Just couldn't resist a letter entirely in parentheses. This week's winner is Mel Holden of Anchorage, who wrote on Tuesday, June 12, under the headline "Free-ticket plan stops speech:"

("I was going to comment on our state deciding to appropriate $400,000 so that people could get free airline tickets to the Great Alaska Shootout -- but I can't, as I'm speechless.")

Mr. Holden's speechlessness was worth a parenthetical 31 words, a nice example of what a few words can do. Those writers who find their voices can take it up to 175 words. As always, thanks, and please keep those letters coming.

-- Frank Gerjevic