nighttime; the period after sunset

The mud is dark and soft.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈbɝθdeɪ/

day celebrating someone’s birth

Also means: modifies a noun to mean related to a birthday

Today is my birthday,' she says.

A Birthday Surprise · A1

/raɪd/

ride a horse

Also means: a horse-riding performance

The horse she was supposed to ride was a four-year-old grey named Theorem.

/ˈpeɪpər/

a sheet of paper

Also means: noun modifier: made of paper · paper material · a written document

There is a small paper inside.

The Violin Left Under the Seat at the Last Night of the Proms · A1

/bɛd/

sleeping bed

Also means: garden plot

He wants a bed.

/ˈdɔːtər/

female child

And this is our daughter.

/ˈhɒspɪtəl/

medical facility

Also means: hospital care as a patient · relating to a hospital

she was at the hospital.

The Jar of Chutney Nobody Would Open After the Wake · A1

/ˈraɪtɪŋ/

written text or marks

Also means: a writing system or script · used for writing

The writing is old.

/ˈvɝʒən/

alternate form of a person

Also means: edition or form of a document · form of an event or outcome

she knows a version of you.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/lɔs/

loss or deprivation

There was a difference, she was learning, between loss and error.

/pɑːrts/

sections or aspects

and then she asked why it bothered me so much that the boundaries between different parts of my life were overlapping.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/ˈmuːvmənt/

physical actions or gestures

Also means: musical section of a composition

Umlauf led the orchestra with small, precise movements.

/ˈwɪndoʊ/

window: opening in a wall for light and air

is the window ok?

/dʒʌdʒ/

person who evaluates or decides

You bring one dish, the judges taste it, and the winner gets a golden ribbon.

/siː/

large body of salt water

She walks near the sea wall.

/ɡoʊl/

a score in a game

Westfield FC needed one more goal to win the cup.

The Greengrocer Who Refused to Stock the New Potato · A2

/ɝθ/

soil or ground

Also means: the planet Earth

It always smelled of fresh earth.

/ˈweɪtɪŋ/

modifier: for waiting

Also means: noun: the act or period of waiting

Sara sat in the waiting room alone.

/weɪz/

methods

Also means: respects or manners

you find new ways to finish work!!

/ˈɑrmi/

military force

The army only sent messages when something went wrong.

The Wrong Umbrella Taken from the Garrick Club · B1

/sɜːr/

polite form of address for a man

'A gentleman left about fifteen minutes ago, sir,' Stevens said carefully.

/reɪn/

rainfall

Also means: to fall as rain

It is after the rain.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈɑpʃən/

choice or course of action

But there was no sauna here, and four minutes was not enough time for anything except the most brutal option, which was simply to stand there and sweat with the force of pure will.

/ˈflaʊər/

flower or flowers

A white flower is there.

/əˈpɪnjən/

view or judgment

he posts running routes and oat milk opinions

/ˈoʊnɚ/

person who owns something

The real owner is a woman called Mrs Okafor.

/ˈjuːzər/

person using a system or service

The unknown user left the chat. Their account showed "deleted user" seconds later. Jess and Maya sat in silence for a moment.

The White Hare That Sits at the Crossroads on Midsummer Night · A2

/truːθ/

truth; what is factually real

Nobody told Mira the truth.

/beɪs/

bottom part

He was standing at the base of it, looking up at the bell, which was now completely still.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/rɪsk/

possibility of harm or loss

If Beethoven stood at the front and tried to conduct the orchestra himself, there was a real risk of disaster.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/ˈmɛθəd/

ways of doing something

they have methods. it's not a secret conspiracy, it's like... a treatment approach

/flæt/

apartment

Also means: level; not curved · coffee style with little foam · dull; lacking brightness or variation

He lives in Flat 7.

/kəˈmɪti/

group appointed to make decisions or plans

In the Greenfield Scholarship Support group, Ms Chen has forwarded the official decision email from the scholarship committee. Everyone in the chat can see it. Priya opens it with shaking hands.

The Cheese That Rolled the Wrong Way Down Cooper's Hill · A2

/rɑk/

rock; stone

Also means: swayed gently

It hit a rock and bounced left into the long grass.

/skɔːr/

score a goal or point

Also means: game score · musical score

If I score, we are a team.

/wɔːl/

She walks near the sea wall.

/kɑːrd/

a small flat paper or plastic item

It is a small white card.

/bɔl/

ball used in a game

The ball went wide and his team lost.

/ˈɪntərvjuː/

a formal question-and-answer conversation

the one I interviewed for in March.

/ˈdɛkeɪd/

period of ten years

Several theories have circulated over the decades.

/məˈʃiːn/

a device or apparatus

a man was at the machine.

/tiː/

a brewed drink made from tea leaves

Also means: tea-related, modifying “joke”

ok. i will make tea.

/ˈmɛsɪdʒ/

a communication sent to someone

Also means: send a message to someone · an unsent written communication · written information inside an object

maya saw the message.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/rɪˈspɑns/

Also means: reaction

The response she received was polite, measured, and almost entirely unhelpful.

/peɪn/

physical or emotional suffering

"Some pain is very old."

What She Chose Not to Say · A2

/ˈrɪvər/

"You can fish the river.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈkʌltʃər/

shared customs and way of life

Dawson almost certainly did not intend to erase a piece of local culture.

/bænd/

masquerade group

The other bands started to pack up.

The Brass Band That Played On When the Parade Turned Back · A2

/koʊld/

having a low temperature

Also means: emotionally distant or unfriendly · cold weather or low temperature · chilling or unsettling, producing fear or dread

The red seat is cold.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/weɪt/

physical heaviness

Also means: emotional pressure · burden or load · importance, seriousness, or significance

It was never really about the weight; it was about the discipline that produced it.

/piːs/

accept and come to terms with something

Also means: inner calm or tranquility · quiet and freedom from disturbance · avoid or prevent conflict

She said she made peace with it a long time back.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈsɛntʃəri/

a period of one hundred years

Also means: relating to a specified century

The maps printed by the Ordnance Survey in the nineteenth century were not merely guides.

/tʃɑːrdʒ/

battery power

Finn walks to the workbench. He sees something on it. An old phone. The screen is cracked. He picks it up. It is unlocked. It still has charge.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/ˈnɛtˌwɝk/

connected system

His neighbour, a man named Eckhardt, had spent three years building a network of small trade routes between Nova Scotia fishing villages and merchants in Massachusetts.

/ˈdæmɪdʒ/

physical harm

Also means: physically harmed

Edwin took the umbrella and checked it for damage.

The Wrong Umbrella Taken from the Garrick Club · B1

/ˈsiːkrət/

hidden information

Also means: hidden or private · a person or thing kept private

He has a secret.

/blɒk/

bar communication from someone or a number

Also means: obstruct or stop something · buildings

before you decide to block him or not.

/ˈsteɪʃən/

transport station

Also means: police station · gas station

The station is quiet.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/ˈdɪfərəns/

distinction between things

There was a difference, she was learning, between loss and error.

/biːt/

pulse rhythmically

Also means: defeat someone · hit physically · brief interval or pause

Maren’s heart beat fast.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈreɪdioʊ/

radio broadcasting

There was a scholarship fund receiving donations in the name of a man who might still be alive somewhere, eating breakfast in a small apartment and listening to the radio.

/ˈprɛʃər/

an obligation or expectation

Also means: a force or influence

no pressure

/ˈtritmənt/

care for an illness

they have methods. it's not a secret conspiracy, it's like... a treatment approach

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/ˈsentə/

middle part or point

Also means: central or middle · community facility

It hung in the old stone tower at the centre of the village, grey and heavy, older than any house or road.

/ˈkʌstəmər/

customers (plural)

His customers liked it.

The Greengrocer Who Refused to Stock the New Potato · A2

/ˈhʌzbənd/

My husband did not like Carnival.

The Neighbour Who Hid the Carnival Costume for Forty Years · A2

/maɪlz/

miles, a unit of distance

The route is two miles.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/

starting

Somewhere deep in the current beneath her, she could feel the tidal shift beginning — the invisible six-hour clock that dictated everything out here.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/aɪs/

frozen water

Also means: frozen surface on water

The harbor market smelled of salt and ice.

The Fishmonger Who Refused the Catch of the Day · A2

/spiːd/

rate of movement

It was not because of speed, but because of a choice.

/ˈkrɛdɪt/

recognition for work

yes him. ok so at the team meeting on friday, he took credit for MY project report.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈstrʌktʃər/

arrangement of parts

Also means: physical constructions

He had a gift for structure: for understanding how weight distributed itself, how something enormous could be made to feel, from a distance, like it was barely touching the ground.

/ˈjɛloʊ/

yellow in color

Also means: the color yellow

It has yellow eyes.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/dɛt/

money owed

Debt, perhaps.

/ʃɑp/

retail store or premises

Also means: retail business

The telephone box is a small shop!

The Fishmonger Who Refused the Catch of the Day · A2

/kaʊnt/

to tally or determine the number of something

Also means: a total number · to matter or be important

Lena counted her money, but she was a little short.

/seɪl/

act of selling something

The losing club faced a different future: wage cuts, the sale of their best players, and what the local press called "a slow and undignified retreat from the top flight."

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/fiːt/

feet (body parts)

Seventeen feet of welded steel, draped in three thousand hand-sewn feathers— gold, burnt orange, and a deep, almost painful shade of violet— it sat in the yard behind Delroy Ambrose's garage in Brixton like a ship built too far from the sea.

/ˈkɒpi/

duplicate

Also means: imitate

He had a copy key.

The White Hare That Sits at the Crossroads on Midsummer Night · A2

/ˈmɛməri/

recollection

Also means: mental retention

You do not hear words, but you feel the answer in your mind like a memory.

/ˈmɪnɪt/

a short amount of time

Also means: a unit of time lasting sixty seconds

i need a minute

/ˈneɪtʃər/

character or kind of something

it went... ok actually. better than I expected. I showed them all my files and the HR manager was really professional. she said the, um, the private nature of the original message was already taken into account — I think Dani must have gone in last night like she said. they're looking into the project credit issue now too, which — yeah, that's kind of big. I'm still shaken but... I think I'm going to be ok.

/ˈprɒmɪs/

commit oneself

Also means: assure someone · a pledge or commitment · indicate or suggest

yes. I promise.

/dræft/

preliminary version

Also means: preliminary or unfinished (modifier) · written or prepared (past participle)

They sit quietly for a moment. Finn writes a draft. He shows it to Maya. She reads it. She nods.

/sʌn/

the Sun, the star

The sun is very hot.

/kəmˈpjuːtɚ/

Oh no. My brother has my computer.

/ˈθɪəri/

theories

Several theories have circulated over the decades.

No Milk in the Fridge · A0

/mɪlk/

Also means: attributive noun specifying something related to milk

No milk?

/koʊtʃ/

sports coach

They muttered on the bench, rolled their eyes at the coach, and sent unhappy text messages after games.

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/ˈsʌbdʒɪkt/

person or thing concerned in a legal matter

The response came three hours later, not from Sokolová but from a law firm in Zurich, informing her that the baton was the subject of an ongoing estate matter and requesting that the Conservatory hold it securely pending further instructions.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ɡʌn/

rivet-fastening tool

Her father was balanced on a ladder with a rivet gun, wearing the same sun-faded work shirt he had owned since 1987.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈlɛtər/

written message

Also means: alphabetic character

But one letter was different.

The Letter Forwarded to the Wrong Address for Seven Years · A2

/kæt/

domestic feline animal

Also means: modifier meaning for domestic cats

It is not a cat.

The Apology Written on the Back of a Till Receipt · A1

/ˈsɪstər/

female sibling

Her sister, Jess, is angry.

/hoʊˈtɛl/

hotel: modifying noun, related to a hotel

Also means: hotel: lodging establishment

She had stood in the hotel room, tired and cold, and she had thought: it's just milk.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/fɪr/

an anxious feeling of danger or harm

It was simple: 'Put down your fear.

The White Hare That Sits at the Crossroads on Midsummer Night · A2

/ˈliːdər/

person who leads

Margaret was a leader in the village.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/ˌɑːpərˈtuːnəti/

chance

It was a real opportunity.

/fɪt/

appropriate or proper

Also means: a sudden episode of strong emotion

The British government, in its haste to map the Highlands, had not seen fit to hire interpreters.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/brænd/

product brands

he reviewed seven brands of oat milk in one reel. it was weirdly compelling

The Brother Who Stopped Coming to Sunday Dinner · A1

/flɔːr/

building's walking surface

Marco looks at the floor.

/bɑːr/

chocolate bar

Also means: pub counter · metal rod · signal-strength unit

a chocolate bar. not a card.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/breɪn/

mind or thinking ability

Also means: physical brain organ

The irrational part of her brain wanted to be angry at the liquid.

/ˈkɑntrækt/

legal agreement

he showed me the contract.

/spɔrts/

related to sports

The grandson of Colin Hartley— the forward whose goal was disallowed— gave an interview to a sports podcast in 2019.

/ˈɪmɪdʒ/

picture or visual representation

The image was slightly blurry — phone camera, midnight, bad street lighting — but there it was.

/ˈoʊpənɪŋ/

the beginning or first part

make it the opening.

/ˈiːmeɪl/

email message

Also means: related to email; modifies a noun · sent an email to someone

it's a forwarded email.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/ˌdʒɛnəˈreɪʃən/

successive age groups in a family or society

People in Crestfall had learned, over many generations, that when you heard two slow, deep rings from that tower, you stopped.

/moʊd/

operating state or setting

It says 'Lost Mode'.

/ˌwiːkˈɛnd/

the weekend period

I was going to tell you this weekend.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/ˈmæstɚ/

harbour official

Also means: ceremony host

Every contact, every hidden cove, and every sympathetic harbour master — all of it was recorded on a single document.

/ˈrizənz/

causes or explanations

He grew tomatoes, courgettes, runner beans, and, for reasons nobody fully understood, an enormous amount of parsley.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/dəˈrɛkʃən/

way of moving

Everyone ran in the wrong direction.

The Cheese That Rolled the Wrong Way Down Cooper's Hill · A2

/əˈproʊtʃ/

move toward someone

Also means: method or way of treating something

When a journalist attempted to approach him at the event, a colleague placed a hand on the journalist's arm and quietly suggested that the evening was not the moment.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ʃɪp/

large vessel for carrying people or goods

A cargo ship moved silently across the horizon, enormous and oblivious.

/mæp/

map; diagram showing locations or distribution

Also means: survey or chart geographically

Leo has a paper map.

/drɛs/

one-piece garment

Also means: presented in the guise of · clothing-display

She put on the blue stage dress.

/ˈwʌri/

concern or anxiety (noun)

Also means: feel anxious (imperative)

His face was white with worry.

/ˈɑpəzɪt/

the contrary thing or statement

Also means: facing each other across a space

You told me the OPPOSITE of what I did 😂😂

/ˈkraɪsɪs/

a serious problem or emergency

I'm going to Sophie's wedding. Crisis over.

The Light That Came On in the Locked Cottage at Dungeness · A1

/biːtʃ/

shore

The beach is quiet.

/spɹɪŋ/

season after winter

last spring was months ago.

The Signature Scratched into the Tower Cell Wall · A2

/ˈpɪktʃərz/

pictures or images

There are pictures and many names.

/ˌɑpəˈreɪʃən/

operation; organized activity or procedure

The operation was at nine o'clock.

/ˈɛfərt/

work or trouble spent to achieve something

If the universe went through this much effort to introduce us, the least we can do is get coffee.

/ˈsɛʃən/

a scheduled meeting or period of activity

in your next session??

/bɜːrd/

bird, an animal

Also means: a bird-shaped object

It is not a bird.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈɪndʒəri/

physical harm or damage

It was her left shoulder — an old injury, scar tissue from a torn rotator cuff she had repaired surgically four years ago.

/ˈwɪntər/

winter season

same time next winter?

The Name Whispered Back from the Malham Tarn on Still Nights · A2

/leɪk/

inland body of water

Malham Tarn is a deep lake in Yorkshire.

/lʌk/

favorable fortune or success

The paper says: 'For good luck.

The Wrong Coat Taken from the School Lost Property · A1

/ˌkɑmpəˈtɪʃən/

a contest or competitive event

Also means: the competing people or groups · a rival or competitor

Other people said competition was fair.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/skɪn/

He used that specific tape because he had sensitive fingertips and ordinary grip tape irritated the skin.

/ˈvɪlɪdʒ/

small settlement

Also means: village inhabitants or community · relating to or representing a village

Margaret was a leader in the village.

The Fishmonger Who Refused the Catch of the Day · A2

/fɪʃ/

fish; fish as food or an animal

Also means: catch fish · fish-related noun modifier

He put his fish in neat rows on crushed ice.

/drɪŋk/

consume liquid

Also means: act of consuming liquid · beverage

'Let's drink tea.'

The Light That Came On in the Locked Cottage at Dungeness · A1

/trɪp/

journey

have a good trip, Mia

/ˈdɑktər/

medical practitioner

at the doctor.

