I HAVE written here on several occasions of how proud we are of the high standard of debate we maintain on The Herald’s Letters Pages.

We have contributors from all walks of life, from academics to zoologists, writing from Berwick to Brora and beyond. We carry informed opinion on virtually every subject under the sun. We discuss politics, science, art, literature, foreign affairs, sport, the environment; even, occasionally, the weather.

We throw light on many topics, but we also provide light relief. Because I like to think our pages are entertaining, too – perhaps something I do not stress often enough.

Consider, by way of example, this offering from Thelma Edwards of Kelso: “When not being a wee bit obsessed with the EU referendum, in the past few weeks, I have succeeded in squashing a couple of pesky flies. Except that the first one was a currant on the black worktop in my kitchen, and the second was a blaeberry which I finally flattened after pursuing it on hands and knees around the kitchen floor with The Herald. Roll on the day when my cataracts are removed …” (This, incidentally, allowed us to use the rather neat headline “Quick, send in a swat team”.)

Our readers have shown on very many occasions a neat turn of phrase. From Roy B Hudson of Bearsden: “With Nicola Sturgeon now telling the world that independence is back on the table I suspect most will still want to sit at another table.” And from James Mills of Johnstone, referring to Theresa May’s first day as Prime Minister: “… she would do well to remember the history of the Conservative Party, encapsulated in the words of the late Terry Pratchett: ‘Always remember that the crowd that applauds your coronation is the same crowd that will applaud your beheading’.”

One of the great joys of my job is that I never know what to expect. I read every submission to the end, no matter how unpromising they might at first appear. Therefore I had to metaphorically salute Christoper W Ide of Waterfoot, for writing about the Battle of Culloden and managing to turn that highly charged topic into a comment on another, the European Union: “I believe that the Stewart dynasty promulgated the doctrine of the Divine Right of Kings – that the King was God's representative on earth, so he was perfectly entitled to rule as an autocrat.

“This centralisation of power has quite striking resemblances to the way in which the European Union appears to be accruing increasing powers to itself over the years …”

Three weeks ago in this slot, I wrote about the pithy, punchy offerings we are always happy to receive. Since then, Andrew Sloan of Perth has set a new benchmark for brevity. Emailing within minutes of Andy Murray winning his second Wimbledon singles title, on a day when Andrea Leadsom’s doomed challenge for the Conservative Party was still making headlines, he said, simply: “AM for PM.”

Three words. The shortest letter I can recall publishing. I wonder if that will ever be bested. Does anyone want to send me a two-word letter?

Now, now, I heard that. Play nice.