UKC

Franco Cookson has climbed a direct finish to Steve McClure's GreatNess Wall E10 7a at Nesscliffe. The Sandman maintains the grade of GreatNess, according to Franco, but adds slightly harder climbing in fewer moves. Following his ascent of The Meltdown 9a in March, Franco has also added an extension to the line.

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I've got some shoes you can have if you want Franco. 

Firstly, please can we have some topos that show the various lines - both at Nesscliffe and for the Meltdown extension.

Secondly, (go on then, I'll start it off)...

Surely The Sandman isn't a separate route, but merely a small variation on GreatNess Wall - in complete contrast to the furore over The Prow.

[Settles back in comfy chair with popcorn 😁]

youtube.com/watch?v=Vlr79m1pR3g&t=6

When 6b/c is a rest...

Actually they sound like similar cases - a bit of climbing which differs from the parent route. But it's not unusual for a direct finish to get given a different name even if it's not really required. 

Agreed, Tea for Two (E4 6a) being a good example. However this sounds like it might be going the way of the "mess" that is above Requiem (E8 6c).

Of course I'm being quite "tongue in cheek" about all of this, because all these ascents are amazing achievements way, way above my pay-grade.

Like Rhapsody?

The Prow furore was why he gave it a name, it's all in his Insta post.  

Sonnie Trotter did a couple of minor variations on his way to completing Rhapsody - an E8 called Cop Out (which doesn't inspire much confidence in its worth!) and Direquiem at E10ish which seems a more direct slightly easier version of Rhapsody. Whether they'll go in a future guide remains to be seen and it seems likely that to most suitors the main challenges will remain the 'least resistance' line of Requiem and the 'most resistance' line of Rhapsody.