/ˈdraɪvɪŋ/

the act of driving

Agreed. And Diana... thank you for driving.

The Candle Left in the Window the Night the Men Came Home · A1

/ˈsoʊldʒər/

military service member

Her son, Thomas, is a soldier.

/ˈmiːnɪŋ/

sense or significance

Also means: hidden implications or intended messages

It was not even close in meaning.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/liːf/

a leaf, a plant part

The leaves are black.

The White Hare That Sits at the Crossroads on Midsummer Night · A2

/maʊθ/

mouth (body part)

She closed her mouth.

/ˈsɝfɪs/

emerge or become known

Also means: upper outer layer

The baton arrived in a manila envelope on a Tuesday, which Mara always thought was the least dramatic day of the week for a secret to surface.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/spɑt/

place

The referee blew his whistle and pointed to the spot.

/ˈkæptən/

captain; person in charge

Leo is the captain.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/riˈæləti/

the actual state of things

They were, in a very real sense, official reality.

/ˈdɪstəns/

amount of space between things or places

Dates, depths, distances between seeds.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/ˈɡɑːrdən/

cultivated area for growing plants

Mia is in the garden.

My Mum Replied to His Mum First · A1

/mʌm/

mother

Also means: term of address for one's mother

can I have your mum's number?

/tʃæt/

group online conversation

Also means: private online conversation · message conversation or thread

this is a GROUP CHAT??

/kɪk/

a kicking attempt

Also means: a corner kick · a penalty kick

She kicked the ball to the right — low and fast.

/rɪŋ/

a circular band worn as jewelry

Also means: verb: make a bell-like sound · a circular enclosed area, especially for a contest · a secret or illicit group

It is a ring.

/ˌkɑːnvərˈseɪʃən/

written exchange of messages

Also means: spoken discussion or talk

screenshot of a text conversation

/ˈsɛtɪŋ/

configuration options

i went to account settings.

/ˈpɝpəs/

intention, in “on purpose”

Also means: reason or function

actually... i think i wrote it wrong on purpose

/əˈɡriːmənt/

assent or approval

He smiled and said nothing, which his uncle apparently took as agreement.

/ˈwɛðər/

atmospheric conditions

Also means: worn by exposure to weather

The weather is cold, and it rains.

/ˈdɑkjəmənt/

written or official record

This document proved her family's history in this small Irish town.

The Soldier Whose Name Was Spelled Wrong on the Memorial · A2

/tuːl/

implement used to do a task

Finally, three weeks later, two men came to the memorial with tools.

/ˈɛnəmi/

enemy (plural)

Kings and queens sent their enemies to this place.

The Signature Scratched into the Tower Cell Wall · A2

/mɪˈsteɪk/

error

Also means: accidentally

it was my mistake.

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/keɪk/

a baked sweet food

Also means: noun modifier specifying a cake-related photo · noun modifier identifying the baked item a recipe is for

her cake is SO good.

/hɔl/

a large indoor room or gathering space

Also means: an indoor passageway · an entrance room or foyer · a municipal government building

The hall is quiet.

The Violin Left Under the Seat at the Last Night of the Proms · A1

/koʊst/

coastline or coastal region

On a grey Tuesday morning in October, Thomas loaded his boat with cod and began the journey up the coast.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/weɪk/

become awake

Also means: trail left behind · make someone awake

mia. MIA wake up

/ˈkæmərə/

camera (device)

in her camera roll.

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/fʊt/

foot, body part

Also means: bottom or base

Lena stepped forward and struck the ball low with the outside of her foot — just the way she had practised alone for three years.

/ˈeɪdʒənsi/

concert booking business

She called his former manager, a brisk woman named Sokolová who now ran a small concert agency in Vienna.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/sɛl/

a small enclosed room

This is a cell in the Tower of London.

The Signature Scratched into the Tower Cell Wall · A2

/smaɪl/

People shout and smile.

/ɪkˈskjuːz/

polite request for attention or apology

Also means: reason offered to justify an action · justify or pardon

“Excuse me,” Elena said.

/ˈkɔfi/

coffee as a drink

Also means: noun modifier meaning for coffee

The coffee was cold.

/ˈiːvnɪŋ/

evening time of day

That evening, a new note comes back.

The Cheese That Rolled the Wrong Way Down Cooper's Hill · A2

/ˈsɛkəndz/

plural unit of time

Nora arrived three seconds later.

/ˈlaɪˌbrɛri/

library: book-lending institution or building

Also means: library-related; from a library (attributive modifier)

The library is quiet.

The Clock That Stopped at the Same Time Every Tuesday · A1

/roʊl/

stored photo collection

Also means: made something move by turning it over · moved by turning over and over · moved the eyes in annoyance

in her camera roll.

The Signature Scratched into the Tower Cell Wall · A2

/kwiːn/

female monarch

Also means: chess queen

She was queen of England for only nine days in 1553.

/stɑːrz/

She saw the stars in the water.

The Name Whispered Back from the Malham Tarn on Still Nights · A2

/æp/

software application

Zara's Thursday session arrived. She walked into Dr. Chen's office with a list of bullet points in her notes app. Two hours later, she texted Dee.

/flaɪt/

A division or level in a sporting competition

The losing club faced a different future: wage cuts, the sale of their best players, and what the local press called "a slow and undignified retreat from the top flight."

/ˈkɒndʌkt/

behavior

Also means: direct a musical performance

conduct? what conduct?

/raɪs/

rice as food

rice and prawns. what do you have?

A Message in the Rain · A1

/skriːn/

phone display

Also means: computer display

A new message arrives on the screen from a contact named 'Mystery Man'.

/ɡlæs/

made of glass

Also means: drinking glass · glass material or pane

Suddenly, the phone vibrates. A bright red box appears on the glass screen.

The Best Man's Toast That Stopped in the Middle · A2

/spiːtʃ/

a prepared talk given to an audience

His job was to give a short, happy speech.

/ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ/

series of text messages

Also means: conversation

screenshot of a longer text exchange

/ˈmɛsɪdʒɪz/

written chat messages

Also means: communications

I can see messages.

/dʒoʊk/

a humorous remark, story, or bit

Also means: attributive: intended as a joke or humorous

Lol it's just a joke man.

/wɪnd/

moving air

The wind was cold.

The Cheese That Rolled the Wrong Way Down Cooper's Hill · A2

/ˈbɑtəm/

lowest part or point

The first person to reach the bottom won the cheese.

/səˈluːʃən/

way to solve a problem or difficult situation

It was not a solution to three years of silence.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/boʊt/

The boat was called Audrey.

/strɛs/

worry or pressure

Also means: feeling worried or under pressure · feel worried

Priya scrolls through several days of Jade's private messages. At first they are about the scholarship — notes, plans, stress. Then she finds something different. Messages from Tuesday night. And Wednesday. And Thursday.

/lɑk/

device that secures a door

Also means: becomes secured · secures something with a lock · past-tense verb: secured a place

yes. no lock.

/ˈkɔːrnər/

inside angle where surfaces meet

Also means: street intersection · soccer restart from the field corner · nearby place in an idiom

He looks at the dark corners.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈrɛzɪdənt/

people who live in a place

She came across the discrepancy while interviewing elderly residents of the glen.

/bʌs/

a large road vehicle for carrying passengers

He sees a big red bus.

The Best Man's Toast That Stopped in the Middle · A2

/ˈwɛdɪŋ/

marriage ceremony or celebration

Also means: relating to a marriage ceremony

The wedding was beautiful.

/skeɪl/

weighing device

She had weighed herself at five-thirty in the darkness of her hotel bathroom, standing very still on the small digital scale she carried everywhere, the one she trusted more than she trusted most people.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/lɛŋθ/

the distance from one end of something to the other

Also means: a racing distance equal to a horse’s length

It was said to be the length of a man lying flat, with eyes the colour of tarnished silver.

The Brother Who Stopped Coming to Sunday Dinner · A1

/nɑk/

knock (make a knocking sound)

Also means: a knocking sound

She knocks on the door.

/hɪl/

a raised area of land

She knew every bump and every tree on the hill.

The Cheese That Rolled the Wrong Way Down Cooper's Hill · A2

/ˈproʊfaɪl/

online user profile or page

Also means: relating to an online user profile · biographical feature article

because she is looking at your profile again?

/ɪˈsteɪt/

assets left by a deceased person

Also means: residential housing development · large landed property

I'm just — how much of the estate is she getting?

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/ɑrmz/

arms (body parts)

Before he vanished, he had pushed the coat into Thomas's arms and whispered three words: "Keep it safe."

/fʌnd/

money set aside for a purpose

There had been a funeral, a commemorative concert, and a scholarship fund established in his name.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈbʌdʒɪt/

planned amount of money to spend

It was sitting right on top of my budget report 😬

/ˈsɪlvɚ/

silver-coloured

Also means: silver-coloured coating or substance

It is a silver key.

/ɛks/

former romantic partner

is elle his ex??

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/əˈθɔrəti/

commanding influence

The surveyor's notebook, however hastily filled in, carried a kind of quiet authority that no local tradition could easily challenge.

/ʃuː/

shoes, footwear worn on the feet

Mia looked up from her phone. She walked to the platform. She saw him immediately — cream sweater, red hair, small bag. Sam. He was staring at his shoes.

/sərˈpraɪz/

unexpected event or thing

Also means: feeling astonished

The surprise is perfect.

/ˈwɪtnəs/

observer who sees an event

Also means: to see or experience something

The two men spoke for what witnesses later described as "no more than fifteen seconds."

/rɪˈplaɪ/

respond

Also means: response

are you going to reply to her??

The Envelope Sealed Inside the Cornerstone of the Old School · A1

/stoʊn/

stone or rock material (noun)

Also means: made of stone (attributive modifier) · A gravestone or inscribed stone marking a grave

The workers have a big stone.

/ˈwɪnər/

person or thing that wins a contest

Also means: successful person

The knight is a winner today.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/ˈpɹɪzən/

imprisonment or confinement

Also means: prison facility or institution · imprisonment as a destination

It was prison, or sometimes worse.

/ˈklaɪənt/

people receiving professional services

Does she follow all her clients' exes??

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/ʃuːt/

young plant stems

Three weeks later, when Martin came to check on the plot alone one evening, he found small green shoots pushing up from the dark earth in neat, confident rows.

/ruːt/

path or course for travel

Also means: way of achieving something

However, a dispute with the route committee led to an official refusal.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈrɛfərəns/

refer to or mention

Also means: person giving a recommendation · mention or allusion · source used for information

When a name appeared on an Ordnance Survey map, it became the name that administrators used, that inheritance courts referenced, and that schools eventually taught.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈfɪŋɡər/

finger, a hand digit

a door closed on my fingers.

The Apology Written on the Back of a Till Receipt · A1

/bæɡ/

bag; container for carrying things

She looks in her bag.

/fɝm/

company or business

But she also thought about the law firm in Zurich, and the pause in Sokolová's voice, and the fact that eleven years had passed without anyone being hurt by his absence.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈtɛləˌvɪʒən/

television set

Also means: television as a medium or activity

Maya could hear a television in the background and the faint sound of dishes being moved.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈtrʌbəl/

problem

The trouble with silence is that it does not protest.

/ˈsɪɡnəl/

mobile-phone reception

Also means: cue or indication

signal is bad.

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/ɛɡ/

eggs, plural

flour, eggs, butter.

/ˈdɪnər/

the main or evening meal

Also means: a meal held as a special social occasion

At dinner, Mia and Rosa sit at the table.

The Wrong Moment · A1

/ɡɪft/

present given to someone

Also means: natural talent or ability · benefit or blessing

The coin is a gift from his father.

The Chair That Moved Three Inches Every Morning · A2

/wʊd/

wood as a material

It was old wood and not flat.

/ˈstændərdz/

accepted norms or criteria

Also means: personal standards or expectations

He was doing, by the standards of his time, a perfectly adequate job.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ədˈvæntɪdʒ/

beneficial quality or edge

Understanding a horse like that on a day like this was worth more than any physical advantage.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/kæt/

cat, used as a noun modifier in “cat food”

Cat FOOD, Jess!

/tʃɛr/

seat

Mark sits on a chair.

/ʃɝt/

In the foreground, eleven men in white shirts are celebrating, arms raised, mouths open in silent screams of joy.

The Soldier Whose Name Was Spelled Wrong on the Memorial · A2

/ˈpeɪʃənt/

calmly enduring or waiting

Also means: person receiving therapy

She was quiet, patient, and certain.

/brɪdʒ/

physical structure over a gap

Also means: figurative connection · close or span a gap

I am at the bridge.

Face to Face · A1

/ˈbækˌɡraʊnd/

rear part of a scene

Also means: surrounding setting or ambient scene

In the background, barely visible near the touchline, a man in a black jacket stands completely still.

/ˈhaʊzɪŋ/

housing-related (noun modifier)

Maya saved the bank receipt. The next morning, she went to the housing office. Cole's name was on the complaint form. Her name came off the lease that same day.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/ˈθaʊzəndz/

an unspecified large number

His father had spent thousands of hours here.

/ˈsɔftwɛɹ/

computer programs

you know the most about the software.

/bɝθ/

being born

Parents were not married at time of birth.

/teɪst/

sample food

Also means: perceive a flavor · have a flavor · aesthetic judgment

You bring one dish, the judges taste it, and the winner gets a golden ribbon.

The Carriage Where No One Speaks on the Last Train North · A2

/ˈsaɪləns/

absence of sound or speech

Also means: prolonged lack of communication

But here, the silence feels different.

/ˈnuːzˌpeɪpər/

newspaper publication

Midlands United, as the newspapers had predicted, began selling players before the summer was over.

/ˈæpəl/

apple (fruit)

He has a red apple.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/hɔrs/

The horse she was supposed to ride was a four-year-old grey named Theorem.

/nɛt/

the mesh attached to a sports goal to catch the ball

Also means: mesh used for catching fish

The net moved.

/ɡɑːrd/

guard; person who protects

Also means: guarding; protecting or watching

Arthur is a guard.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ʃɪft/

moved position

Also means: changed; became different · a scheduled period of work · a change

The violet feathers caught the evening light and shifted like something breathing.

/fɑːm/

farm: land and buildings for growing crops or raising animals

Also means: land and equipment containing solar panels for generating electricity

where is the farm?

/ˈdraɪvər/

person who drives

Leo smiles at the driver.

/ˈkrɪmɪnəl/

person who commits crimes

Also means: illegal or against the law

Priya, I think my landlord is a criminal.

/ɪnˌvɛstəˈɡeɪʃən/

a formal inquiry

They're opening an investigation.

/peɪnt/

paint, a colored coating

Also means: painted, covered with paint · painted, applied paint

The paint stains under her fingernails were unmistakable.

The Name Whispered Back from the Malham Tarn on Still Nights · A2

/ɛdʒ/

shoreline

Also means: roadside · border · coast

Nora stopped at the water's edge.

/waɪn/

bring wine

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/rɪˈlɪdʒən/

deep devotion

The Notting Hill Carnival had been Delroy's religion before it was Marcia's inheritance.

/ˌmæɡəˈziːn/

a periodical publication

Her editor wanted a 'quirky travel piece' for the magazine — something light and British.

/paʊnd/

british currency units

The price tag said twelve pounds.

/ˈnəʊtɪs bɔːd/

board for posted notices

I got your number from the building noticeboard.

/ˌæftərˈnuːn/

afternoon period

Also means: of or for the afternoon

It is Sunday afternoon.

/ˈɔːdiəns/

people watching or listening to a performance

She became an understudy because she loved music but was afraid of the audience.

The Only Passenger at the Smallest Station in Wales · A1

/ɑːrm/

arm (body limb)

Liam puts his arm out.

/stɛps/

stair treads

Also means: A movement made by lifting a foot and putting it down in a new position

Rosa walks down the steps.

The Violin Left Under the Seat at the Last Night of the Proms · A1

/ˈprɛzəns/

a visible physical figure or entity

Also means: being physically there

The White Cliffs of Dover can be visible from surprisingly far out, and their pale, solid presence on the horizon has a strange psychological effect — they make the remaining distance feel both shorter and longer than it really is.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈmaʊntən/

mountain-related modifier

Also means: mountain landform

Lena stood at the bus stop and watched the bus disappear down the mountain road.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/spɔːrt/

sport or athletic activity

They learned that sport is not just about winning.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/pɔrt/

harbor

It was the year 1783, and the British Crown controlled every port along the Nova Scotia coastline.

/ˈmɛdɪsɪn/

medicine or drug

These seeds can make a powerful medicine.

A Message from the Past · A1

/ˈɛrər/

mistake or flaw

Also means: printing mistake or typo

There was a difference, she was learning, between loss and error.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/ɪntʃ/

plural unit of length

Every morning, it was three inches closer to the door.

The Chair That Moved Three Inches Every Morning · A2

/ˈbɑtəl/

container for liquids

i have two bottles.

The Light That Came On in the Locked Cottage at Dungeness · A1

/skaɪ/

The sky is dark.

