Apropos men who take their wives’ surnames (’My fiancee’s name was so much cooler than mine’, G2, 20 August), I’m two years younger than my wife. When we got married, she told me that she intended to keep her surname, on the grounds that she’d had her name longer than I’d had mine. We’re both mathematicians, and I couldn’t find fault with her logic or her arithmetic.
Dr David Harper
Cambridge
• A letter (20 August) suggested radical changes to the academic year. One obvious change is to move the state school summer holiday to the start of July, the sunniest month of the year, from August, the rainiest, when the evenings are already drawing in. Our poor kids and teachers – the only ones in Europe to be stuck in school throughout the best weather of the summer.
Tessa George
Lewes, East Sussex
• If “rules help control the fun” (Perfect pairs: the long and short of socks, G2, 21 August) then I have another: never wear matching socks. Choose ones that differ unnoticeably, or go for outrageous dissonance – now that is fun.
Tom Jones
Birmingham
• I have a modest proposal: build the HS2 lines north of Birmingham first (HS2 could be scrapped as critic gets role in independent review, 21 August). If this is a success London could ask to be connected to the network when funds allow.
Mike Jones
Exeter
• After the leaks from Operation Yellowhammer, being a flesh-eating zombie pensioner (Letters, 21 August) may well be the best way to go.
Ian Grieve
Gordon Bennett, Trent & Mersey canal
• Mornings without the Today programme on Radio 4 would be like fish and chips without vinegar (Letters, 21 August).
Ivor Morgan
Lincoln
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