Ubiquitin is grabbing more and more headlines in the neuroscientific literature. The idea that this protein is simply a tag that labels dysfunctional proteins for degradation has turned out to be too simple for the nervous system, and there is now good evidence that ubiquitin is more constructive than destructive as it sculpts the structure and function of the synapse. The studies that Ashok Hegde and Aaron DiAntonio review in their article (page 854) are the tip of the iceberg in this emerging field. As they conclude, it is not unreasonable to expect that ubiquitination will join other covalent modifications, such as phosphorylation, as a key regulator of synaptic function.

In this issue, we also announce the return of our Highlight competition (page 841), which we featured last year for the first time. To encourage the participation of more of our readers, we have broadened its scope to welcome submissions from any researcher with an interest in science communication. As in the case of last year's competition, we will publish the best contributions in our January issue, and reward the winners with a free subscription to the journal.

Finally, we would like to encourage you to solve the crossword puzzle that appears on this month's cover, and to fax your solution to our editorial office at at (44) 207-843-3629. If you are one of the first five people to send us the correct answer — or, failing that, if you submit one of the five most complete solutions — we will donate in your name a subscription to Nature Reviews Neuroscience to an institution in the developing world. We will publish the solution, the list of winners and the list of the receiving institutions in our January issue. So get your pens ready and enjoy! A PDF version of the cover can be downloaded here