Alpha, being the first letter, implies ‘first’ or ‘leadership’, as in a first-class mark in a college exam or ‘alpha male’, the dominant man. Beta means second-best, as in a second-class exam mark. It was also a videotape format in those far off days before CDs and DVDs. Beta waves are generated when the brain is alert. Gamma is next – Gamma rays are electromagnetic radiation used in medicine and to keep food fresh. Delta is a D-shaped letter and means the D-shaped tract of sediment at the mouth of a river. Delta brainwaves are the ones generated when we are asleep, and a Delta wing is a triangular wing on some jet aircraft.

The other letters are Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, Kappa, Lambda, Mu, Nu, Xi, Omicron, Pi, Rho, Sigma, Tau, Upsilon, Phi, Chi, Psi, and finally Omega. Of these, the best known are Pi, which stands for the maths formula, and Iota, meaning a small amount (it’s the same word as ‘jot’) because Iota is the letter that requires least ink to print.

The final letter, Omega, means ‘the mighty O’ and often denotes the final part. The expression ‘Alpha and Omega’ means ‘the beginning and end’.

Happy Puzzling!