Learn something new every day

Rico says that, after struggling with a shoelace without one, he looked up 'lappet', thinking that's what a shoelace tip is called, only to find out, thanks (as ever) to the Internet, that it's really an "aglet" (sometimes spelled "aiglet"),the name given to the plastic or metal tip on the end of a shoelace. Despite their simplicity, aglets perform several functions:

• They stop the ends of the shoelaces from unravelling;
• They make it easier to hold the ends of the shoelaces when lacing;
• They make it easier to thread the shoelaces through the eyelets or lugs;
• They may also provide a colorful or decorative finish to the laces.