ONE of my main reasons for buying the Lancashire Evening Telegraph has been for its crossword. It is just about at my level, especially as I can cheat by looking at the cryptic clues when I am stuck and I am quite proud if I finish it.

But it only takes one or two consecutive puzzles which have words in which even you have not heard of or would dare to use in your newspaper for me to sideline the newspaper for a while until I decide to try again.

When one spends half an hour or so trying to work out what the last few words are, using memory, intuition, word structure and, as a last resort, my wife.

It is very upsetting to find the next day that the missing words are ones which could not possibly have come your way in a 70-year lifetime.

On January 4, the compiler of the puzzle surpassed himself. I've never seen or used the words 'plantigrade,' 'compeer,' or 'ell' and even the Oxford Dictionary does not include 'nempt" or 'tatin.'

I think the use of these esoteric words denotes a compiler who is unable to find words which are within the general periphery of your readers' vocabularies.

J BRADLEY (Mr), Pickup Brow, Tockholes Road, Tockholes, Darwen.

Footnote: Is our crossword too difficult? What do you think? Write to me and let me know - editor.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.