Diversions

NOTES & QUERIES

Double trouble can mean one, or maybe two, things

Is “redoubling” x2 or x4?

Doubling up is twice as much and doubling down is twice as hard.

Henrietta Sushames Wellington, New Zealand

• No. it’s x1. Redoubling is simply the reversal of a halving.

Tim Stevenson G t Missenden, England, UK

• Having doubled my efforts last week to get into Notes & Queries again, I’ve redoubled them this week.

2 x 2 = x4.

Lawrie Bradly Surrey Hills, Victoria, Australia

You’ll never sing alone

When did fans start singing songs and chants at football matches?

Certainly, nearly 70 years ago we chanted a rather pathetic “2, 4, 6,