Germans use eight letters. The British "natural" notes A to G are represented as you so very rightly say above. B is reserved for B-flat. Apparantly it has something to do with a superstition revolving around the use of the letter B. However I suspect it is more likely due to the prevailing mode of the time. (And yes, I do mean mode).

So it's A,B,H,C,D,E,F,G ... how sensible is that ? Anyway, I don't think a Xwd compiler who used "note" to mean the letter H would be very popular with his subscribers somehow.

I guess it is Seraphim and Cherubim ? Being an anagram of "punish harm I embraced".

[Bb] It is indeed - I don't think you really had to ask did you - it was unlikely to be an anagram by accident ! I was actually thinking of them the other way round (simply coz. that's the way they are more usually said) but there is nothing in the clue to suuggest the order, so spot on, and *** for getting it so quickly - I thought as anagrams go it was quite tricky - but I seem to remember from the Cryptic Stations games that you have an aptitude for them. wd.

[Blob] Thanks, once I spotted cherub (more by accident), it fell into place. If I can get my brain in gear, I'd supply a clue. I seem to have lost touch with cryptics just lately. Haven't done a crossword in months.