Hi robert and all Thanks for your help and I am able to delete them.I see a definite pattern . I can find these brackets'{" or '(' only before Catherine. If Catharine is spelt with a 'K' it does not appear. I also see another name starting with 'C' ,but the brackets are not there. Why do these brackets stick only to Catherine?Now I am curious to know what is there in the print book before the name Catherine.Any help,please. thanks devi Devi ramaseshan --------------------------------- Check out the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta - Fire up a more powerful email and get things done faster.