byIn this recent comment by ktschwarz, the word quandary struck me, not only because it had undergone a change of stress but because I realized I didn’t know where it was from. This is not impossible (compare conundrum n., which also appears to show Latin influence, although both its etymology and its relationship with quandary n. are unclear), but no convincing concrete Latin etymons have yet been suggested. 64 502–4, where he argued for a French origin of the word, proposing an (unattested) earlier form of calambredaine (colloquial) nonsense, twaddle, balderdash (1798; of uncertain origin) as common etymon of both quandary n. and conundrum n., and perhaps even of kankedort n. [‘? There are English dialect forms such as quándorum quóndorum which serve to establish an uninterrupted chain: calembredaine becomes conimbrum conundrum quonundrum quandorum and these give us quandary. The particular etymology of conundrum is an inconsequential fact; that an etymology can be found by man is a miracle.