This is a How about staircases. No, keep reading. These days, there are all sorts of regulations when you’re building a staircase, about the height and depth of the steps and so on. But 200 years ago, that wasn’t the case…

Here we are in the early 1800s, in the Southern states of America.

We know what you’re thinking: yes, Gail does scrub up surprisingly well. Who’d have thought it?

But we’re here to look at the staircase. Because in America at that time, builders would go out of their way to make sure that one step was different to all the others – like this one, which is much taller than all the rest.

Great. So the staircase is wonky. Why? It’s a burglar alarm. No really, it is. Let us show you how it works:

Help! There’s a burglar! He’s broken in and stolen all of Freddie’s jewellery bling!

Haha! Swag! Now to make a swift gettaway!

Quick Gareth, run down the staircase! Only, mind the…

step. Ah.

Crunch.

See, the taller step breaks the rhythm of your walk, and trips you up. It’s simple, but extremely effective.

So effective, there’s a bit of a problem.

Here he is, the King of Bling, Mr. Frederick P. Dinenage, Snr.

Bereft of bling, he sets out to bop the blighter who bagged it.

Oh no, Freddy! Mind the…

Oh, never mind.

Trouble is, even people who know the staircase are fooled by the odd step. Which is why, today, we have regulations about how they’re made, and we have to rely on more sophisticated types of burglar alarm.

Still, that’s how a false step can still be a step in the right direction. Except for Gareth.