/kloʊðz/

garments worn on the body

her books. her clothes.

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/ʃeɪp/

team formation or organization

The team lost its shape.

/pɛɹ/

set of two

Then he picked up a pair of scissors and cut the paper cleanly down the middle.

The Recipe Torn in Half at the Reading of the Will · B1

/əˈsɪstənt/

helper

She peeled off her outer layer— the light jacket she wore over her silks— and handed it to an assistant.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈfɛstɪvəl/

festival or organized celebration

Sam is at a big music festival.

The Last Ticket for the Glastonbury Mud · A1

/ɪˈmɝdʒənsi/

urgent situation

He called the emergency number.

The Garden Gate Left Open the Morning She Disappeared · A2

/tæp/

a light knocking sound

Also means: strike lightly · press a screen briefly

Tap, tap, tap.

The Violin Left Under the Seat at the Last Night of the Proms · A1

/flæɡ/

flag or banner

Also means: marked for attention

People cheer and wave flags.

/ˈsɛntəns/

a complete grammatical statement

Dan sent Priya a handwritten note with three clear, professional sentences about her. He took a photo and sent it.

The Envelope Sealed Inside the Cornerstone of the Old School · A1

/mjuˈziːəm/

She puts the papers in a museum.

/ˈæksɪdənt/

unintentionally; by chance

Also means: unexpected mishap · car crash · administrative mistake

I think she just clicked the wrong photo by accident.

/pæθ/

a route or walkway

A woman on the path laughed.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/stiːl/

a strong metal alloy

/ˈdjuːti/

assigned responsibility

Dawson thanked him, closed his notebook, and moved on to the next summit, satisfied that his duty was complete.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈsɝkəl/

round shape or icon

Also means: central circular marking on a sports field · social groups

a grey circle??

/kənˌɡɹætʃəˈleɪʃən/

good wishes for a happy event

Oh Priya. Congratulations.

/dɪˈleɪ/

made late or held up

Also means: instances of being late

A station announcement plays: the 9:00 train to the city is delayed by eight minutes.

/ˈmɪksˌʌp/

confusion or mistake

Mia walked to Green Street. Sam opened the door. They swapped the bags and laughed about the mix-up. A few minutes later, Mia walked home.

The Cheese That Rolled the Wrong Way Down Cooper's Hill · A2

/kraʊd/

group of people

Also means: of a crowd; modifies a noun

Nora did not tell the crowd.

/pruːf/

evidence that something is true

wait — do you have any proof?

/ˈfɔrɪst/

There were two roads through the forest.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/kruː/

boat crew

Also means: team of workers

Her coach, Patrick, was on the Marguerite along with a small crew.

/suːt/

matching set of clothes

The clingfilm suit.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/muːn/

natural satellite

The moon is bright and the city is quiet.

/roʊ/

a line of things

Also means: propel a boat with oars

She saw the people in the front row.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ɪr/

listener’s hearing or sound judgment

Also means: physical hearing organ

The farmer looked at the summit, then at the stranger with his leather notebook and brass instruments, and said something that sounded, to Dawson's untrained ear, like Beinn a' Chaorainn.

/ʌpˈdeɪt/

bring up to date

Also means: recent information or report

That's why I was printing the CV — I was going to update it tonight but I printed the wrong version by mistake 🤦

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈspiːkər/

audio device that produces sound

Also means: people who speak a language

He spoke to her every thirty minutes through a waterproof speaker mounted on the boat's railing.

/ˈʃʊɡər/

His bakery smells of warm flour and sugar.

/ˈrɛstərɑːnt/

ok see you at the restaurant at 7:30!

My Gran Joined the Group Chat · A1

/ˈhɪroʊ/

brave or admirable person

Also means: main character in a story

Gran is my hero 😂❤️

/floʊ/

movement of water

He watched her stroke count and tracked her position against the tidal flow.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈkwaɪət/

silent or with little noise

Also means: calm and without much activity · subtle or unobtrusive · silence or absence of noise

She is very quiet.

/ˈlɔɪər/

Did you get that email from Dad's lawyer just now??

/ˈdrɑmə/

fuss or emotional trouble

Also means: dramatic excitement or action

happy anniversary Mia. No more drama, ok? Well... maybe a little drama. It keeps things interesting. I love you. Goodnight.

/ˈhʌni/

honey as a sweetener or ingredient

She was sixty-two years old and always made a honey and lavender cake.

/ˈplætfɔrm/

train-station platform

he is on the platform.

The Chair That Moved Three Inches Every Morning · A2

/lɛɡz/

chair supports

Also means: human lower limbs

She put a piece of white tape on the floor behind the chair legs.

/dɪˈvaɪs/

piece of equipment

there is a new device.

/ˈɛntri/

saved record

screenshot of Ada's contacts list — one entry saved as a flower emoji

/skwɑd/

team of players

The winning club had already negotiated a lucrative sponsorship deal, one that would allow them to rebuild their crumbling ground, strengthen their squad, and compete seriously for the next ten years.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/puːl/

swimming pool

She was a secondary school geography teacher from Bristol who had spent the last three years getting up at five in the morning to swim in an outdoor pool before her students arrived.

/freɪm/

enclosed or bordered by

Also means: visible area of a picture or scene

The whole mural, framed between the shadows of two parked cars.

The Carriage Where No One Speaks on the Last Train North · A2

/ˈpæsəndʒər/

person traveling

It is a gift that the passengers give each other: the gift of rest.

/ˈlɛtəz/

written messages sent by mail

Also means: written alphabetic symbols

Many letters arrived there.

The Letter Forwarded to the Wrong Address for Seven Years · A2

/ˈstuːdioʊ/

design workplace or company

i work at a small design studio.

/lʌntʃ/

midday meal

Mum, what is in my lunch box?

/miːl/

food eaten as one serving

Also means: an eating occasion

Old texts, expired reminders, photos of meals she no longer remembered eating.

/hoʊl/

opening in something

She sees a small hole in the stones.

The Carriage Where No One Speaks on the Last Train North · A2

/snoʊ/

She puts her phone away and watches the dark trees and white snow through the window.

/ˈpeɪmənt/

money paid

Hey Maya! Hope the first night is good 😊 Just to let you know — I need to collect next month's payment a little early.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/kənˈsɝn/

care or regard

/lɛɡ/

Her leg hurts, so she does not play today.

The Trophy Left in the Changing Room After the Final · A1

/rɛnt/

lease out a property

Also means: payment for using a property · available for leasing · lease a property

I need to tell you something about the man who rented you that flat.

The Greengrocer Who Refused to Stock the New Potato · A2

/smɛl/

have a smell

Also means: odor or scent · perceive by smell · the sense of smell

It always smelled of fresh earth.

/ˈwɔrnɪŋ/

cautionary alert or notice

Also means: premonitory sign or feeling

On the portal, she clicks the red button that says "Withdraw Application". A small warning box appears: "Are you sure? This cannot be undone." She clicks yes. Then she takes a second screenshot — this one of the screen that says "Application withdrawn successfully." She sends it to Jade with no words at all.

/ˈkɪtʃɪn/

room for cooking

Also means: kitchen-related noun modifier

I am in the kitchen.

Can You Hear the Party Next Door? · A0

/əˈpɑrtmənt/

a home unit

Also means: residential, as a modifier

The music stops. The apartment is quiet.

/ˈdʒɝni/

trip

On a grey Tuesday morning in October, Thomas loaded his boat with cod and began the journey up the coast.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/ˈkɑnfɪdəns/

self-assurance

But his voice had lost some of its earlier confidence.

/ˈfæktəri/

But now, factories were making alarm clocks.

/trəˈdɪʃən/

custom or practice passed down

She had learned one thing: traditions that look simple from the outside are rarely simple from the inside.

The Neighbour Who Hid the Carnival Costume for Forty Years · A2

/hæt/

People wore long cloaks and tall hats.

/laɪts/

sources of light

Thomas sees the lights.

The Candle Left in the Window the Night the Men Came Home · A1

/ˈɑːɡjəmənt/

quarrel or dispute

The argument had never really ended.

The Recipe Torn in Half at the Reading of the Will · B1

/ˈtɛmpɹətʃɚ/

degree of heat

I feel the temperature.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈsɝkəmstæns/

conditions or situation

The cliffs were extraordinary, the kind of sight that would, under other circumstances, make a person feel very small in a way that was pleasurable.

/klaʊd/

Priya looked at the clouds.

/ˈtʃɪkɪn/

chicken meat as food

Also means: modifier indicating noodles made with or flavored with chicken

Rice and chicken. My name is on the box!

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/əˈθɔːrətiz/

government officials

Also means: local government bodies

The merchant's name was on the map, and if the authorities found the document first, that man would go to prison.

/boʊl/

mixing container

like, put them in the bowl and mix.

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/ˈpæsɪŋ/

briefly or incidentally

His obituary in the local paper was four sentences long and mentioned the 1952 match only in passing, describing it as "a moment of controversy that Mr Peel chose never to address."

/ˈkɑːntɛkst/

surrounding situation or background

I know. I'm going to go to HR myself tonight and explain that the context was completely private.

/ˈsteɪdiəm/

sports arena

The stadium exploded with noise.

A Message from the Past · A1

/siːd/

plant reproductive unit

The message says where Leo’s great-grandfather hid important seeds during the war.

/ˈpɑkɪt/

clothing compartment

He had his notes in his pocket.

The Best Man's Toast That Stopped in the Middle · A2

/ˈtaʊɚ/

tall narrow structure

She put down her pen and looked out the window toward the tower.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/sɔlt/

Also means: seasoned or preserved with salt

The harbor market smelled of salt and ice.

The Fishmonger Who Refused the Catch of the Day · A2

/ˈɔrɪndʒ/

orange in color

Also means: the color orange

Pat lived on an orange boat.

/wɔːlz/

walls: vertical structures enclosing or dividing spaces

He walks near the high stone walls.

/ˈɛdɪtər/

person who edits writing

Her editor wanted a 'quirky travel piece' for the magazine — something light and British.

/ˈtʃæmpiən/

champion or winner

He is a champion.

/dɪˈklaɪn/

refuse

Also means: deterioration

She had expected anger at the city, sympathy perhaps, maybe even an offer to sign a petition, which she would have politely declined.

The Signature Scratched into the Tower Cell Wall · A2

/ˈvɪzɪtər/

people who visit

Visitors look at the name and think about the young queen.

/ˈfɑrmər/

person who works a farm

He found an elderly farmer named Alasdair near a dry-stone wall at the foot of the hill.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈtɪkɪt/

travel ticket

Also means: noun modifier: related to tickets

i have your ticket.

The Soldier Whose Name Was Spelled Wrong on the Memorial · A2

/ˈpeɪpərz/

documents

Also means: school assignments

Mr. Hollis looked at his papers.

/ˈbrɛkfəst/

morning meal

There was a scholarship fund receiving donations in the name of a man who might still be alive somewhere, eating breakfast in a small apartment and listening to the radio.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/siːl/

close securely

Also means: official emblem

He seals it.

The Envelope Sealed Inside the Cornerstone of the Old School · A1

/weɪl/

raised ridges or stripes (plural)

wales. i think.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/θɹɛt/

threat or danger of harm

A threat.

/ˈsɪŋər/

person who sings

Tonight, the lead singer, Diana, was sick with a fever.

The Signature Scratched into the Tower Cell Wall · A2

/ˈprɪzənər/

prisoner; person held captive

For hundreds of years, important prisoners lived here.

/ˈleɪbəl/

written tag identifying something

Also means: give something a name

My label is too small.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/ˈɪnstrəmənt/

musical instrument(s)

Also means: A tool or device used for scientific work or measurement

The final movement — the famous Ode to Joy — filled the theatre with voices and instruments together.

/ˈʃædoʊ/

a dark shape cast by an object

Also means: darkness or a shaded area

He sees a big shadow.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/bɛl/

a ringing metal object

Everyone in Crestfall knew the rule about the bell.

/ˈfoʊtəɡræf/

picture made with a camera

On Thursday, she brought a photograph.

The Greengrocer Who Refused to Stock the New Potato · A2

/nɜːrs/

medical caregiver

Outside, a nurse walked slowly down the hall.

/ˈrɛdʒɪstər/

official record or log

Also means: style or level of language

“This is the correction register,” he said.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈjuːnɪvɝs/

the cosmos; all space and existence

But she had done everything she could think of, and now all that was left was to step back onto the old honest scales and find out if the universe was feeling kind.

/praɪz/

award or reward for winning

lol ok but what is the prize

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/maɪl/

unit of distance

The Mere was half a mile from the cottage, down a track through birch trees that were already beginning to lose their leaves.

/ˈbɔɪfrend/

male romantic partner

tom is your boyfriend.

The Chair That Moved Three Inches Every Morning · A2

/ɡɛst/

guest or visitor

Also means: guest-related (attributive noun)

She knew every room and every guest.

/plɑt/

parcel of land

He stood at the gate and looked at the plot.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/kəmˈpleɪnt/

a grievance or report of a problem

Also means: an objection or protest

Maya saved the bank receipt. The next morning, she went to the housing office. Cole's name was on the complaint form. Her name came off the lease that same day.

The Recipe Torn in Half at the Reading of the Will · B1

/kwoʊt/

introduce someone’s exact words

Also means: someone’s exact words repeated

"She said, and I quote: 'They will only have the whole recipe when they decide to sit in the same kitchen.'"

/teɪp/

adhesive tape

Also means: attached with adhesive tape

She put a piece of white tape on the floor behind the chair legs.

The Chair That Moved Three Inches Every Morning · A2

/ˈɑɹkaɪv/

stored or preserved in an archive

Also means: collection of records

"I'm just trying to account for the provenance of an archived object.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/tʃiːz/

dairy food (mass noun)

Also means: a cheese variety or item (count noun)

The Double Gloucester cheese weighed four kilograms.

The Cheese That Rolled the Wrong Way Down Cooper's Hill · A2

/jɑːd/

an outdoor area by a building

She had come back for her mother's birthday and found the float already half-assembled in the yard.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/leɪn/

a narrow road or path

Paul was walking up the lane, wearing their father's old green jacket.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/ˈaɪtəm/

thing or object

"And finally," the lawyer said, "regarding the personal item described as 'the honey cake recipe.'"

The Recipe Torn in Half at the Reading of the Will · B1

/ˈdaɪət/

planned way of eating

I told him I was on a diet 😐

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈproʊɡræm/

concert program

/bʌntʃ/

group or cluster

The white chair had a small bunch of yellow flowers on it.

The Seat Saved at the Wedding That Nobody Claimed · A2

/ɪnˈstrʌkʃən/

directions for how to do something

Also means: a directive or command

It was like reading instructions from a stranger who had known them all their life.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/niː/

knee (leg joint)

She was tired and her knee hurt.

The Cheese That Rolled the Wrong Way Down Cooper's Hill · A2

/ˈkaʊntər/

service counter

Also means: countertop or work surface

An old woman is behind the counter.

The Cafe with No Name · A1

/ˈbʌtən/

small physical button

Also means: clickable interface control

Her hand finds a yellow button and a small piece of paper.

The Wrong Coat Taken from the School Lost Property · A1

/ˈɑːbdʒɛkt/

physical thing or item

He sees a small object.

/ˈpætərn/

design or arrangement

I didn't realise anyone else remembered the pattern of those tiles.

/ˈkraɪɪŋ/

crying from relief or happiness

Priya, oh my god. The police — they already know who he is. They have his real name and everything. They said they can find him. I can't believe it. I'm actually shaking right now. Claire is crying. Like, good crying I think. We did it. We actually did it.

/nɔɪz/

an audible sound, especially a loud or unwanted one

Then, he hears a noise.

The Last Scone in the Staff Room · A0

/pleɪt/

flat dish for holding food

The plate is empty.

/ˈkɑnsərt/

musical performance or event

Also means: relating to musical performances; attributive modifier

The concert is over.

The Violin Left Under the Seat at the Last Night of the Proms · A1

/ɪkˈsprɛʃən/

facial look or display of feeling

The expression on his face was enough.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈkɑrbən/

carbon material

In the end, she wrote a single line in the accession record: Baton, carbon fibre.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/roʊdz/

There were two roads through the forest.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈpænəl/

flat section

On Sunday, Marcia helped him attach the final panel— a cascade of iridescent fabric that represented the sea between Trinidad and England.

/dʒɔɪ/

great happiness

In the foreground, eleven men in white shirts are celebrating, arms raised, mouths open in silent screams of joy.

/meɪt/

informal term of address: friend or buddy

A bit late, mate.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/tɪp/

pointed end or extremity

It was 4:47 in the morning when she entered the water at Cap Gris-Nez, the narrow tip of France that juts toward England like a pointed finger.

/əˈɹɛst/

stoppage of heart function

The cause of death was cardiac arrest.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˌpɝsəˈnæləti/

distinctive character

...i said you have "a very strong personality"

/ˈneɪbə/

neighbor: person living nearby

Hi! I'm your new neighbour.

