def find_best_shifts_rec(wordlist, text, start=0):

    shifts = []

    for shift in range(26):
        # creates a string and only shifts from the start point
        testtext = apply_shift(text[start:], -shift)
        testlist = testtext.split()
        # words made by the current shift
        realwords = []
        for word in testlist:

            if word in wordlist:
                realwords.append(word)
            else:  # as soon as an invalid word is found I know the shift is invalid
                break

        if realwords:  # if one or more words are real
            # add the location and magnitude of shift
            shifts = [(start, shift)]
            # recursive call - start needs to be the end of the last valid word
            realword = realwords[-1]
            start += testtext.rindex(realword) + len(realword) + 1
            if start >= len(text):
                return shifts  # base case
            return shifts + find_best_shifts_rec(wordlist, text, start)

    return shifts