Alan Coren, like S. J. Perelman before him, was the grand panjandrum of persiflage! He will be missed, but open his books and he lives again in laughter!

Andrew Grobman, Boston, USA

The rich sounds of Alan Coren's voice on The News Quiz will be lost to all but memories now. It wasn't just the words, it was also his delivery. He was one of a rare few that could keep me helpless with laughter long after the programme was over.

Joel Kosminsky, London (not Cricklewood), Britain

His best sketch wasa piece called "Oedipus Bruce" the basic story of Oedipus set in Australia and written in Strine. It makes ne laugh out loud when I read it. He will be very much missed but has left some long remembered work behind.

Kay Leeser, Essex,

It is so sad that Alan Coren has passed away, for many reasons. He has been my bedtime reading for 20 years, and has had an immeasurable influence on my view on life, humanity and the intricacy and beauty,as well as the potential, of language . I think his laudable modesty (he invariably characterised himself as "a mere hack") has managed to obscure the fact that he was one of the greatest purveyors of the English language to the trade; a modern Chaucer whose 'Cricklewood Tales' deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the work of the past master. His work is every bit as endearing, clever and virtuoso. I feel a strong personal loss as well as a hope that his work will be reappraised as that of a self-effacing genius who deserves to be honoured, celebrated, and, above all, enjoyed and loved.

Phil Mills, Leeuwarden, Holland

Alan Coren's desription of getting an enormous netted Christmas tree into the Volvo and home in time to decorate it for the festivities was the finest, funniest piece of prose ever written. Impossible to read on the train - one would be ejected!

Helen Beard, London,

Alan joins the ranks of the immortals of British humour - Bentine, Sellers, Milligan, Cook, Barker, Cooper. And the world is a lesser place without him. A great wit with a great heart.

Bill Greaves, Cave Creek, Arizona

I, a traveller from the US travelling in Scotland in August 2000, chanced upon the "It is time to close the typewriter," column. I was hooked and bought all of Alan Coren's books. On my next trip to London, I tried to find Cricklewood, but I'm not sure I was ever exactly there; I couldn't find Papa's cafe, anyway!

When newspapers and the BBC went online, I read Coren (Alan) columns and listened to the News Quiz from time-to-time.

Today, also by chance, I looked at The Times online and was shocked and saddened (cliché, yes,but that says it best) to read of Alan Coren's death.

His delight in home and family shone throughout his writings. So, to his family, from someone they'll never know, I'll miss him, too.

Helen Vidal
Saravena, Colombia

Helen Vidal, Saravena, Colombia

Alan's departure has empoverished us all by taking away a genuine and unique wit.

Perhaps he has gone to where Linda Smith went, there to carry on the conversations they had they had here, conversations which were always a delight to listen to. Lucky those who can now eves drop.

May I extend my condolences to his family.

Frank Amies, Aberdaugleddau, Wales

Thank you so much for the humour and wit Alan and good night to you Sir.

Terry, Kent,

I wish I had never read any of his books, so that I could have the infinite pleasure of reading them for the first time (not original, I know).

Too many gems to pick out the brightest - but preparing feed for baby in the small hours, and short descriptions of the countries of the EU are among them.

I hope the family can take some comfort from everyones comments.

Derek Winslow, weston super mare,

You know what its like, you have something of the utmost important to do. Nothing in the world is going to stand in your way; anyone who may be unfortunate enough to call on the phone or ring your doorbell will experience the shortest of short shrifts possible. Suddenly – accidentally - fortuitously you notice that someone is on the television. You turn up the sound, sit down and promptly forget what was previously so important. That can wait its turn, this is important now, you might not get the chance to see it again. You put the answerphone on. If you have a doorbell control, you set it to mute. At the end of it your life is better for having made this instant adjustment to your carefully crafted timetable. You will use, yes steal, these lines for the future, they are so good! For me that someone was so often Alan Coren.

Steve Buckel, Braunau-am-Inn, Austria

Always a joy to see and listen to on the quiz programmes. There seems to be no getting away from the fact that smoking always gets you in the end. My cousin went the same way but slightly earlier. Once you get lung cancer ii's game over. Maybe if one person stops smoking because of reading about Alan Coren thent he will have done that person a great service.

Doug George, Antibes, France

Mr Coren's musings have been my constant companion ever since I first read "Idi Amin" all those years ago. Two or three of his stories before bed invariably cleared the head of anxieties and angers and led to sleep with a smile. Truly, the world is a better place for his having graced it.

Peter Walton, Sydney, Australia

I used to laugh out loud to Alan Coren's 'Punch' articles in the 70s. All these years later, what sustained the pleasure was the largeness of heart his humour betrayed. I will miss his voice.

