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Malone

I dont think I could live without shepherdesses. Apart from their vital contribution to the local community, they have been important in literature. For example, in a Miss Marple story, the shepherdess lamp is an important clue, and where would we be without one of my favourite characters, the careless shepherdess Little Bo Peep?

Grunger

I love your "hairdresseresses". With a string of 5 consecutive letters repeated, it may be unique in the English Language.

Orson

I was not aware of your poem but I like it.

As no-one has asked, the solution to my clue @769 is

ASSESS

ChrisE

I was still thinking about it. I could only think of "donkey" but "assess" is very clever. Thanks.

Orson

I also liked your poem. I think "ghostess" is acceptable even if the other words are made up.

Mega spam reported.

Orson, I've just seen your funny little poem - nice, but definitely nonsense.

Chrise, I missed your clue... I liked that.

Jigjag,
My 'shepherdess' associations are of the twee variety - Little Bo Beep in her horrendous outfit or tacky figurines, statues, ornaments, whatever, that were equally awful. I have seen shepherds in action, and even a shepherd of the female variety. The work and commitment involved both looked staggering, and there wasn't a frilly bonnet in sight. I'll stick with everyday surgeons, electricians, plumbers etc and disregard as many '-esses' as possible.

Hi Chrise,

ASSESS in today`s SE Skeleton too!

The clue is ... Foolish people point to gauge

tyke

......and "assess..." is part of the answer in a Times clue today.

Did you go to any of the Leeds Test? - what a match.

malone

I think you are right to ignore -esses. I suppose Prince Anne or Prince Meghan would be fine, but I am not sure about the Earl and Count of Wessex.

Grunger, I'm going to ignore '-esses' in job descriptions and job descriptions only. The titles, princess, duchess etc are fine - partly because they're historical, partly because there seems to be not even a hint of inferiority in them. I know it's all personal to each individual, but I've never felt a comedienne is the same as a comedian, nor a shepherdess the same as a shepherd. I hope you'll be pleased to hear that I also have no qualms about using lioness and tigress. Full of the milk of human kindness, that's me - occasionally!

Malone

I was intrigued to see an advert in the local paper for “Chambermaid”. It was open to persons of any “sex or age”. Applicants were invited to take their CV to the hotel.

I am looking for a part-time job so I went there and met Head of Housekeeping, Ida Down. “This is an impressive CV she told me, but have you done any actual chambermaiding?”

“I have great experience of hotel rooms, though I have never done any chamberhumanbeinging”, I replied, pleased at the rare 20-letter word I had invented.

“That word is not in my dictionary” she said.

“But it’s in Chambers” I protested, or at least it might be in the next edition, I thought.

“Well it’s not in any of our chambers” she replied.

I don’t expect to get the job.