The Observer last weekend featured a piece by reader's editor Stephen Pritchard on the challenges of creating a style guide 'to promote consistency and accuracy in a paper's use of the language' without 'cramping the writer's style'.

In passing, he quoted a reader's plea 'for care when using the term 'only'', which struck us as a great illustration of the importance of getting just the right words in just the right place, to ensure that you say what you mean to say. As opposed to something altogether different. So, with thanks to Robin Keable...

'Only the bishop gave the gorilla the bun.
The only bishop gave the gorilla the bun.
The bishop only gave the gorilla the bun.
The bishop gave only the gorilla the bun.
The bishop gave the only gorilla the bun.
The bishop gave the gorilla only the bun.
The bishop gave the gorilla the only bun.'

Got a bun? Identified your gorilla? Hey, bishop...

Kind regards