n Tom Ehrhorn of Lafayette, Calif., wonders why there’s a common phrase “back and forth.” Since one cannot go back until one has gone forth, shouldn’t it be “forth and back?” Are there any other common English idioms that present choices in reverse order? Let us know.

n Anyone involved in the production of books or magazines will be familiar with the notation TK. It is an abbreviation for “to come,” indicating that material will need to be added there before publication. So why is it TK instead of TC? The deliberate misspelling serves to catch a proofreader’s eye more easily, as well as to minimize “false positive” hits in a word processor’s search.

In the 1980s, what software company used a stylized O called a blibbet in its logo?

A) AOL

B) Microsoft

C) Motorola

D) Yahoo

Answer Monday.

Thursday’s answer: Douglas Coupland popularized the term “Generation X.”

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