The Jar of Chutney Nobody Would Open After the Wake · A1

/ˈmɑmə/

mama, a person's name

Also means: direct address to Mama

Mama looks at the jar.

/kɑm/

calm or composed

Also means: a state of calm · command to become calm

Her voice was calm, but her hands were shaking a little.

/dɔrz/

physical doors or doorways

i am near the big doors.

/ˈbæθruːm/

room for using the toilet and washing

i'm literally in the bathroom rn.

/ˈɪnsɪdənt/

event or occurrence

Also means: trouble or problem

The Football Association reviewed the incident and found no grounds for formal action.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/saɪt/

visual perception

Also means: view or scene

They assumed that geography was a matter of mathematics and sight, ignoring the fact that the names of the land are a matter of language and history.

/bʊʃ/

more than one bush

Mia sees the rose bushes.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈvɛsəl/

ships

/ˌænəˈvɝsəri/

yearly date marking a past event

happy anniversary ❤️ one year already!

/ˈkɑntɛst/

competition

A young woman named Clara Brent entered the contest.

/rɪˈtaɪɚmənt/

leaving work

He attended his retirement dinner in 1956, shook hands with the officials, and accepted a small engraved clock as a gift.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/piːk/

mountain summit

Dawson pointed upward, gesturing toward the peak that dominated the horizon.

/kɔɪn/

Marcus has a silver coin.

My Gran Joined the Group Chat · A1

/ˈtʃɑklət/

made with or flavored with chocolate

Also means: chocolate as a food substance · individual chocolate candies

They have chocolate cake!! 🎂

/koʊt/

coat (outer garment)

Also means: noun modifier meaning related to coats (in “coat room”) · verb meaning covered with a layer

She does not have her coat.

The Wrong Coat Taken from the School Lost Property · A1

/brɛθ/

a breath of air

Also means: a spoken mention · the ability or condition of breathing

She took a breath.

The Name Whispered Back from the Malham Tarn on Still Nights · A2

/ˈθiːətər/

theater venue or building

Also means: theater organization or institution

The final movement — the famous Ode to Joy — filled the theatre with voices and instruments together.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/tʃɛst/

chest, upper front of the body

She held the book to her chest and said thank you.

/ˈθɛrəpi/

psychological treatment

I KNOW. I'm in therapy too!!

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈdeɪbuː/

first public performance

It was supposed to be his debut as a bandleader.

/ˈʃɪpɪŋ/

commercial transport of goods

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈstreɪndʒər/

unknown person

Also means: more unusual

She was a stranger.

/klʌbz/

sports teams

The match was a First Division fixture between Midlands United and Mersey Athletic, two clubs that had not won a title in decades.

/jɑːdz/

unit of length

The race was only 415 yards — from the marketplace to the church.

/dɪˈfɛns/

defending players

In the 88th minute, with the score level at 1–1, a Midlands United forward named Colin Hartley received a long pass and ran clear of the defence.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/ˈæŋɡəl/

inclination or direction

The bean poles were leaning at strange angles, like tired soldiers.

/ˈserəˌmoʊni/

formal ceremony or event

The master of ceremonies rolled the cheese.

The Cheese That Rolled the Wrong Way Down Cooper's Hill · A2

/brɛd/

bread as food

Also means: bread as a baking category or theme

She makes pasta and bread.

The Brother Who Stopped Coming to Sunday Dinner · A1

/ˈʃoʊldər/

upper joint between arm and torso

At hour nine, her shoulder started to ache.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/pərˈmɪʃən/

authorization to do something

In this city, asking for permission usually meant being told 'no' by someone in a suit who had never lived on this street.

/ˈneɪbərhʊd/

local community

He was not just a clock; he was a friend to the neighborhood.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈreɪsɪŋ/

flat-track horse racing

She stood in the weighing room at Epsom Downs on Derby Day— the loudest, most crowded, most historically brutal day in British flat racing— and the official, a man named Dennis who had been doing this job for longer than Sal had been alive, looked at the needle and then looked at her.

/ˈkʌstəmz/

customs service

Customs officers checked every boat, every barrel, and every crate of salted cod.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/toʊn/

attitude or manner conveyed in speech

Also means: color or shade

For the tone.

/ˈkʌlə/

color or hue

It was said to be the length of a man lying flat, with eyes the colour of tarnished silver.

/əˈpɔɪntmənt/

scheduled meeting or visit

At 11:10, the nurse called Maya's name. She waved at Jonah. He gave her a thumbs up. Twenty minutes later, Jonah's appointment finished too. They both walked out of the clinic at almost the same time.

/ˈmɑnstɚ/

a cruel or frightening person

Diana, I'm not a monster, I'm just asking.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈkæbɪnət/

storage cupboard

Then she locked it in a cabinet with the other things that had no clean explanation, and went home.

/klɑk/

timekeeping device

Also means: abstract time cycle governing events

He sees a big clock.

/dɪˈzæstər/

catastrophe or calamity

Also means: a person who is a mess

This group chat went from disaster to sweet really fast.

/ɡreɪ/

gray-colored

Also means: gray horse · a gray color or shade · dull or gloomy

It is small and grey.

/rʌʃ/

sudden surge of feeling

She stopped, feeling a sudden rush of nerves.

/ˈpɜːrmɪt/

official document giving permission

Also means: allowed

She had no permit.

The Garden Gate Left Open the Morning She Disappeared · A2

/ɡeɪt/

barrier or door in a fence

Also means: barrier that controls water flow

The gate was open.

/ˈfɪʃɪŋ/

used for catching fish

Also means: associated with the fishing industry

Maybe a fishing rod and your certainty about how the world works."

The Soldier Whose Name Was Spelled Wrong on the Memorial · A2

/ɡæp/

an empty space or opening

Also means: a difference between two things · a missing period in records

They removed the extra letter and filled the gap with new white stone.

/ˈmɪrər/

reflective surface

Clara looked in the mirror.

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/ˌsɛmiˈfaɪnəl/

semifinal match

The League Cup semi-final was a difficult game.

/ˈkɑːliːɡ/

coworker

That's what colleagues are for.

/ˈpækɪdʒ/

parcel

On a Tuesday morning, a small package arrived at the Millfield Public Library.

/ˈbɛdruːm/

room for sleeping

Friday. 17:15. Leo is in his bedroom. The party is at 6pm. He has one hour.

The Only Passenger at the Smallest Station in Wales · A1

/hɪlz/

raised areas of land

It is just Liam and the green hills.

/ʃɑk/

sudden surprise or alarm

Rosa made a small sound of shock.

The Recipe Torn in Half at the Reading of the Will · B1

/ˈfriːkwənsi/

wave repetition rate

Somewhere three streets away, a sound system was testing bass frequencies— the kind you feel in your chest before you hear them.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈskɑlərˌʃɪp/

attributive: relating to an education grant

Also means: education grant

i sent it to the scholarship group.

The Jar of Chutney Nobody Would Open After the Wake · A1

/ˈmɪstəri/

something unknown or unexplained

Also means: modifier meaning unidentified · modifier indicating detective-fiction genre

The mystery is over.

A Birthday Surprise · A1

/ˈʌŋkəl/

parent's brother

I go to my uncle.

/ˈpɛnəlti/

sports penalty, especially a penalty kick

Also means: modifies a sports term to indicate a penalty kick · punishment for wrongdoing · modifies a sports term to indicate a penalty area

He missed his last penalty three months ago.

/ˈtʃærəti/

charitable organization

She did not have much money, so she went to the charity shop on Bridge Street.

/ˈproʊtɛst/

an expression of objection or disapproval

Also means: to object or complain

They stood together for another moment in front of the grey wall, a silent protest of two, and then he nodded once, wished her a good morning, and walked away.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈhɔrsɪz/

She knew the way he carried his head slightly low coming out of a bend, the way he needed a half-second more than other horses before he committed to an acceleration.

/fəˈtɑːɡrəfi/

the art or practice of taking photographs

like street photography?

The Neighbour Who Hid the Carnival Costume for Forty Years · A2

/mæsk/

face covering

Every February, the city filled with music and masks.

/hʊk/

hook for hanging things

He always hung his umbrella on the third hook from the left in the entrance hall.

The Wrong Umbrella Taken from the Garrick Club · B1

/tæɡ/

attached label

Also means: mention someone in a post

There is a small silver tag.

/θrɛd/

a message conversation

Also means: passing thread through it · a strand of sewing thread

Finn takes a screenshot of the most recent message thread on the old phone. He forwards one message to Maya.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈkɒŋkriːt/

concrete building material

'You're doing it again,' she said, setting her bag down on the concrete.

/ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/

reason given

Then she locked it in a cabinet with the other things that had no clean explanation, and went home.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/wɪŋz/

side areas of a stage

Also means: bird or insect wings

She stood in the dark wings of the stage.

/ˈledʒənd/

traditional story

The legend, as the village told it, went like this: Black Mere was formed not by glaciers or rain, but by grief.

/bæθ/

public bathing place

He is at the big Roman bath.

/sænd/

The sand is wet.

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/ˈmʌsəl/

body muscle

FC Dornbach played well, but then their best striker, Yara Osman, pulled a muscle and had to leave the field.

/prəˈsiːdʒə/

a set way of doing something

Standard procedure."

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/rɪˈpleɪsmənt/

substitute item

He held the cheap replacement in his hand and stared at it.

The Wrong Umbrella Taken from the Garrick Club · B1

/weɪdʒ/

pay

The losing club faced a different future: wage cuts, the sale of their best players, and what the local press called "a slow and undignified retreat from the top flight."

/ˈsænwɪtʃ/

sandwich, a food item

Mum, where is my sandwich?

/dɛsk/

work table or workstation

Also means: service or reception counter

Maya goes to her desk. She finds a big piece of paper. She writes her name on it. Then she messages Dan.

/bæɡz/

two big bags.

/ˈpiːtsə/

yes. I'm bringing pizza 🍕

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈswɪmɪŋ/

the activity of swimming

Also means: swimming as an action

Perhaps ninety minutes of swimming, if she held her pace.

/skɔːz/

written music

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ɡraʊndz/

reasons or basis

The Football Association reviewed the incident and found no grounds for formal action.

/pɪtʃ/

A field used for playing a sport

They walked off the wet pitch together with the cup.

/bæt/

A piece of sports equipment used to hit a ball

Also means: flying mammal

She takes the bat.

/ˈdʒʌdʒmənt/

ability to make decisions

The rules of the game allowed for human judgement, which meant they also allowed for human error.

/ɡoʊst/

ghost or spirit

A white ghost sits there.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈɑːrkɪtɛktʃər/

structured system of ideas or choices

Also means: composition or arrangement of an artwork · design and style of buildings

Yet, the architecture of small decisions— the refusal to hire speakers of the language, the lack of a verification process— allowed a single mishearing to become a permanent record.

/ˈstʌmək/

stomach (digestive organ)

Mara's stomach felt cold.

/kʌts/

reductions

The losing club faced a different future: wage cuts, the sale of their best players, and what the local press called "a slow and undignified retreat from the top flight."

/ˈæŋɡɚ/

anger, a strong feeling of displeasure

She had expected anger at the city, sympathy perhaps, maybe even an offer to sign a petition, which she would have politely declined.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/sɔɪl/

earth in which plants grow

Weeds had come up through the soil.

/slaɪd/

presentation pages

he literally just read my slides and acted like they were his ideas

/nɝv/

nervousness

She stopped, feeling a sudden rush of nerves.

/ˈdræɡən/

It is a dragon.

The Soldier Whose Name Was Spelled Wrong on the Memorial · A2

/məˈmɔriəl/

memorial honoring someone

The memorial was beautiful.

/ˈtɛlɪfoʊn/

noun modifier: for making telephone calls

She sees a red telephone box.

/ˈkʌzən/

child of one's aunt or uncle

my cousin Priya.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/reɪl/

barrier or railing

Patrick was already at the rail, his face carefully neutral.

/ˌɪnstɪˈtuːʃən/

organization or established body

The burden of proof was on the people who lived there, not the institution that had made the mistake.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/prəˈmoʊʃən/

advancement to a higher job or rank

I asked David about a promotion in January and he said 'let's talk in Q3'.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/dʌst/

fine particles of dirt

It simply waits, allowing errors to settle like dust on a shelf until they are mistaken for the truth.

/pəˈteɪtoʊ/

potato tuber

Also means: potato-related attributive modifier

The potato is soft and dark.

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/ˈbʌtər/

butter, a dairy fat used in cooking

flour, eggs, butter.

/ʃiːt/

sign-in list or form

Also means: single piece of paper

hi sorry to bother you, did you take my number from the sign-in sheet at the clinic??

/broʊ/

informal term for a male friend or brother

bro 😂

/poʊl/

long, slender wooden rod

Also means: support stake for bean plants

He carried a long, thin pole made of wood.

/bɛntʃ/

a long seat

He sees a beautiful red scarf on a bench.

The Chair That Moved Three Inches Every Morning · A2

/ˈkliːnɪŋ/

cleaning work or service (modifier)

"I will ask the cleaning staff," Maya said.

/ˈɛntrəns/

entry-related; modifies “hall”

He always hung his umbrella on the third hook from the left in the entrance hall.

The Wrong Umbrella Taken from the Garrick Club · B1

/pæn/

shallow cooking container

She was laughing with a pan of red potatoes.

The Greengrocer Who Refused to Stock the New Potato · A2

/ˈfrɛndʃɪp/

ngl... maybe this is the start of a good friendship 😊

/ˈmɛdəl/

medal; award

He sees the gold medal.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈlaɪfˌtaɪm/

a person's whole life

She pointed to the correct summit without hesitation, as if the error were a splinter she had been waiting to have removed for a lifetime.

/ˈlɪkwɪd/

liquid substance

The irrational part of her brain wanted to be angry at the liquid.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈkrɪkɪt/

the sport of cricket

The village is quiet, but the cricket field is loud.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˌvɛriˈeɪʃən/

differences

The office acknowledged that local variations in Gaelic pronunciation could lead to inconsistencies in transcription.

/ˈkrɔːsɪŋ/

journey from one side to the other

She had attempted the crossing once before, two years ago.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/pɛn/

writing instrument

She has a pen.

The Apology Written on the Back of a Till Receipt · A1

/ˈdʒɜːrnəlɪst/

news reporter

After the race, a journalist asked Ivan, 'Why did you do that?

/ɡriːf/

deep sorrow, especially after a loss

The legend, as the village told it, went like this: Black Mere was formed not by glaciers or rain, but by grief.

/ɡræs/

grass plants

He sees the green grass.

/mɪl/

mill building

You can fish the mill pond.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/peɪs/

rate or speed of movement

Also means: expected rate of progress

He forced himself to keep rowing at the same steady pace.

/ɪˈfɪʃənsi/

ability to work well with little waste

The efficiency of the city's cleaning crew was terrifying.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈfjuːnərəl/

ceremony for a dead person

There had been a funeral, a commemorative concert, and a scholarship fund established in his name.

/ruːˈtiːn/

a rehearsed sequence of movements or actions

Also means: ordinary; standard · a method or procedure

'I was practising a corner routine,' she said.

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/sərˈvaɪvəl/

continued existence or ability to keep going

Also means: remaining financially viable

It was survival—financial survival.

The Wrong Umbrella Taken from the Garrick Club · B1

/ˈpæsɪdʒ/

narrow walkway

Also means: musical sections

He caught up to the man near a narrow passage between two buildings.

/bɛnd/

a curve or turn

Also means: leaned or curved downward

She thought about Theorem, the second bend, and the precise moment when she would ask him for everything.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈfɑloʊər/

social-media follower

ok but this is a small world coincidence, not a conspiracy. why are you looking through his followers?

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/təˈmɑːtoʊ/

tomato, an edible fruit

Also means: tomato plant

He grew tomatoes, courgettes, runner beans, and, for reasons nobody fully understood, an enormous amount of parsley.

/ˈæbsəns/

periods of nonattendance

Also means: someone's not being present · a lack or void

i was literally planning to report her absences at midnight so

/skrɪpt/

prepared text

Also means: handwriting style

she has a script. she absolutely has a script.

/ˈsæləri/

regular pay from a job

And the salary is 20% more.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈɡlɔːri/

great honor or praise

She thought about what it would mean to swim four more kilometres on a tearing shoulder, to crawl onto a pebbled English beach alone and triumphant but unable to lift her arm — and whether that was glory or just stubbornness dressed up in a wetsuit.

/bɪˈheɪvjər/

the way someone acts

honestly iconic behaviour

The Neighbour Who Hid the Carnival Costume for Forty Years · A2

/ˈkɑːstuːm/

special outfit worn for a role or event

She forgot about her costume.

/ˈvɛdʒtəbəl/

vegetable plants eaten as food

Marco sold the best vegetables in the city.

The Greengrocer Who Refused to Stock the New Potato · A2

/doʊˈneɪʃən/

gifts of money or goods

There was a scholarship fund receiving donations in the name of a man who might still be alive somewhere, eating breakfast in a small apartment and listening to the radio.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/mjuˈzɪʃən/

person who plays or makes music

She is a musician.

