Q. What is the difference between a wrench and a spanner?

A specific kind of adjustable wrench is a spanner. Beyond North America "wrench" is also known as a spanner. British folks "put a spanner in the works" whereas Americans "throw a wrench into it" when they intend to destroy something. You probably required a spanner if you've ever needed to construct anything like bookshelves and needed to tighten or loosen a bolt. To obtain a firm hold on a nut or bolt you need a spanner which is a special kind of wrench with an open end and in certain cases little teeth.