MHO BETTER BLUES

Before you print a “correction” to one of your crossword puzzles, you may want to check to make sure the correction is really correct. Kate Reeves of Fullerton (“Mho Better,” Letters, Feb. 1) is mistaken in her assertion that impedance is the reciprocal of resistance and is measured in mhos--she’s thinking of conductance.

Impedance is the analogue of resistance in a time-dependent circuit and is indeed measured in ohms. So in this case, Puzzler constructors Barry Tunick and Sylvia Bursztyn were right, and the “correction” was wrong.

JEFFREY SCOTT NUTTALL

Los Angeles

Contrary to what Kate Reeves stated, the mho does not measure impedance. In fact, it is a measure of conductance.

That said, this electrical engineer will now go back to reading this morning’s Calendar. Being in need of a good laugh, I am very anxious to read Hilburn’s predictably fawning review of the latest Pearl Jam album.

LEN PENZO

Chino Hills

All right, already, we get the idea. We haven’t received this volume of feedback since we put Kato Kaelin on the cover. To the dozens of engineers from throughout L.A. and from as far afield as New Bedford, Mass., we thank you for your advice that we consult a dictionary next time (Andrew T. Young), for your clear explanations of the many terms involved (Paul Lettieri, Hank Riley, John Price and Larry Lipstone, take a bow) and, finally, for much-needed perspective in describing the matter as “an obvious front-page statement of earthshaking importance” (Earl Pittman).