The Last Ticket for the Glastonbury Mud · A1

/ˈθiːətər/

performance venue

Two years ago, she tried to sing in a small theater.

The Wrong Umbrella Taken from the Garrick Club · B1

/ɪkˈsɛpʃən/

a case that does not follow the usual rule

For twenty-two years, he had done this without a single exception.

/ˈaʊtkʌm/

result

The most dramatic—that Peel had been offered money to influence the outcome— has never been supported by evidence.

The Wrong Umbrella Taken from the Garrick Club · B1

/ɪmˈprɛʃən/

an opinion or feeling formed about someone

I haven’t made a very good impression, have I?'

/ˈɛɡzɪt/

the main exit

The Greengrocer Who Refused to Stock the New Potato · A2

/ˈɡlæsɪz/

eyeglasses

Marco looked at her over his glasses.

/teɪl/

tail or trailing extension

She has a fish tail.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/ˈbærəl/

cask or large container

Customs officers checked every boat, every barrel, and every crate of salted cod.

/buːts/

boots (footwear)

'Your boots are wet.'

The Name Whispered Back from the Malham Tarn on Still Nights · A2

/rɪŋz/

ringing sounds

Also means: makes a ringing sound

Two rings.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/ˈdʒiːniəs/

brilliant; exceptionally clever

Also means: creative genius or guiding spirit

ROSA. that's genius

/priːst/

religious priest

“When the priest made a mistake, he wrote the correct information here.”

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ɪnˈtɛnʃən/

aim or purpose

He looked at the float—genuinely looked at it, checking for the gap between his intention and the result.

/ˈrɑbɪn/

a small songbird

A robin landed on one of the bean poles, looked at them both with professional suspicion, and flew away.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/ˈjunəˌfɔrm/

standard clothing

He wore a dark uniform and held a yellow envelope.

/ˈθɛrəpɪst/

mental health professional

that's my THERAPIST'S account

The Signature Scratched into the Tower Cell Wall · A2

/hɪˈstɔːriən/

person who studies or writes history

Historians believe this is the name of Lady Jane Grey.

/ˈdʒækɪt/

jacket; short outer garment

did you check your jacket?

/ˈlɪstɪŋ/

posted advertisement or property entry

the listing says available from the 1st of next month.

/ˌredʒɪˈstreɪʃən/

school attendance check

Also means: sign-up process

she was absent from morning registration thursday.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈtɪʃuː/

body tissue

Also means: paper tissue for wiping

It was her left shoulder — an old injury, scar tissue from a torn rotator cuff she had repaired surgically four years ago.

/kəˈnɛkʃənz/

social relationships or contacts

Chen always says, 'trust that the right connections find you,' and I always thought that was just something therapists say to sound deep?

The Recipe Torn in Half at the Reading of the Will · B1

/ˌprɛpəˈreɪʃən/

getting ready

Rosa held the instructions for preparation, but without the ingredients, they were useless.

/skriːm/

to shout loudly

Also means: loud cries

i am going to scream

Wait, No, Not This Chat · A1

/ˈpænɪk/

become very frightened

Also means: intense fear or alarm · showing sudden alarm or urgency

ok don't panic.

/tʃɪr/

shout with joy or encouragement

Also means: enthusiastic shouting

The room cheered.

The Best Man's Toast That Stopped in the Middle · A2

/pʌb/

Pat showed him the best pubs and the most beautiful trees.

/ˈmiːtə/

metres, units of length

about twenty metres from you.

/ˈmɪdˌnaɪt/

12:00 at night

i was literally planning to report her absences at midnight so

/piˈænoʊ/

piano musical instrument

The man plays the piano.

/ˈfʊtɪdʒ/

recorded video or film material

Film footage—grainy, incomplete, but genuine— showed Hartley clearly behind the ball when it was played.

/əˈnaʊnsmənt/

public notice or statement

A station announcement: the 9:00 train to the city is now ready. Final boarding.

/stoʊnz/

She sees a small hole in the stones.

/sɛk/

a unit of time

ok one sec, i'm looking...

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈraɪdə/

person who rides

Around her, other jockeys moved with the particular calm that experienced riders learn to perform.

/hʌɡ/

embrace

They shout and hug.

The Trophy Left in the Changing Room After the Final · A1

/ˈsʌmɪt/

mountain peak or highest point

Dawson thanked him, closed his notebook, and moved on to the next summit, satisfied that his duty was complete.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/kəˈlɛktɪv/

shared by a group

Also means: a group of people

She had promised herself she wouldn't look, but the crew's energy had shifted — a quiet, collective leaning toward the rail — and she couldn't help it.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/θroʊt/

throat (body part)

The lawyer cleared his throat and looked at the two women sitting on opposite sides of the table.

The Recipe Torn in Half at the Reading of the Will · B1

/tɔɪ/

plaything

yeah... see you saturday. and tom — bring sunny's favourite toy. the blue one. she loves it.

He Took the Dog and the WiFi Password · A1

/ˈhɑɹdˌwɛɹ/

tools and building supplies

She was walking toward the hardware store to buy more paint.

/pəˈtɪʃən/

formal written request

She had expected anger at the city, sympathy perhaps, maybe even an offer to sign a petition, which she would have politely declined.

The Fishmonger Who Refused the Catch of the Day · A2

/ˈfɔrtʃən/

a large amount of money

"That is worth a fortune," said his neighbor, Beto.

/ˈdɑːrknəs/

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈraɪət/

violent public disorder

He had found the Carnival in 1981, the year that the Brixton riots left a particular kind of bruise on the city— a bruise that the Carnival, that August, had pressed its thumb against and said: we are still here, and we are still beautiful.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈɑnəsti/

truthfulness

See? Honesty is always the best policy, Gerald.

/ˈlaɪtɪŋ/

illumination

The image was slightly blurry — phone camera, midnight, bad street lighting — but there it was.

/ˈtaɪmɪŋ/

the way events coincide in time

Although — funny timing, actually.

/ˈfɜːrnɪtʃər/

household movable items

But he had grown up hearing the story at the dinner table, passed down through his family like an old piece of furniture that nobody quite knew what to do with.

/səˈtɪfɪkət/

official document proving something

She needed a heritage certificate.

/tʌn/

a very large amount (informal)

ok so the scholarship group chat is loading a ton of old messages.

/əˈkaʊntɪŋ/

accounting department

ok I'm going to say this properly because I don't want to type it wrong. so... I didn't send the screenshot to HR. I didn't. but... I did show our conversation to my friend Jess from accounting? I just — I wanted someone else's opinion on the situation, you know? I didn't think she would do anything with it. I had no idea she's actually friends with Derek. I am so, so sorry Priya. I feel terrible. I should have never done that.

/swɪm/

move through water by swimming

Also means: a swimming event or session

Marcus wants to swim.

The Secret Ingredient in the Cornish Pasty · A0

/ɪnˈɡriːdiənt/

component used in a mixture or recipe

One ingredient is a secret.

/naɪt/

a medieval warrior or nobleman

Also means: the knight piece in chess

Arthur is a brave knight.

/əˈlɑrm/

for waking by a signal

It was an alarm clock.

/ˌvɑlənˈtɪɹ/

person who freely offers help

asked Dennis, the volunteer.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/ˈmɝːtʃənt/

trader

They were looking for smugglers — men who traded with American merchants without paying the King's taxes.

/ədˈmɪnɪstreɪtər/

person who manages

Then she went to find the church administrator, Mr. Heeney.

/ˈkeɪɑːs/

disorder and confusion

it's chaos out here.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/dɪˈspjuːt/

disagreement or conflict

However, a dispute with the route committee led to an official refusal.

/stroʊk/

swimming stroke

He watched her stroke count and tracked her position against the tidal flow.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/dɔn/

daybreak

What she hadn't known — what she couldn't have anticipated — was that someone would report it before dawn on Thursday.

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/ˈɔtəm/

the season between summer and winter

Repeating the same movements, again and again, in the grey autumn light.

/kənˈspɪrəsi/

secret plot

ok but this is a small world coincidence, not a conspiracy. why are you looking through his followers?

/ˈkɑntrəˌvɝsi/

public disagreement

His obituary in the local paper was four sentences long and mentioned the 1952 match only in passing, describing it as "a moment of controversy that Mr Peel chose never to address."

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ɡəˈrɑːʒ/

building for storing or repairing vehicles

The king and queen costumes hung on dress forms inside the garage, glittering under a single strip light.

/ˈɡrændˌfɑːðər/

male parent of one's parent

He was her grandfather.

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/ˈhæbɪt/

regular or ingrained behavior

Her teammates assumed it was just something Lena did — a habit, like drinking too much coffee.

/dɜːrt/

unwanted grime

Also means: soil or earth

She cleans the dirt.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˌdɛstəˈneɪʃən/

place someone is going to

The handwriting on the cash ticket receipt — a clerk had noted the passenger's destination — matched a note Vávra had written to her once, correcting her interpretation of a tempo marking.

/ˈbʊlɪt/

list marker

Zara's Thursday session arrived. She walked into Dr. Chen's office with a list of bullet points in her notes app. Two hours later, she texted Dee.

/ˈækjərəsi/

correctness or precision

She had made it as accurate as she possibly could, not because she thought accuracy was the same as art, but because she believed that this particular neighbourhood deserved a witness.

/ˈbaɪsɪkəl/

On the morning of October 28th, Agnes saw a boy on a bicycle.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/klɪf/

steep rock faces

The cliffs were extraordinary, the kind of sight that would, under other circumstances, make a person feel very small in a way that was pleasurable.

/bəˈluːn/

inflatable party decoration

Balloons are ready.

Wrong Chat: The Birthday Party Secret · A0

/ˈrɛsəpi/

instructions for preparing a dish

This is my recipe.

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/ʃɛd/

small simple building

Also means: get rid of

The small wooden shed in the corner had a broken latch on its door.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/ˈhaɪərɪŋ/

recruiting employees

Priya had her phone call with the hiring manager at 11:00 AM. It lasted almost thirty minutes. Then she went quiet.

/ˈlæpˌtɑp/

portable computer

Monday morning. 8:00 AM. The Greenfield Scholarship deadline is in exactly one hour. Priya slept for three hours. Her phone is on the desk in front of her, screen up. The scholarship board's email portal is open on her laptop. Her application is still submitted. So is Jade's.

The Fishmonger Who Refused the Catch of the Day · A2

/ʃɛf/

professional cook

Marco said, "Yesterday, your chef sent back my mackerel.

/ˈbeɪkɚ/

person who bakes

Marco is a baker in a small town.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈbɜːdən/

requirement to prove something

The burden of proof was on the people who lived there, not the institution that had made the mistake.

/ˈdɪsəplɪn/

self-control that enables consistent effort and orderly behavior

It was never really about the weight; it was about the discipline that produced it.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈsʌbstɪtuːt/

replacement or backup person

In her fourth season, Lena was twenty-three years old and still a substitute.

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/kəˈnæl/

On the first day, the canal was quiet.

The Brother Who Stopped Coming to Sunday Dinner · A1

/pleɪts/

flat dishes for food

She puts six plates on the table.

/ɪnˌtɝprɪˈteɪʃən/

understanding or explanation

Also means: musical performance reading

The sensible interpretation was simple enough: Vávra had owned more than one baton.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/bɪn/

rubbish container

Ok ok. I can see the bin from my desk.

/ˈfiːvər/

Tonight, the lead singer, Diana, was sick with a fever.

/ɪkˈsploʊʒən/

a vivid burst or display

The mural had been her entire world, a vibrant explosion of colour on a street that had forgotten how to be bright.

/baɪˈɑːlədʒi/

biology (school subject)

/læmp/

light fixture

Inside the house, a lamp turned on.

/ˈtiːmˌmeɪt/

members of the same team

Her teammates ran to her.

The Jar of Chutney Nobody Would Open After the Wake · A1

/ʃɛlf/

The jar is on the shelf.

/ˈklɪnɪk/

medical clinic

hi sorry to bother you, did you take my number from the sign-in sheet at the clinic??

The Greengrocer Who Refused to Stock the New Potato · A2

/dɪʃ/

prepared food item

This recipe is the only dish she still wants to cook.

/fɛns/

It goes over the fence.

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/drɪl/

practice exercises

Running drills.

/ˈwaɪˌfaɪ/

wi-Fi wireless network or connection

tom. the wifi is not working.

He Took the Dog and the WiFi Password · A1

/ˌeɪtʃ ˈɑr/

human resources department or staff

I already emailed HR a formal complaint this morning with evidence.

/ˈjoʊɡə/

yoga class or practice

...last Thursday. when you were at yoga.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈpeɪʃəns/

ability to wait calmly

What the journalist could not have known was that the patience had begun long before the starting gate.

/ˈmærəθɑːn/

long-distance races

she said she follows accounts related to urban wellness and running because she runs marathons.

/ˈdɛdˌlaɪn/

date by which something must be done

The deadline was tomorrow.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/treɪs/

a slight sign or indication

Also means: follow or locate by tracking

She thought about Greg, and the trace of something harder to name in his voice.

/ˈtæksi/

London. 9:00 PM. It is raining. Elena is in a taxi. She sees a glass phone on the seat.

A Message in the Rain · A1

/ʃiːp/

Beinn a' Chaorach, by contrast, means 'hill of the sheep.'

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈkɑːrɡoʊ/

freight-carrying; modifies a noun

A cargo ship moved silently across the horizon, enormous and oblivious.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈwiːknəs/

lack of strength or firmness

we took it as, like, weakness or something.

/ˈɡræfɪks/

visual designs or images

i make graphics mostly.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/ɪˈmoʊʃən/

strong feeling

People in the audience felt a strange, powerful emotion.

/rɪˈmaɪndər/

reminders

Old texts, expired reminders, photos of meals she no longer remembered eating.

/ˈsɪblɪŋ/

brothers or sisters

Tuesday, 4:47 PM. The funeral ended two hours ago. The three Vega siblings have not been in the same room since their father remarried six years ago. Nobody cried at the ceremony. Nobody spoke to each other either. On the drive home, Rachel added Daniel and Marco back into a WhatsApp group she had deleted in 2019. She called it 'Family.'

/θʌm/

thumb (finger)

Also means: thumbs-up gesture

She had looked at it many times, always stopping with her thumb above the play button.

The Violin Left Under the Seat at the Last Night of the Proms · A1

/ˈsiːlɪŋ/

upper inside surface of a room

Also means: modifies “beam” to mean a beam in the ceiling

It has red seats and a round ceiling.

/ˈʃoʊldərz/

shoulder joints/body parts

Marco grabbed her shoulders.

/ˈhiːtɪŋ/

heating system

did you put the heating on??

/ˈrʌnər/

person who runs

Also means: a type of bean plant

Abel Mutai was a runner from Kenya.

The Recipe Torn in Half at the Reading of the Will · B1

/læp/

area formed by the thighs when sitting

Elena, the older sister, sat with her hands folded neatly in her lap.

/ˈkɑntɛnts/

things contained inside

Without its hidden contents, it felt like nothing at all — just old wool, just a fisherman's jacket.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/ˈraɪvəl/

competitor

The voice note ends. Priya sits very still. The scholarship deadline is in less than nine hours. She knows something Jade doesn't know she knows. And Jade has just asked her — not as a rival, but as a person — to let it go.

/soʊp/

cleaning substance

The shop smelled like old books and soap.

/tɪk/

messaging check mark

Also means: ticking sound

Sam does not reply. Two grey ticks again.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/splæʃ/

small amount of liquid

Also means: splashing sound or exclamation

Just a splash of milk.

/ˈtroʊfi/

award or prize

Ivan did not get a trophy that day.

/liːs/

rental agreement

This is bad. Cole told me I was off the lease. He said it was finished. But my name is still there? I don't know what he did.

/ˈdrɛsɪŋ/

for getting dressed (in a compound noun)

Clara sat in the dressing room.

/ˈsɪnəmə/

movie theater

"It was the cinema," he said.

/ˈtrɛʒər/

a valuable object

Also means: valuable possessions or wealth

Marcus lost a treasure, but today, Sarah finds a story.

/rɪˈflɛkʃən/

image reflected in a surface

Three hundred years ago, a local lord had drowned his own reflection in it— or so the story went, depending on who was telling it.

The Brass Band That Played On When the Parade Turned Back · A2

/pəˈreɪd/

public procession

At 10:15, the parade organizer, Bill, ran up to them.

/prɪˈmɪr/

first public performance or showing

Some of them tried to stop him from appearing at the premiere.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/ˈaɪkɑn/

profile image

jess, look at the message again. it came at 11:47 pm. but look at the icon... it's not your photo. it's just a grey circle. i don't know what that means. maybe someone hacked you? i'm a little scared right now.

/ænt/

she was our aunt.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ʃeɪd/

a particular color or tone

/ˈdʒɛntəlmən/

polite or respectable man

'A gentleman left about fifteen minutes ago, sir,' Stevens said carefully.

The Wrong Umbrella Taken from the Garrick Club · B1

/ˈpærəˌɡræf/

paragraph, a section of writing

like, three paragraphs.

