On Fri, Jan 26, 2007 at 10:45:37AM -0500, Ben Ostrowsky wrote: > Well, if it's open for a rewrite, perhaps something like: > > It was hopeless. Maude and Agnes had cracked top-secret > messages during World War II, but even Bletchley Park's > finest cryptographers were mystified by the enigmatic "008". > > At the risk of dissecting frogs, I think it telegraphs the context and > puts the punchline where it belongs: at the end. It also breaks well > into three lines. > > Ben > Maybe it could be tightened down a little: It was hopeless. Maude and Agnes, Bletchley Park's finest cryptographers, were still mystified by the enigmatic "008". I think that conveys the sense that they're capable, but doesn't turn into a history lesson. Gabe