Thank you for your response. In answer to your Q's:

1. If you open Word in Safe Mode, can you record a macro? No - symptom remains the same

2. Can you open the VBA editor and run macros that are there? Yes - works fine

3. Does macro recording work in Excel? Yes - no problems at all

4. Are you on a corporate network where your IT group may have implemented a security change? No - I am on a private home computer

Thanks again - will wait for your response.

Added info:

As I investigate this further, I note that my normal.dotm file is empty, i.e., blank, as in "nothing in it". Did a cold boot, opened Word - nada, still empty. So it appears my normal.dotm has a problem. Closed Word, named old normal.dotm out, created a new one, opened Word - no change ... still empty. WTH??