The Light That Came On in the Locked Cottage at Dungeness · A1

/ˈkændəl/

She has a candle.

/ˈhɑrbər/

harbor-related; located at a harbor

The harbor market smelled of salt and ice.

The Fishmonger Who Refused the Catch of the Day · A2

/suːp/

soup, a liquid food

Also means: a serving of soup

He has hot soup.

The Neighbour Who Hid the Carnival Costume for Forty Years · A2

/ˈkʌlərz/

visual hues

The colours were still bright.

/ˌmæθəˈmætɪks/

the subject of mathematics

They assumed that geography was a matter of mathematics and sight, ignoring the fact that the names of the land are a matter of language and history.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈpɑdˌkæst/

podcast show

The grandson of Colin Hartley— the forward whose goal was disallowed— gave an interview to a sports podcast in 2019.

The Wrong Coat Taken from the School Lost Property · A1

/ˈklæsˌruːm/

She looks in her classroom.

/ˈsæləd/

ok so I am going to make a big dinner on sunday. rice, chicken, nice salad. Tom and his mum are coming. you can say thank you to me later!

My Mum Replied to His Mum First · A1

/ˈtaɪpɪŋ/

entering text as an activity; gerund/noun

Also means: text entry; attributive noun modifier · entering text; present participle

STOP TYPING

/ˈɡrænˌmʌðər/

ada was not our grandmother.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/pəˈtroʊl/

used for patrolling

Also means: a group sent out to patrol

He was halfway to Rose Bay when he saw the customs patrol boat.

/rɒd/

fishing rod

Finn grabbed the rod with both hands, his knuckles whitening.

/ˈhʌri/

urgency or haste

Also means: move quickly

He was not in a hurry anymore.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/biːnz/

beans (edible legumes)

He grew tomatoes, courgettes, runner beans, and, for reasons nobody fully understood, an enormous amount of parsley.

/stɛrz/

a set of steps between levels

found it. under the stairs.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/ˈʌnjən/

onion plants or bulbs

They argued once, briefly, about whether to plant onions before the last frost.

/sɪlk/

silk garments

Also means: silk fabric

She peeled off her outer layer— the light jacket she wore over her silks— and handed it to an assistant.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/mʌd/

She digs in the mud.

The Wrong Umbrella Taken from the Garrick Club · B1

/ɡɪlt/

feeling of having done something wrong

Then, to Edwin’s surprise, his face showed pure exhaustion rather than guilt.

/ˈsɝdʒən/

It was the surgeon.

/ˈdʌzənz/

large numbers, in groups of twelve

He officiated at dozens of further matches without significant incident.

/ˈdɪʃɪz/

plates and bowls

Maya could hear a television in the background and the faint sound of dishes being moved.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈkæbɪn/

an enclosed room or compartment on a boat

On the boat, wrapped in a foil blanket and drinking tea she could barely taste, Donna sat with her back against the cabin wall and watched the White Cliffs grow slowly smaller as the Marguerite turned south.

/pæl/

friends

Leo goes back to the best pals chat.

The Apology Written on the Back of a Till Receipt · A1

/rɪˈsiːt/

proof of payment

Also means: message-read confirmation

She finds an old receipt from the supermarket.

/ˈkʊkiz/

sweet baked treats

Your cookies were very good tonight.

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/kʌps/

drinking vessels

Also means: units of liquid measure

I'm bringing cups 😂

/nuːn/

midday

By noon, the village was split in two.

/dɪˈfɛndər/

player who defends

A Northgate defender pushed Marco inside the penalty box.

The Brass Band That Played On When the Parade Turned Back · A2

/dɹʌm/

drum, a percussion instrument

She played the snare drum.

/ɡrɪp/

traction or non-slip function

Also means: a physical hold

He used that specific tape because he had sensitive fingertips and ordinary grip tape irritated the skin.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈæθliːt/

She was not a professional athlete.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ɜːrdʒ/

strong desire or impulse

Most men, when accused of something they did not do, feel a powerful urge to defend themselves.

/beɪb/

term of endearment

yay!! happy anniversary babe 🥂

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/ˈɒbstəkəl/

barriers or things that hinder progress

She had, instead, been leaving small obstacles in his way.

/riːd/

reeds, tall grasslike plants

It sounded like the wind in the reeds.

The Name Whispered Back from the Malham Tarn on Still Nights · A2

/ˈdʒɛstʃər/

signal with a bodily movement

Also means: a dramatic or showy act · a bodily signal or motion

Then the referee turned, gestured to disallow the goal, and restarted play.

/ˌrɛfəˈriː/

sports official

The referee blew his whistle and pointed to the spot.

/dɪˈstɪŋkʃən/

difference between things

It was a small but important distinction.

/ˈlæftər/

He sounded like someone who has told a joke and is waiting, uncertainly, for the laughter.

The Letter Forwarded to the Wrong Address for Seven Years · A2

/ˌædvərˈtaɪzmənt/

advertisement; ad

Most were bills or advertisements.

/ˈhɑbi/

pastime activities

On the fourth morning of Finn's visit, Callum woke to find his brother's bed empty, his boots gone, and his fishing rod— which he had brought along with the casual arrogance of someone who expected the world to accommodate his hobbies— missing from the front hall.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/pɔːz/

stop briefly

Also means: temporary break or silence · pause control or button · hesitate or deliberate over something

So when the bell rang on a quiet Thursday morning in October, the whole village paused.

/kæˈfeɪ/

Arthur sees a small cafe.

/ˈdaɪəri/

personal record book

There is a small, old diary.

/ˈɛdʒɪz/

outer boundaries

No reeds grew at its edges.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈtreɪnər/

coach

Her trainer’s words, spoken with the careful understatement of a man who had been disappointed too many times, were that the horse was 'not without a chance today.'

/dʌmp/

a sudden outpouring of emotion

thank you. sorry again for the random panic dump

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈfæbrɪk/

cloth or textile material

On Sunday, Marcia helped him attach the final panel— a cascade of iridescent fabric that represented the sea between Trinidad and England.

/braɪd/

female person getting married

At the front of the room, the bride and groom—Sofia and Daniel— held hands and smiled.

The Best Man's Toast That Stopped in the Middle · A2

/roʊˈteɪʃən/

turning movement

Her shoulder was burning now with every rotation of her left arm.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/həˈraɪzən/

distant line where the sky meets the earth or sea

Dawson pointed upward, gesturing toward the peak that dominated the horizon.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈblæŋkɪt/

thermal blanket

Also means: blanket or covering

Donna pulled the foil blanket tighter and looked out at the water.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ɪŋk/

The ink is faded.

The Jar of Chutney Nobody Would Open After the Wake · A1

/skɛr/

a sudden fright or alarming event

She stopped, then added carefully, "He had a small health scare last week.

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/ˈkʊki/

a sweet baked food

Tom is eating my cookie.

/səbˈmɪʃən/

act of submitting something

the submission deadline for the scholarship board is tomorrow morning. 9am

/ˈbaɪoʊ/

biology

going back to bio notes. night 🙏

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/kɪks/

kicks (sporting attempts to kick)

Taking free kicks.

/nɒd/

move the head briefly

Also means: a brief head movement

Harold nodded slowly.

The Seat Saved at the Wedding That Nobody Claimed · A2

/ˈpæsˌwɝd/

secret code used to access an account

should i change my password?

/ˈlɔːndri/

laundry shop

The women outside the laundry, one of them laughing at something just outside the frame.

The Signature Scratched into the Tower Cell Wall · A2

/kwiːnz/

female monarchs

Kings and queens sent their enemies to this place.

/roʊp/

The rope that should have moved it had been cut away long ago, because nobody needed it.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/hiːlz/

heels (backs of the feet)

He would try to bully Theorem into running, and Theorem would react by digging his heels in.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈæmbjələns/

emergency medical vehicle

He stayed with her until the ambulance arrived.

The Garden Gate Left Open the Morning She Disappeared · A2

/frɑɡ/

frogs

5 frogs?

No Milk in the Fridge · A0

/dʒɑɹ/

jar, a container

The jar is on the shelf.

The Jar of Chutney Nobody Would Open After the Wake · A1

/floʊt/

parade float

Also means: remain buoyant on water

The float was finished by Thursday.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈrɪðəm/

repeated pattern of beats or sounds

Also means: ongoing pace or flow of activity

She started to play a simple rhythm.

The Brass Band That Played On When the Parade Turned Back · A2

/ˈʌvən/

oven: appliance for baking or cooking

ok I put them in the oven. let's see.

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/taɪd/

the sea’s regular rise and fall

In one hour, the tide comes in.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/əˈpɑlədʒi/

expression of regret

It was not an apology, and it was not forgiveness.

/ˈfɛðər/

feathers

But the Carnival is six months of women in community centres hand-sewing feathers.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈwɜːrkpleɪs/

place where people work

it just says "regarding a complaint about workplace conduct". that's it. nothing else

/tɪn/

baking container

When she arrived at the registration table, she put down her cake tin.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈlædər/

a portable set of steps or rungs for climbing

He climbed off the ladder slowly, the way men do when they want time to organise their thoughts.

/fɔrk/

eating utensil

Their uncle set down his fork but said nothing.

The White Hare That Sits at the Crossroads on Midsummer Night · A2

/fɝː/

animal hair

Its fur was very white and its eyes were dark.

/ˈhɑrvɪst/

time when crops are gathered

The harvest is one week away, but the plants are sick.

/frɪdʒ/

refrigerator

Maybe talk to Priya? She sits near the fridge.

/læm/

lamb meat as food

She said, and I'm quoting here, "tell him I'm making the lamb."

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/ˈlaɪər/

person who lies

The bell had rung the morning old Petra sold her farm to a man who turned out to be a liar.

/ɑɹtʃ/

curved structural framework

'The rigging on the centre arch—I changed the angle this year.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/taɪl/

tiles: flat pieces used to cover surfaces

doors, signs, old tiles, that kind of thing

The Garden Gate Left Open the Morning She Disappeared · A2

/ɝb/

herb plants

Everything looked normal: red roses, green herbs, and a small stone bird.

/ˈɔrkɪstrə/

The theatre hired a professional conductor, Michael Umlauf, to actually lead the orchestra.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/ˈnɛfjuː/

son of one's sibling

change it. write: we are Ada's niece and nephew.

/ˈsɪmpəθi/

sympathy or compassion

She had expected anger at the city, sympathy perhaps, maybe even an offer to sign a petition, which she would have politely declined.

/ˌprɛzərˈveɪʃən/

keeping an image, memory, or record from being lost

But a photograph taken by a stranger at midnight of a mural that no longer existed felt, unexpectedly, like a kind of preservation she hadn't known to hope for.

The Light That Came On in the Locked Cottage at Dungeness · A1

/ˈkɒtɪdʒ/

small house

She looks at the cottage next door.

/ˈflaʊər/

flour, a baking ingredient

did you add too much flour?

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/ˈpɔːrtəl/

online service website or gateway

The Recipe Torn in Half at the Reading of the Will · B1

/slaɪs/

a piece cut from something

Elena thought about the cake — the way it smelled when it came out of the oven, the particular sweetness of it, and the way her grandmother had always cut the first slice and given it to whoever looked most tired.

/klɝk/

clerk; office worker

The handwriting on the cash ticket receipt — a clerk had noted the passenger's destination — matched a note Vávra had written to her once, correcting her interpretation of a tempo marking.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈfʊtˌstɛp/

sounds of someone walking

Footsteps.

/ˈdænsər/

person who dances

Tom is a Morris dancer.

/bɑrn/

farm building for animals or storage

the barn is big.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/dɑk/

wharf or pier

The merchant — a quiet, older man with careful eyes — met him at the dock, pretending to inspect the fish.

/spɑrk/

small bright spot

Elena looks around. She sees umbrellas and coats. Then, she sees a spark of yellow near a street lamp.

Face to Face · A1

/dɪˈnaɪəl/

a statement that something is untrue

And most men, when guilty of something they regret, eventually find some oblique way of letting it be known: a half-apology, a too-careful denial, or a look that lingers a moment too long.

The Wren Boy Who Knocked on the Wrong Door · A1

/strɔ/

dried plant material

He wears a straw hat and a coat with ribbons.

/ˈklʌstər/

group of things

Beinn a' Chaorainn means roughly 'hill of the rowan tree,' a reference to a particular cluster of rowans that had marked the hillside for as long as anyone in the glen could remember.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/skeɪlz/

weighing devices

The scales at Epsom were old but honest.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈniːdəl/

a measuring-instrument pointer

Dennis looked at the needle.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/dʒiˈɑɡrəfi/

the study of Earth’s places and features

They assumed that geography was a matter of mathematics and sight, ignoring the fact that the names of the land are a matter of language and history.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/bʌmp/

raised or uneven spot

She knew every bump and every tree on the hill.

The Cheese That Rolled the Wrong Way Down Cooper's Hill · A2

/biːn/

bean plant

The bean poles were leaning at strange angles, like tired soldiers.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/pɒnd/

small body of still water

You can fish the mill pond.

/ˈbʌtənz/

buttons: clickable controls

maybe both buttons.

The Wrong Umbrella Taken from the Garrick Club · B1

/ˈpɔːrtər/

porter; an attendant

He asked the porter, a quiet man called Stevens, if he had seen anything.

/ˈrʌnərz/

people who run

The runners were fast, and the competition was serious.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/səˈspɪʃən/

doubt or mistrust

A robin landed on one of the bean poles, looked at them both with professional suspicion, and flew away.

/leɪnz/

designated routes for ships

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/frʌˈstreɪʃən/

feeling of being annoyed by an obstacle

There is a particular kind of frustration that comes not from malice but from indifference.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈskɑlər/

academic or learned person

This particular error was not discovered until 1923, when a Gaelic scholar named Mairead NicDhòmhnaill was compiling a study of Highland place names.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈæpəlz/

She began to find the sugar and the apples.

/ˈbɔrdɪŋ/

getting onto a train

A station announcement: the 9:00 train to the city is now ready. Final boarding.

/koʊˈɪnsɪdəns/

chance occurrence

ok but this is a small world coincidence, not a conspiracy. why are you looking through his followers?

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/toʊst/

toasted bread

ok but... remember the toast problem 😬

/ʌmˈbrɛlə/

But at the corner of Fifth and Oak, an old woman in a blue coat stood with an umbrella.

The Brass Band That Played On When the Parade Turned Back · A2

/frɔst/

frost: a layer of ice formed by freezing

Also means: frost-: compound modifier meaning covered with frost

Tomatoes: south-facing wall, no frost.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/ˈpɛnsəl/

pencil, a writing instrument

Clara takes a pencil.

The Song Finished in the Margins of a Borrowed Hymn Book · A1

/ˌɹɛzɚˈveɪʃən/

booking

i made a reservation.

/kəˈrɛkʃən/

noun modifier: related to fixing errors

Also means: change made to fix an error

“This is the correction register,” he said.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈmɑːrkɪŋ/

music tempo indication

The handwriting on the cash ticket receipt — a clerk had noted the passenger's destination — matched a note Vávra had written to her once, correcting her interpretation of a tempo marking.

/kənˈdʌktər/

person who directs an orchestra

The theatre hired a professional conductor, Michael Umlauf, to actually lead the orchestra.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/ˈrɪbən/

narrow strip of fabric

He has white clothes and red ribbons.

The Greengrocer Who Refused to Stock the New Potato · A2

/ˈneɪbəhʊd/

local area or community

Everyone in the neighbourhood knew Marco's shop.

/təˈreɪn/

type of land

He was working quickly, alone, in difficult terrain, trying to record dozens of names in an afternoon.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈdʒɛnəˌreɪtər/

electricity-producing machine

The generator was tested.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈprɪntər/

printing machine

I think you left something at the printer this morning 👀

/ˈkærət/

carrot vegetable

Yes! Carrot, broccoli, crackers.

/ˈɪndɪˌkeɪtər/

sign showing someone is typing

The typing indicator appears. Then stops. Then appears again. Three minutes pass.

The Brother Who Stopped Coming to Sunday Dinner · A1

/ˈpɑːstə/

She makes pasta and bread.

/ˌnoʊtɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

an alert or message

I saw a notification on your phone today.

/ˈbeɪkɪŋ/

cooking food in an oven, as a topic

ok so it's a mystery person in glasgow who loves baking shows.

/ˈɡrætɪtuːd/

thankfulness

He turned once at the door and looked at his brother with an expression Callum found difficult to interpret— not gratitude, not exactly, but something adjacent to it.

/ˈwɪsəl/

a device for making a high-pitched sound

The referee blew his whistle and pointed to the spot.

/wʊl/

wool fabric or material

Also means: wool used as a pain-relieving covering

Then she saw it: a heavy, navy-blue wool coat.

/ɡloʊ/

shine with a steady light

Also means: soft light

The eyes glow in the dark.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/æmˈbɪʃən/

strong desire to achieve something

/fɑɡ/

thick mist

He walked away into the fog, leaving the quiet streets to the ticking of the new world.

