Adam Sweeting references the three classic US rock festivals of the 1960s at which Jefferson Airplane performed (Marty Balin obituary, 1 October). JA also played at the Bath Festival of 1970, progenitor of the Glastonbury series, at which they were famously rained off halfway through their planned set.
John Edmondson
Holywell, Flintshire
• Sexist setting, as spotted by Fiona Collins (Letters, 29 September), is unfortunately not confined to the quick crossword. The prize puzzle on 22 September had “Star men” as the clue for “Astrophysicists”. It’s not as unjust as Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, who discovered that stars are mainly composed of hydrogen and helium, missing out on the Nobel prize. But it’s still not right.
Tim Sanders
Leeds
• Fiona Collins has misunderstood the rules of the Quick Crossword in arguing that the clue “Astronaut” for “Spaceman” ignores female astronauts. That’s not how it works. In Saturday’s Quick, 7 down “Book of the Old Testament (4)” could refer to Ruth, Ezra, Joel, or Amos, and that’s just the four letter ones. It’s the uncertainty that makes it interesting.
Liz Fuller
London
• Did Mark Hind’s 86-year-old mother-in-law (Letters, 29 September) gleefully shout “clitoris” at breakfast the following Friday (21 across, Cryptic crossword, 28 September)?
Nick Pattinson
Stockport, Greater Manchester
• Sloven was, I think, the original male form of slut (Letters, 27 September), but it has somehow lost its gender specificity. Men controlling the language perhaps!
Jerry Stuart
London
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