Alan Beretta, Okemos, Michigan, USA

Alan was my neighbour in Cricklewood. He was witty and amusing things happened to him. One year he bought a new car and to check its reliability before taking it on holiday in France, he decided to drive around the dullest road in the country - the M25. When he returned some hours later he told me that after a few boring circuits he had been stopped by a police car with its siren and lights flashing. He thought that he might be in some sort of trouble and hoped after the tedium of the previous hours for some excitement. But instead of finding that he had broken some arcane law relating to abuse of the tarmacadam he was disappointed to find that the traffic helicopter overhead had been watching him going round and round the M25 and concluded that he was lost and confused. He will be missed by all who knew him and read his columns. And the helicopter pilot that day will never know how his consideration for that "lost and confused" driver was the highlight of Alan's boring afternoon.

monique allan, temple, london, England

I am truly saddened. I was just about to send my old boss (Punch 1965-68) and friend a snippet for the News Quiz from Ryanair’s small print, which I believe he would have loved:

Under items prohibited from being carried in the cabin of the aircraft is the following:
“……..pointed or bladed articles capable of causing injury, including taxes & hatches……….etc.

I can now only imagine what glorious laughs he would have raised from that. To his family, I wish the humour be with them always. I wish them long life.
H.S. Smith – Chelsea, London.

Hazel Smith, Chelsea, London, UK

A writer of some of the best humour over many years, he will be missed by many. His prose could be very cutting, but was never mean spritied or abusive.

Richard Taylor, Bangkok, Thailand

I will miss you. Thank you, Alan.

Ciarán Ryan, UK,

Remembered with love , and many, many thanks, for all the laughs, and the thoughts

Krista Hughes, Horsham, UK

So deeply saddened - Alan will be missed by so many of us who relished every moment he was on the radio - witty, anarchic, rebellious and bellicose. I grew up with his wit and erudition - sad to see him and other contemporaries such as dear Ned, disappearing from our lives this year. Radio 4 will be a bleaker place (for many other reasons too it seems!!) for their absence.

Many condolencies to the family

Anny Hare, Holt, Norfolk

Hard to believe that I was laughing at Alan Coren over 30 years ago. A great comic writer in the tradition of SJ Perelman and PG Wodehouse turning out effortless humour without a trace of malice of profanity.
Salut!

Rufus T Firefly, Huddersfield, UK

I am sure Alan and Linda Smith are having a simply wonderful laugh together.


Judy

Judy, Bristol,

What a wonderful writer of humorous prose, and to his adoring readers. I was only reading last night his "Go Easy, Mr. Beethoven, That Was Your Fifth!"

Mohammed Khan, London, UK

Lunch at Punch in 1989. Volvo estates vying with Cricklewood for Alan's attentions. Two hours effortless gentle sending-up of all things Volvo. Wednesday mornings always better for his Times piece - but his voice so perfectly matched his humour that he made me laugh even more on The News Quiz.

Ever grateful for his delight in, extraordinary knowledge of and remarkable way with our language. He was invariably funny but his use of English made him uniquely brilliant.

It will be difficult to miss him without a thoughtful chuckle.

Mike Arnold, Exeter,

I read the Amin books when they first came out about 25 years ago. Despite the horrific origin, I've read nothing funnier since.

Alan Coren was a gold standard humourist, I was so sorry to hear of his death.

Geoff, San Diego, USA

Had to happen, but really sad news. His wit .and wisdom were always entertaining and pertinent. He will be missed by the silent majority of liberal (but not pc) listeners and readers.

Bill Q, Derby,

Marvellous humour. Loved him on Call My Bluff!! He was wonderfully funny!!

Dani Meharg, KENT, UK

Alan Coren was a consumate wordsmith who could mimic the style of any writer and fashion a piece from material as small as a misprint in a small-ad. I particularly treasure, and still laugh out loud at, his bob-a-job boy scout's adventures in the manner of Raymond Chandler, Farewell My Brownie, published in his compilation The Sanity Inspector.

Coren had only Paul Jennings and Keith Waterhouse as equals in quality humourous writing. For some perverse reason, The Almighty does not make them like that anymore.

Ray Burke, Stockport, England

A wonderful wit has left us today. Family and friends always knew when I was reading Coren because of the amount of laughter that eminated from my direction. R.I.P. Alan Coren, you will be much missed.

Alan Theobald, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire

What a shock. A brilliant and funny man - loved listening to him and will miss him so much - I loved his stories about retirement - he has gone farn too soon for both his family, friends and his many, many listeners - a very sad day.

Sue Richardson, Northallerton, North Yorkshire

A really lovely man, i met him on several occasions at the BBC Paris Studio in Regent Street

Kevin Askew, Northampton, England

A wonderful humorist and wordsmith. My bookshelves are stacked with his books. America had S J Perelman, we had Alan Coren. One of his collections was called Tissues for Men. Today those tissues are soggy with tears at his passing.

Anthony Green, Leeds, United Kingdom

A sad loss to England - a true raconteur and wit.

Paul Chenery, London,