The Chair That Moved Three Inches Every Morning · A2

/sləʊp/

degree of inclination

Also means: sloping surface or hillside

It had a very small slope.

/ˈstraɪkər/

attacking football player

FC Dornbach played well, but then their best striker, Yara Osman, pulled a muscle and had to leave the field.

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/snæk/

a small meal or food

now people are voting for the best snack

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/bɛlz/

bells (plural noun)

He has bells on his legs.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/piː/

green legume seeds

They were eating rice and peas on folding chairs with the float looming above them like a feathered monument.

/ˈmɑnjəmənt/

memorial structure

They were eating rice and peas on folding chairs with the float looming above them like a feathered monument.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/steɪn/

marks left by a substance

The paint stains under her fingernails were unmistakable.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/dʒɛl/

energy gel supplements

Patrick fed her energy gels and hot broth through a long-handled spoon, because swimmers in official Channel crossings are not allowed to touch the support boat.

/ˈlændˌlɔːrd/

person who rents out a property

i don't have it. my old landlord has it.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/kɒd/

cod fish

Customs officers checked every boat, every barrel, and every crate of salted cod.

/ˈliːnɪŋ/

A physical tilting of the body in a direction

She had promised herself she wouldn't look, but the crew's energy had shifted — a quiet, collective leaning toward the rail — and she couldn't help it.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈsædnəs/

feeling of sorrow

She thought: 'If the answer is no, I will carry that sadness in my face every day.

The White Hare That Sits at the Crossroads on Midsummer Night · A2

/ˈhɛdˌfoʊnz/

audio device worn over the ears

He has headphones on.

/ˈkɔɹɪdɔɹ/

hallway

But one afternoon, Dorothy sees a man in the corridor.

/prɑkˈsɪməti/

being near

The water was close—uncomfortably close, in a way that felt less like proximity to a lake and more like proximity to something that was aware of you.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/ˈlaɪnɪŋ/

inner fabric layer

And now the map was sewn into the lining of Thomas's coat.

/spuːn/

utensil for scooping or serving food

Patrick fed her energy gels and hot broth through a long-handled spoon, because swimmers in official Channel crossings are not allowed to touch the support boat.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈkwaɪər/

group of singers

And yet, somehow, he had spent the last two years writing his Ninth Symphony — a massive, complex piece of music that included a full orchestra and a choir of singers.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/ˈfɪʃərmən/

person who fishes

He was just a fisherman.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/ˈɡrænˌtʃaɪld/

children of one's child

grandchildren.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈkɪləmiːtə/

kilometres, a unit of distance

Less than five kilometres away, Patrick told her.

/fərˈɡɪvnəs/

pardon; release from blame

It was not an apology, and it was not forgiveness.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/ˈhɛðə/

heather plant

Specifically, he needed a local name for a broad, heather-covered summit that rose above a narrow glen approximately fourteen miles southeast of Inverness.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/aʊl/

She heard the wind and the sound of an owl.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ɡlɛn/

valley

Specifically, he needed a local name for a broad, heather-covered summit that rose above a narrow glen approximately fourteen miles southeast of Inverness.

/treɪ/

ticket-machine tray

Also means: document tray · serving tray

the tray is empty.

The Jar of Chutney Nobody Would Open After the Wake · A1

/ˈmæŋɡoʊ/

mango fruit

Mango chutney is my favorite.

/ˈɛnvəloʊp/

paper container for holding documents or money

Mr. Hoffmann puts the papers in an envelope.

The Envelope Sealed Inside the Cornerstone of the Old School · A1

/doʊ/

uncooked flour mixture

I look at the dough.

The Signature Scratched into the Tower Cell Wall · A2

/ˈsʌnlaɪt/

light from the sun

Almost no sunlight comes in.

/ˈfoʊldər/

physical document folder

He closed his folder and left the room.

The Recipe Torn in Half at the Reading of the Will · B1

/ˈdoʊnʌt/

ring-shaped fried pastries

and Sandra walked in through the door at that exact second carrying a box of donuts

The Carriage Where No One Speaks on the Last Train North · A2

/ˈkærɪdʒ/

railway coach

She finds a seat in the fourth carriage.

/beɪt/

lure used to attract or trap

Not the bait.

/ˈɡrænˌsʌn/

male grandchild

The grandson of Colin Hartley— the forward whose goal was disallowed— gave an interview to a sports podcast in 2019.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈvaɪələt/

violet-colored

Also means: the color violet

The violet feathers caught the evening light and shifted like something breathing.

/ˈweɪɪŋ/

measuring weight

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈɪntɜrn/

interns

like literally everyone. even the interns

/vəˈnɪlə/

vanilla flavor

vanilla

/ˈtrævələr/

traveler

Because I am a traveler too.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/rɪˈfjuːzəl/

an act of saying no or declining something

Also means: deliberate avoidance of sentiment

However, a dispute with the route committee led to an official refusal.

/əˈplɔːz/

clapping to show approval

By law, the royal family in Vienna only received three rounds of applause.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/dɪˈzɜːrt/

sweet course after a meal

Mia arrived at La Bella at 7:25. Jake was already at the table with flowers. They had dinner, laughed a lot, and ordered dessert. Then the bill came.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/wiːdz/

unwanted plants

Weeds had come up through the soil.

/niːs/

daughter of one's sibling

change it. write: we are Ada's niece and nephew.

/ˈmɑrkɪtˌpleɪs/

market or shopping area

On Shrove Tuesday morning, the marketplace filled with people.

/ˈriːpleɪ/

replayed match

In the replay three days later, Mersey Athletic won.

/ˈsɜːrtənti/

confidence that something is true

Maybe a fishing rod and your certainty about how the world works."

/ˈklɑːsmeɪt/

fellow student

Leo opens the front door. Three classmates stand there. One holds a gift bag. One holds a big bag of crisps. One holds balloons. Leo stands very still. He does not know what to say.

The Milk Bottle With No Lid · A0

/lɪd/

cover that closes a container

The bottle has no lid.

/ˈsoʊfə/

Elena sat down on her sofa.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/ˈplæntɪŋ/

the activity of putting plants or seeds in the ground

They found an old notebook in the shed — their father's planting diary.

/ˈvɪlɪdʒɚ/

village residents

The villagers called it The Keeper.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/aʊns/

unit of weight

That was the thing about one ounce.

/ɪnˈhɛrɪtəns/

tradition or knowledge passed down

The Notting Hill Carnival had been Delroy's religion before it was Marcia's inheritance.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/pərˈfɔrmər/

person who performs

She was finally a real performer.

/ˈwɔrdroʊb/

clothes closet

Sara went to the wardrobe in her mother's bedroom and reached to the top shelf.

/krɪsp/

potato chips

I have crisps.

/ˈɡoʊlˌkiːpər/

goalie

The goalkeeper moved left and right to make her nervous.

/ˈpænkeɪk/

flat pan-cooked cake

Women in aprons running through the town, flipping pancakes.

/ˈswɛtər/

knitted upper-body garment

the man in the cream sweater.

The Apology Written on the Back of a Till Receipt · A1

/ˈsuːpərˌmɑrkɪt/

She finds an old receipt from the supermarket.

/drɔr/

sliding storage compartment

She took them home to dry, but she put them in a drawer and forgot them for seven years.

The Letter Forwarded to the Wrong Address for Seven Years · A2

/dɛpθs/

deep levels

Dates, depths, distances between seeds.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/ˈɡriːnhaʊs/

glass building for growing plants

Then, he sees a small, old greenhouse.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/ˈsɪmfəni/

orchestral musical composition

They had come to hear something new — a symphony that nobody had performed before.

/skɑːr/

relating to a scar

It was her left shoulder — an old injury, scar tissue from a torn rotator cuff she had repaired surgically four years ago.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈɡleɪʃər/

glaciers

The legend, as the village told it, went like this: Black Mere was formed not by glaciers or rain, but by grief.

/dɑts/

three-dot chat typing indicator

screenshot of the chat screen — message marked delivered, and three dots appearing

/ˈjuːzərˌneɪm/

online account name

Liam opened the reply from the unknown girl. Her username was sofia_m. He typed a message, deleted it, typed again, and finally sent it.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/fɔɪl/

thin metal sheet

Donna pulled the foil blanket tighter and looked out at the water.

/ˈskriːnʃɒt/

image of a screen

yeah but the screenshot shows the voice note was from her.

/kæˈfeɪ/

coffee shop or small restaurant

She went into a small café and asked the waiter about an old man who donated clothes.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈɑːmə/

protective armor or defense

It isn't real calm; it is armour.

/ˈnoʊtˌbʊk/

book for writing notes

Inside is a notebook.

The Violin Left Under the Seat at the Last Night of the Proms · A1

/ˌvaɪəˈlɪn/

It is a violin case.

/ˈlævəndər/

lavender plant or flavor

Also means: lavender color

She was sixty-two years old and always made a honey and lavender cake.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/ˈtɛmpoʊ/

musical speed

He could not hear the music, so he could not keep the correct tempo.

/ˈfleɪvə/

taste of food

but also... what flavour IS the cake 😂

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/ɡriːd/

excessive desire for wealth or gain

The smuggling was not about greed.

/əkˌsɛləˈreɪʃən/

increase in speed or rate

She knew the way he carried his head slightly low coming out of a bend, the way he needed a half-second more than other horses before he committed to an acceleration.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈfʊtˌpɹɪnt/

marks left by feet

There are footprints in the sand.

/ˈhɔlweɪ/

hallway; passage inside a building

The chat goes quiet. No three dots. No typing. Just two blue ticks — read at 11:48 AM. Priya puts her phone in her pocket and walks to her next class. In the hallway, she passes Jade. This time, neither of them nods. They don't need to. Something new and quiet exists between them now.

/ˈspɒnsəʃɪp/

financial backing

/ˌbɛnɪˈfɪʃiˌɛri/

person who receives a benefit

"Secondary beneficiary."

/rɪˈkɔːrdər/

recording device

She had driven from London that morning with a recorder and a deadline.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/kɔrk/

cork material

Inside was a single carbon-fibre baton, 26 centimetres long, with a cork handle wrapped in faded blue electrical tape.

/mʌɡ/

drinking cup

It was his uncle who told him, standing in the doorway of a narrow stone cottage with a mug of tea going cold in his hand.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/bɪˈtreɪəl/

acts of betrayal

It rang before disasters, before betrayals, before choices that could not be taken back.

/rɔr/

a loud crowd sound

Also means: make a loud crowd sound

She took her jacket and walked toward the door, leaving the quiet of the room for the roar of the crowd and the bright green of the track.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈnuːdəlz/

noodles; plural food

hey, thank you so much! i have your chicken noodles here. we can swap! is that ok?

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˌvɛrɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

checking that something is true or correct

Yet, the architecture of small decisions— the refusal to hire speakers of the language, the lack of a verification process— allowed a single mishearing to become a permanent record.

/səˈlɪsɪtər/

lawyer

the solicitor called me on the way back.

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/ˈkoʊstər/

drink mat

Tom used one as a coaster.

/kreɪt/

large box

Customs officers checked every boat, every barrel, and every crate of salted cod.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/skɑrf/

scarf worn around the neck

He sees a beautiful red scarf on a bench.

/paɪk/

freshwater fish

At the bottom lived a pike.

/ˌvælɪˈdeɪʃən/

confirmation or recognition

THANK YOU. validation accepted.

The Garden Gate Left Open the Morning She Disappeared · A2

/ˈsaɪdˌwɔk/

He stood on the sidewalk and looked at it.

/rɪˈhɝsəl/

practice session

Vávra had wrapped his batons himself — she had watched him do it once, during a rehearsal break, while he talked to her about phrasing in the second movement of a Dvořák symphony.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/riːl/

short video clip

he reviewed seven brands of oat milk in one reel. it was weirdly compelling

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/bəˈtɑn/

short rod or stick

The sensible interpretation was simple enough: Vávra had owned more than one baton.

/ɪnˈtɜrprətər/

interpreters

The British government, in its haste to map the Highlands, had not seen fit to hire interpreters.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈbeɪkəri/

bakery: place or business where baked goods are made or sold

Maya calls the bakery.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/ˈɡɑrdənɪŋ/

the activity of growing plants

"I don't know anything about gardening," Paul said finally.

/ˈfaɪbə/

fiber

In the end, she wrote a single line in the accession record: Baton, carbon fibre.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/jiːst/

I smell the yeast."

/ˈfɪkstʃər/

scheduled sports match

The match was a First Division fixture between Midlands United and Mersey Athletic, two clubs that had not won a title in decades.

/ˈhæʃtæɡ/

social-media topic tag

she found him through a running hashtag.

The White Hare That Sits at the Crossroads on Midsummer Night · A2

/hɛər/

hare (animal)

On Midsummer Night, when the sky stays light until midnight, a white hare appears at the crossroads.

/ˈdeɪtaɪm/

period during the day

In the daytime, it is beautiful.

The Name Whispered Back from the Malham Tarn on Still Nights · A2

/dɪsˈkʌmfərt/

physical discomfort

Also means: unease or embarrassment

This was not the sustainable discomfort of a long swim, but something more urgent, the kind of pain that has an opinion about what you should do next.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈtuːnə/

tuna fish

Also means: tuna meat as food

One Tuesday, Marco caught a beautiful tuna.

The Fishmonger Who Refused the Catch of the Day · A2

/ˈbreɪkʌp/

end of a romantic relationship

idk zara but you have like 40 posts on there talking about the breakup??

/mɪˈθɑlədʒi/

myths and traditional stories

Sensible, really, if you wrapped it in enough mythology.

/ˈtʃɑrdʒər/

device that charges a phone

Zara puts her phone on the charger. Jay's message is still sitting there, unread in her mind even if not in the app. She falls asleep with the question still open.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/koʊv/

small sheltered inlet

Every contact, every hidden cove, and every sympathetic harbour master — all of it was recorded on a single document.

/kəˈmjuːtər/

people who regularly travel between home and work

Before the morning commuters arrived.

/ˈkeɪtərɪŋ/

food service for an event

I organized the catering.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈstuːərd/

event officials

'The stewards are already at the gate, and the owners are getting restless.'

/ɡruːm/

man getting married

At the front of the room, the bride and groom—Sofia and Daniel— held hands and smiled.

The Best Man's Toast That Stopped in the Middle · A2

/ˈkærəts/

Ok mum... I love you. But please. No more broccoli. No more carrots. Just... a normal sandwich. Please. That is all I want.

The Neighbour Who Hid the Carnival Costume for Forty Years · A2

/kloʊk/

a loose outer garment

People wore long cloaks and tall hats.

/ˈkɑɹvɪŋ/

carved artwork or object

Today, you can still see these carvings.

The Signature Scratched into the Tower Cell Wall · A2

/ˈmɪdˌfiːld/

in the midfield position

She was seventeen and played midfield.

/ˈdɔɹˌweɪ/

entrance or opening in a building

It was his uncle who told him, standing in the doorway of a narrow stone cottage with a mug of tea going cold in his hand.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/oʊd/

a poem or song praising something

The final movement — the famous Ode to Joy — filled the theatre with voices and instruments together.

/ˈweɪtər/

restaurant server

but then the waiter put a SECOND bill on the table by mistake

/ˌsiːˈviː/

résumé or curriculum vitae

Your CV. Two pages.

The Wrong Umbrella Taken from the Garrick Club · B1

/ˈpeɪvmənt/

sidewalk

Edwin stood on the pavement and looked around.

/ˈlæntən/

portable light

She took her lantern and walked into the forest alone.

/ˈɡrænˌdɔːtər/

female grandchild

'She is my granddaughter.'

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/bruːz/

a lasting mark of harm

Also means: dark, mottled, and grey

/laɪˈbrɛriən/

Mara goes to the librarian, Mr.

The Clock That Stopped at the Same Time Every Tuesday · A1

/ˈsɪzərz/

cutting tool with two blades

Then he picked up a pair of scissors and cut the paper cleanly down the middle.

The Recipe Torn in Half at the Reading of the Will · B1

/ˈkʊʃən/

soft padded support

Maya put her phone down on the sofa cushion.

The Name Whispered Back from the Malham Tarn on Still Nights · A2

/mʊr/

open upland heaths

The tarn waited on the moors, full of names it would never forget.

/ˈnʌkəl/

finger joint

Finn grabbed the rod with both hands, his knuckles whitening.

/ˈhændˌraɪtɪŋ/

a person's written script

The handwriting was her mother's.

/ˈwɛlnəs/

relating to physical and mental well-being

Also means: physical and mental well-being

she's a semi-public wellness account.

The Brass Band That Played On When the Parade Turned Back · A2

/ˈɔːrɡənaɪzər/

person who organizes

At 10:15, the parade organizer, Bill, ran up to them.

/ˈwɔːlnʌt/

walnut (tree nut)

wait is that the walnut cake recipe?

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/dɑks/

But Thomas Mader never took it off, not even in summer, not even when the other fishermen laughed at him on the docks of Lunenburg.

