What are eyebrows for?
For raising them, one or two at a time, to display anything from joy to fear, shock, surprise and disdain. Hence they are very useful, further proven by the fact that babies practise “brow motions” in the womb.
Richard Orlando, Westmount, Quebec, Canada
• Eyebrows are among our most effective ways of communication. They can silently convey a variety of responses to different situations, depending whether we raise one, or both, frown slightly or scowl deeply – without our saying a word that can be held against us.
Joan Dawson, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
• I’ve been wondering that since mine started becoming wayward and requiring attention, along with the other changes of advancing years.
Margaret Wilkes, Perth, Western Australia
• For the cartoonist, practically everything. To make my point, try this for fun. Draw a prototypical “happy face” – two eyes and a huge smile. Then add a shallow V-shape, or U-shape, above or even touching the eyes, and finally two small vertical lines like the number 11 in the bottom of your V- or U-shape. And voila, your happy face is now a malicious sadist thanks to them pesky eyebrows.
Mike Dater, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, US
• Eyebrows allow barbers to ask the question, “Should I trim the eyebrows, sir?” thereby sealing the lid on our misspent youth.
Stuart Williams, Kampala, Uganda
• They’re cheaper than sweatbands.
Roger Morrell, Perth, Western Australia
• Wordless disbelief.
Charlie Bamforth, Davis, California, US
• Made up, they are the ultimate one-liners.
David Tucker, Halle, Germany
• To give Roger Moore a career.
Alan Williams-Key, Madrid, Spain
• For narrowing at people who ask stupid questions!
Thomas Rosenberg, Bristol, UK
• Plucking.
Jennifer Horat, Lengwil, Switzerland
• So that we can tell the difference between highbrows and lowbrows, as well as middle- and monobrows. Apart from that, without them what would we call a browser?
Noel Bird, Boreen Point, Queensland, Australia
I really don’t like to boast
Why are the British considered the true masters of the art of self-deprecation?
• As an ex-pat Brit I could tell you, but I don’t like to boast.
John Caryl, Orillia, Ontario, Canada
• Because the rest of us are mere Peter Pans chasing after their genius.
R De Braganza, Kilifi, Kenya
• Are we? It’s very kind of you to say so, but I’m not sure we’re really that good at it.
Nicholas Houghton, Folkestone, UK
• First I’ve heard of it! The questioner has clearly never met a Canadian.
Terence Rowell, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
• Because the British have had so much to deprecate themselves for and they have had so much practise in so doing.
Pat Phillips, Adelaide, South Australia
Any answers?
Distraction: opposite of traction?
Jonathan Vanderels, Shaftsbury, Vermont, US
Star Wars stormtroopers are covered in armour. How can they die?
Jacques Samuel, Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada
Send answers to weekly.nandq@theguardian.com or Guardian Weekly, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU, UK
