Since many of you are coming up with the same answer to the puzzler - let me give you a clue. There was nothing wrong with the Executor named in the will. He wanted to serve, he was qualified to serve. he didn't die or skip the country ... but there was something else causing an Administrator to be appointed instead. That's why I'm looking for - what could have caused it? Thanks, Sandi Sandi's Puzzlers: http://www.gensoup.org/gorinpuzzles/index.php Sandi's site: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/