/ˌhɛzɪˈteɪʃən/

pause or delay before acting

Also means: uncertainty about what to do

He took out his phone without hesitation and handed it to her.

/ˈtɛləˌɡræm/

telegram message

Also means: noun modifier: relating to telegrams

It was not a telegram.

/ˈærəɡəns/

self-important superiority

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənsi/

lack of consistency or a mismatch

The office acknowledged that local variations in Gaelic pronunciation could lead to inconsistencies in transcription.

/ˈsmʌɡəlɪŋ/

noun: illegal goods transport

Also means: gerund: illegally moving goods

The smuggling was not about greed.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/ˈʃæsi/

vehicle or machine frame

It is someone's uncle learning to weld so the chassis doesn't shake apart.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/trænˈskrɪpʃən/

written version of spoken words

The office acknowledged that local variations in Gaelic pronunciation could lead to inconsistencies in transcription.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/mæs/

masquerade group

He had joined a mas band—a masquerade group—that year and had been building for them ever since.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/əˈdrɛnəlɪn/

adrenaline, a stress hormone

'Give me a minute,' she said, her voice steady despite the adrenaline.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈkoʊstlaɪn/

line where land meets the sea

It was the year 1783, and the British Crown controlled every port along the Nova Scotia coastline.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃən/

a belief in supernatural influences

"Superstition," Finn said, spearing a potato.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/prəˌnʌnsiˈeɪʃən/

way a language is spoken

The office acknowledged that local variations in Gaelic pronunciation could lead to inconsistencies in transcription.

/kʌf/

shoulder tendon group

It was her left shoulder — an old injury, scar tissue from a torn rotator cuff she had repaired surgically four years ago.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈbrɑkəli/

broccoli, a green vegetable

Yes! Carrot, broccoli, crackers.

/ˈpraɪmər/

preparatory paint coating

The city had used primer.

/bɝtʃ/

birch tree

The Mere was half a mile from the cottage, down a track through birch trees that were already beginning to lose their leaves.

/ˈmjʊrəl/

a large painting on a wall

She had started the mural on Monday.

The Wrong Umbrella Taken from the Garrick Club · B1

/ɪɡˈzɔːstʃən/

extreme tiredness

Then, to Edwin’s surprise, his face showed pure exhaustion rather than guilt.

/ˈaɪsɪŋ/

sweet coating on a cake

Maya sees a tube of white icing.

The White Hare That Sits at the Crossroads on Midsummer Night · A2

/ˈkrɔsˌroʊdz/

intersection of roads

On Midsummer Night, when the sky stays light until midnight, a white hare appears at the crossroads.

/ˈboʊlər/

person who bowls

The bowler throws the ball hard.

The Recipe Torn in Half at the Reading of the Will · B1

/ˈswiːtnəs/

a pleasant or appealing quality

/ˈpiːənɪst/

piano player

The pianist played the first notes.

/ˈmɝːmeɪd/

mythical woman with a fish tail

The chair has a mermaid on it.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/kæsˈkeɪd/

flowing mass

On Sunday, Marcia helped him attach the final panel— a cascade of iridescent fabric that represented the sea between Trinidad and England.

/ˈtɪkɪŋ/

repeated clock-like clicking sound

He walked away into the fog, leaving the quiet streets to the ticking of the new world.

The Wrong Umbrella Taken from the Garrick Club · B1

/ɪˈnɪʃəlz/

first letters of a name

It had a handle made of polished silver, with the initials E.H.M.

/ˈkliːnərz/

cleaning workers

But the cleaners did not move it.

The Chair That Moved Three Inches Every Morning · A2

/ˈbɔːrdəm/

state of being bored

The only thing guarding this lake is boredom."

/ˈeɪprən/

protective garments worn over clothing

Women in aprons running through the town, flipping pancakes.

/ˈkrækərz/

crackers (baked biscuits)

Yes! Carrot, broccoli, crackers.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈprɑvənəns/

an object's origin or ownership history

Also means: related to an object's origin or ownership history

"I'm just trying to account for the provenance of an archived object.

/ˈbɪskɪt/

baked food

the last biscuit 🍪

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/ˈswɪmərz/

people who swim

"I've watched four swimmers cross the Channel.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈkɪləˌɡræm/

plural unit of mass

The Double Gloucester cheese weighed four kilograms.

The Cheese That Rolled the Wrong Way Down Cooper's Hill · A2

/ˈrɪɡɪŋ/

ropes and equipment used to support a structure

'The rigging on the centre arch—I changed the angle this year.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/əˈbɪtʃuˌɛri/

death notice

According to every obituary, he had collapsed in his apartment in Prague on the fourteenth of March and had been found by a neighbour two days later.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈrɪpəl/

slight disturbance or effect

Then it was gone, pulled cleanly beneath the surface without so much as a ripple.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈnuˌkʌmər/

a person who is new to a place or activity

The question had aged into local mythology, the kind of story told to a newcomer at a pub: 'Delroy builds a float every year for Carnival.

/ækˈsɛʃən/

addition to a collection

In the end, she wrote a single line in the accession record: Baton, carbon fibre.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/brɔθ/

a thin savory soup

Patrick fed her energy gels and hot broth through a long-handled spoon, because swimmers in official Channel crossings are not allowed to touch the support boat.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈkɔrnərˌstoʊn/

A stone forming the corner of a building's foundation

It is the cornerstone.

The Envelope Sealed Inside the Cornerstone of the Old School · A1

/ˈhɪlsaɪd/

sloping side of a hill

It simply sat there in the hillside like a held breath.

/ˈʌmˌpaɪər/

sports official

the umpire shouts.

The Wrong Umbrella Taken from the Garrick Club · B1

/ˈbærɪstər/

a lawyer who can represent clients in court

His father had given it to him on the day he became a barrister.

/heɪst/

hurry

The British government, in its haste to map the Highlands, had not seen fit to hire interpreters.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈfɪŋɡərˌtɪp/

tip of a finger

He used that specific tape because he had sensitive fingertips and ordinary grip tape irritated the skin.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/sərˈveɪər/

The surveyor's notebook, however hastily filled in, carried a kind of quiet authority that no local tradition could easily challenge.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈsɪkstiːz/

ages 60–69

She was in her sixties and did not seem surprised to see a journalist.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˌʌndərˈsteɪtmənt/

deliberate minimization

Her trainer’s words, spoken with the careful understatement of a man who had been disappointed too many times, were that the horse was 'not without a chance today.'

/lætʃ/

fastening device

The mailbox at 14 Crane Street had a broken latch.

The Letter Forwarded to the Wrong Address for Seven Years · A2

/ɪnˈdɪfərəns/

lack of concern

Also means: lukewarm reception

There is a particular kind of frustration that comes not from malice but from indifference.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈmælɪs/

intent to harm

There is a particular kind of frustration that comes not from malice but from indifference.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈreɪdiˌeɪtər/

a device that heats a room

it is sleeping under the radiator 😅

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/ˈsmʌɡlər/

They were looking for smugglers — men who traded with American merchants without paying the King's taxes.

/ˈlʌntʃtaɪm/

time for lunch

At lunchtime, a young woman named Clara came to the desk.

/ˈfɪŋɡərˌneɪl/

The paint stains under her fingernails were unmistakable.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈroʊən/

rowan tree

Beinn a' Chaorainn means roughly 'hill of the rowan tree,' a reference to a particular cluster of rowans that had marked the hillside for as long as anyone in the glen could remember.

/ˈvɔɪsmeɪl/

voicemail message

She opened her voicemail.

/ˈsaɪdlaɪn/

area beside a sports field

Coach Rivera walked to the sideline.

The Letter Forwarded to the Wrong Address for Seven Years · A2

/ˈmeɪl.bɑːks/

box for receiving mail

The mailbox at 14 Crane Street had a broken latch.

/ˈsprɛdʃiːt/

spreadsheet file

she once saved the Henderson account by staying until midnight and fixing a spreadsheet with like 4000 errors in it

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/dɪˈskrɛpənsi/

difference or inconsistency

She came across the discrepancy while interviewing elderly residents of the glen.

/ˈsplɪntər/

small sharp fragment

She pointed to the correct summit without hesitation, as if the error were a splinter she had been waiting to have removed for a lifetime.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈhæŋkərtʃɪf/

handkerchiefs

They waved their hats and their handkerchiefs in the air.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/ˈpɑːrsli/

parsley, a leafy herb

He grew tomatoes, courgettes, runner beans, and, for reasons nobody fully understood, an enormous amount of parsley.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/sɪlt/

fine sediment

Silt.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈreɪlɪŋ/

protective rail

He spoke to her every thirty minutes through a waterproof speaker mounted on the boat's railing.

/ˈfɔrˌɡraʊnd/

front part of a scene or picture

In the foreground, eleven men in white shirts are celebrating, arms raised, mouths open in silent screams of joy.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈsɔnə/

The sauna.

/snɛə/

identifies a drum with wire snares

She played the snare drum.

The Brass Band That Played On When the Parade Turned Back · A2

/ˈbɑːroʊər/

person who borrows

She looked at the borrower’s card.

/ˌɔːfˈsaɪd/

offside violation

The official reason given was offside.

/ɪˈmoʊdʒi/

digital pictorial symbol

screenshot of Ada's contacts list — one entry saved as a flower emoji

The Cheese That Rolled the Wrong Way Down Cooper's Hill · A2

/ˈtʃiːzɪz/

cheese varieties

Her father, mother, and brother all had winning cheeses on a shelf in their kitchen.

/ˈkrʌntʃi/

crisp and firm when bitten

Also means: crunchy foods or things, used as a noun

he says it is very crunchy.

My Neighbour Keeps Winning Bake Off Watch Parties · A1

/prɔːn/

prawns, as food

ok next time i want the prawns! haha... it was really nice to meet you, Sam. see you soon!

/ˈskɔːrbɔːrd/

board displaying a game's score

The scoreboard said 1–1.

/kɑrp/

fish

And maybe some very confused carp."

/ˌkjuː ˈθriː/

the third quarter of the year

Well, it's Q3 now, Margaret.

/ˈɡriːvəns/

complaint or resentment about unfair treatment

He had no particular grievance to express.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈteɪbəlˌspuːn/

a tablespoon measure

She was a professional, and professionals did not let a tablespoon of milk ruin a career-defining opportunity.

/əˈlɒtmənt/

a small plot of land

His father, Gerald Howe, had left the allotment — plot 14B on Fenwick Road — to both his sons.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/ˈsɛntɪmiːtə/

unit of length

Inside was a single carbon-fibre baton, 26 centimetres long, with a cork handle wrapped in faded blue electrical tape.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˌɑrkiˈɑlədʒɪst/

She is an archaeologist.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˌmɑrɡəˈriːt/

marguerite daisies

Marguerites are delicate flowers, and there was nothing delicate about what they were doing out here.

/ˈskæfəldɪŋ/

temporary structure used in construction

Four days, twelve hours a day, paint on her fingers and in her hair, scaffolding that swayed if she leaned too far to the right.

The Fishmonger Who Refused the Catch of the Day · A2

/ˈmækərəl/

mackerel fish

Marco said, "Yesterday, your chef sent back my mackerel.

/ˈɛksɪz/

former romantic partners

Does she follow all her clients' exes??

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˌmæskəˈreɪd/

costumed procession or performance

He had joined a mas band—a masquerade group—that year and had been building for them ever since.

/ˈdɔrˌbɛl/

bell at a door

18:02. The doorbell rings. Then it rings again. And again.

/ˈwaɪldˌflaʊər/

wild flowers

Clara whispered, 'My grandmother loved wildflowers.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/ˈsiˌɡʌl/

A seagull cried somewhere above them.

/ˈskuːlˌtiːtʃə/

teacher at a school

Lena, the schoolteacher, was grading papers at her kitchen table when she heard it.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/ˈfreɪzɪŋ/

wording or choice of words

Vávra had wrapped his batons himself — she had watched him do it once, during a rehearsal break, while he talked to her about phrasing in the second movement of a Dvořák symphony.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

archive worker

She spent the next two weeks doing what archivists do: reading carefully and saying nothing out loud.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈdʒɑkiz/

horse riders

Around her, other jockeys moved with the particular calm that experienced riders learn to perform.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/əʊt/

oat, used to specify oat-based milk

he posts running routes and oat milk opinions

/ˈbɑtənɪst/

plant scientist

I am a botanist at Kew.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈklɪpˌbɔrd/

clipboard: a board for holding papers

'Two minutes,' Dennis said from across the room, without looking up from his clipboard.

/ˈpæsti/

filled pastry

Alex wants to make a pasty.

The Secret Ingredient in the Cornish Pasty · A0

/ˈtaɪmˌstæmp/

recorded date and time

every email, every draft, every timestamp.

/ˈkɑːbəˌstoʊn/

a paving stone

The route ran over uneven cobblestones, and a pancake did not like to be flipped at speed.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˌɛksɛnˈtrɪsɪti/

unusual personal trait or habit

It was a private eccentricity, not widely known, and she had never seen it mentioned in any profile or interview.

/ˈtuːbə/

tuba, a large brass instrument

He was sixteen years old, with a large tuba.

The Brass Band That Played On When the Parade Turned Back · A2

/ˈstʌbərdnəs/

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈsɑlvər/

problem-solving person or system

i said you are a "natural problem solver"

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˌnaɪntiːn ˈnaɪntiz/

the decade from 1990 to 1999

Vávra had been the most celebrated conductor in the country during the 1990s: famously exacting, privately generous, and reportedly dead since 2013.

/ˈʃuːleɪs/

laces for tying shoes

Danny looked at his shoelaces.

/ˈhɛdˌskɑrf/

head covering

Women wearing aprons and headscarves gathered at the starting line.

/ˈʌndɚˌstʌdi/

backup performer

She was the understudy.

The Last Scone in the Staff Room · A0

/skoʊn/

a small baked bread or cake

Hello? My scone?

/ˈtʃʌtni/

chutney, a spiced relish

Mango chutney is my favorite.

The Jar of Chutney Nobody Would Open After the Wake · A1

/ˈdrʌmˌstɪk/

sticks used for playing drums

Dolores picked up her drumsticks.

The Brass Band That Played On When the Parade Turned Back · A2

/ˈstriːtˌlaɪt/

streetlights

In the silence of the night, the mural had existed for the stars and the streetlights, and apparently, for this man.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈrɪvɪt/

metal fastener; noun modifier in “rivet gun”

Her father was balanced on a ladder with a rivet gun, wearing the same sun-faded work shirt he had owned since 1987.

/ˈɡrændˌdæd/

grandfather

"I think that might be what my granddad never forgave him for.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈrəʊteɪtə/

muscle that rotates a joint

It was her left shoulder — an old injury, scar tissue from a torn rotator cuff she had repaired surgically four years ago.

/ˈwɪərinəs/

tiredness

He asked a second time, tilting his head to catch the sounds, and the farmer repeated the name, slower now, with a kind of patient weariness.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/tɑɹn/

mountain lake

'Because the tarn will say it back,' they answered.

The Name Whispered Back from the Malham Tarn on Still Nights · A2

/ˈwɝkˌbɛntʃ/

work table

on the workbench.

/ˈlaɪnzmən/

sports official who watches the lines

It was, after all, the linesman's job to monitor such things.

/ˈʃuːˌbɑːks/

box for shoes

She thought about the shoebox under her bed.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈwɛtˌsuːt/

a suit worn for swimming or diving

/ˈkætəlɔɡɪŋ/

making a catalogue of items

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈlɔːɡbʊk/

record book

Maya looked at her logbook.

The Chair That Moved Three Inches Every Morning · A2

/ˈfɪʃˌmɑŋɡər/

fish sellers

The other fishmongers looked at it.

The Fishmonger Who Refused the Catch of the Day · A2

/ˈbændˌliːdər/

leader of a band

It was supposed to be his debut as a bandleader.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˌriːˈfreɪm/

a new way to view something

right. so instead of spiraling alone, here is a useful reframe: does it actually change anything?

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/kʊəˈʒɛt/

zucchini

He grew tomatoes, courgettes, runner beans, and, for reasons nobody fully understood, an enormous amount of parsley.

/ˈtʌtʃlaɪn/

sideline of a sports field

In the background, barely visible near the touchline, a man in a black jacket stands completely still.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈstɛdinəs/

constant, unyielding force

The cold water held her with the impersonal steadiness it had always held her.

/ˈɡraʊndzˌkiːpər/

person who maintains grounds

'The groundskeeper tells me you stay late.

The Substitute Who Trained Alone for Three Seasons · B1

/ˈklɪŋfɪlm/

plastic wrap

The clingfilm suit.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈbrʌʃstroʊk/

a mark made by a brush

Also means: relating to a brushstroke; attributive modifier

Before anyone, as far as she could tell, had seen a single brushstroke.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˌmɪsˈhɪrɪŋ/

an instance of hearing something incorrectly

Yet, the architecture of small decisions— the refusal to hire speakers of the language, the lack of a verification process— allowed a single mishearing to become a permanent record.

/ˈfɪnstə/

private Instagram account

jay's mum just followed your finsta