spell, v. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

spell v.

[SE spell out]

to advertise, to put into print.

1845		G.W.M. Reynolds Mysteries of London vol. 2 142: Spelt in the leer Advertised in the newspaper.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

SE in slang uses

In phrases

spell baker (v.) [ety. unknown; ? ironic, since baker is easily spelled; ? baker was the first word of two syllables in Webster’s ‘Blue-back Speller’]

(US) to perform a difficult or challenging task, to be up to the mark.

1860

Longfellow New England Tragedies n.p.: If an old man will marry a young wife – why then – why then – he must spell baker [F&H].