One of the two FA Cup finals Old Etonians won (Letters, 30 May) was in 1882. They were playing a storming Blackburn Rovers, who by the end of that season stood undefeated in 35 games. The Rovers were perhaps overconfident; their club poet (yes) came to the Oval with copies for sale of an Ode to Victory. In the event, the OEs prevailed 1–0. But an immortal couplet from the ode has long survived in my memory: “All hail, ye gallant Rovers lads! / Etonians thought ye were but cads.”
Richard Abram
Wanstead Park, Essex
• The claim by Kilian Jornet to have climbed Everest twice in a week (Report, 30 May) is erroneous. If Everest is 8,848 metres high and he started from base camp at 6,500 metres then he only climbed about a quarter of it, albeit the highest quarter. He should have started at sea level. By the same token I didn’t climb Helvellyn a fortnight ago.
Colin Challen
Scarborough
• Thanks for the useful article on how to highlight and contour one’s face (Instaglam, G2, 31 May). It reminded me delightfully of the Woody Allen sketch where he is preparing his apartment for a cosy night in with his girlfriend and setting up the lights “to give me an illusion of three dimensions”.
Lindy Hardcastle
Groby, Leicestershire
• On Woman’s Hour, Jeremy Corbyn couldn’t instantly recall a figure from his manifesto (Corbyn is apologetic after forgetting cost of key childcare policy, 31 May). So what? It’s said that when Einstein was asked what was the speed of light, he said he couldn’t remember, he always looked it up.
Su Williams
Liverpool
• “Nuttall open to internment without trial” (30 May)? Do not pass Go, do not collect £200.
Robert Harrison
Sheffield
• Ne’er cast a clout till May be out.
Nicholas Humphrey
Cambridge
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters
