10 MARCH 2001, Page 63

Q. In your column of 24 February you dealt with

three not uncommon causes of embarrassment and, as usual, you provided entertaining solutions. An alternative solution to one of these occurs to me and, for what it's

worth, I offer it as follows: to rediscover the name of people one meets one can at some stage ask for their address, which one has mislaid. If they don't produce a card, one must ensure that what they write down includes the proper spelling of the name, plus style and title, of which you are not certain.

Chambonas, France A. Thank you for your helpful suggestion, which readers may like to consider in conjunction with the solution published.