This is the picture we want to be captioned by September. Best caption wins a book token.Captions for this picture should be sent to <ariadne@ukoln.ac.uk> by the closing date of August 31st, 2000. The editor's decision will be final, and the best of the entries will be published in the next edition of Ariadne (issue 25, September 2000). Best of luck.

Below is the picture which we first published in Ariadne 23 (March 2000). This photograph comes from the CLUMPS day in the British Library, March 1999. Here is a selection of the best entries:

(Empty lecture hall, with someone addressing speaker): 'No, today isn't Tuesday.' From Frances Morrissey, Monash University, Australia.

Ian Webb of Manchester Metropolitan University, suggested: 'I'm sure they said Thursday 1.30'

Joan Stein at Carnegie Mellon University Libraries suggested that the picture might be captioned: 'Lecturing to an "electronic audience,"' or alternatively, 'The "virtual audience" caught live on camera.'

Margaret Roux of the MBL/WHOI Library (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute) offered: 'I suppose you're wondering why I've called you all here today'

Adam Coulson came up with a caption which reveals the kind of close attention to detail which Ariadne has noted in its readers before: 'Dressing for a lecture v attendance - Chapter One: opposites attract, the rest just run off'

Mary Linse of Olathe Public Library, Kansas, contributed 'As soon as everyone is seated, the CLUMPS Leisure Pursuit Society Meeting shall commence'

'Professor Buncle demonstrates his invisibility potion to a packed house at the Royal Academy,' came from Jonathan Orford of the Kimberlin Library at De Montfort University.

John Cullen of the Institute of Technology in Tallaght, Dublin, proposed this caption: 'Focus on one enthusiastic listener when making a presentation; but not to the extent of alienating other audience members.'

The winner for this issue's competition is.... Jonathan Orford. Tough to choose between Jonathan Orford's entry and the one from John Cullen. Jonathan's prize will be on its way shortly. Congratulations.

Ariadne continues (surprisingly) to receive entries for earlier caption competitions (those in issues 7 and 8 being particular favourites). We are grateful for these (extremely late) entries, which are often very good, and continue to make us laugh. But unfortunately there are no prizes available for entries to these earlier competitions.