Loved the article on Crossword construction, but since you brought up pet peeves, I have to express my irritation at your observation that Starbucks has "convinced us to pay $4 for a cup of coffee." We need to distinguish between "a cup of coffee" and other Starbucks beverages, such as lattes and frappuccinos (frappuccini?), that merely contain coffee as an ingredient.

I am a former Starbucks employee and I still have some shares in the company. I have been a loyal customer for years, and have never paid $4 for a cup of Starbucks coffee. Even a 20-ounce cup of brewed Starbucks coffee costs about $2 at just about any store I go to, which is about what I'd expect to pay for a similarly sized coffee anywhere else. If Starbucks coffee is even a little more expensive than the competition, I think it's because Starbucks serves a superior product.

So, more accurately, Starbucks has convinced many of us to pay $4 and more for a mostly milk beverage that contains some espresso coffee shots and some sweetener. These are expensive ingredients.

Starbucks is very good at marketing these pricey treats, and any criticism aimed at Starbucks customers who pay $4 for a cup of coffee is misdirected.

Many regards, and thanks for letting me have my say.

Steve