My friend the English professor says that spelling is becoming a lossed art. Judging by today's deal, so's discarding.

Against 6NT, West led a spade, and South won in dummy and led a heart: five, king, four. South next cashed the king of clubs, led to the ace of diamonds and took the A-Q of clubs. If the jack had fallen, he'd have had 12 tricks, but East threw a diamond on the third club.

South then led another heart. East played low again, but South couldn't afford to lose a heart to West, who had the jack of clubs. South put up the queen, led another heart, and won four hearts, three clubs, three diamonds and two spades.

AWAKE

South would have lossed the slam if East had been awake. South is marked with the K-Q of diamonds. (He wouldn't bid 6NT with A 8 3 2, K Q J 10 3, K 10 2, K.) So East won't give away the slam if he unloads the ace of hearts on the third club.

South is sunk. To set up the hearts, he must lose to West's jack, and then West takes the jack of clubs.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A 8 3 2 H K Q 10 9 3 D K Q 10 C K. You open one heart, your partner responds two clubs, you bid two spades and he tries three diamonds. What do you say?

ANSWER: In your partnership, does a "reverse" after a two-level response promise extra strength? If your bid of two spades was strong, you can bid 3NT now, but if you could have bid two spades with a minimum hand, stall with three hearts. If partner bids 3NT next, you'll raise to 4NT.