Victorian favoured two forms of charades verbal and acting. Verbal charades took the form of a composition of poetry or prose in sections. each of these sections provided a syllable that added together for the answer. Verbal charades were more popular with the upper and middle classes but less so with the majority of the population. Acting charades varied in complexity according to the importance of the occasion and the facilities available to the host. Use was made of clothing and articles available in the household to embellish the charade. Costumes could be made from cloaks, coats or even table covers, fire irons could double as broad swords whilst glasses could be struck with spoons to simulate bells ringing. Sometimes charades portrayed the word or phrase directly although often they followed the form of verbal charades by acting out a scene that contained clues to a syllable for the word. These complex charades were often acted out by several people to allow the necessary simulations of dances, weddings, battles etc that may give the clues required. Several books were published on charades providing lists of words and suggestion for acting them out. The below list provides some of the suggested words from a list compiled in 1884. The words are split into syllables to help the players The words themselves are interesting in that they all reflect common usage in 1880. air pump ale house ann ounce arch angel bale ful band age birth right black guard blame less boot jack book worm brace let brim stone bump kin car rot cheer less clans men court ship coin age cut throat cur tail dark some death watch fire pan fir kin fond ling foot pad god son gold smith grave stone grind stone hang man hard ship heir less herds man hogs head marks man monks hood nap kin oak apple over seer out grow pan tiles pick pocket quick silver ring worm rush light still born