Where your knowledge counts

The principle of the AnswerBank is simple – ask a question in any of our subject categories and fellow contributors will supply an answer – or two.

The questions can be practical, like what is the best method to remove tea stains from a carpet or they can be about something you have always wanted to ask but never dared. The options are limitless.

A lot of questions on the AnswerBank are topical, relating to what is going on in the news or in the world of entertainment and sport. Our Quiz & Puzzle category includes questions from the latest crossword and quizzes around. If you are seeking relationship advice then Body & Soul is the category for you.

You can ask as many questions as your imagination can provide, there is no cost for participating, and remember to give some answers of your own. The AnswerBank is a community of ideas and opinions, we only ask that you respect everyone’s view points no matter how much you may disagree with them and play nice.

For more information on how to use the AnswerBank, including how to register and post questions and answers, please see our list of FAQs below. The questions are hyperlinked so click on the question to view the answer.

• 1. Why do I need to supply my email address?
• We identify registered users by their email address. We are also able to notify you when an answer is posted to your question and when a subscribed thread has been updated. We also use it when sending out our weekly newsletter.
• 2. When I try to sign-in I get the message “invalid combination”. Why?
• Sign-in is case sensitive; you need to use the exact username and password you registered with.
• 3. I have forgotten my username and password and can't sign in.
• Email the AB Editor for your registration details. If you know your username but not your password, you can get your password resent to you from the sign-in tab.
• 4. How do I change my username?
• We discourage people from changing their username once it has been selected. If there is an urgent reason as to why it should be changed (you've used your real name, for example) email the AB Editor with your request.
• 5. What are the best browsers to use when accessing the AnswerBank?

• To get the most out of the AnswerBank, please use IE 6, FireFox, Mozilla or Safari.

  There are problems associated with Microsoft's IE 7 browser capabilities which are still in the development phase. Please report any problems to the Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 development team at Microsoft.

  If you use the Opera browser, you need to make sure that Opera identifies itself as “Opera ” and not “Internet Explorer ”. To make sure you have the correct settings, go to the Tools menu > Quick Preferences > Identify as Opera.

• 6. Why am I not receiving emails from the AnswerBank?

• If you have registered with the AnswerBank and are still waiting to receive a welcome email, please contact our Technical Team on our Contact Us page so that you receive your welcome email please ensure you have AB added to your contact list. If you are unsure how to do this please see below.

  Email providers can be finicky bedfellows. In their pursuit to limit SPAM sometimes legitimate emails are redirected to junk or spam folders or not delivered at all.

  To ensure you receive emails from the AnswerBank, including the “welcome ” or validation email, please check that you have entered your email address correctly in your profile. If it isn't, make the necessary changes, click submit to save the changes and then drop an email to Technical, requesting that the validation email be resent.

  If you are still not receiving AnswerBank emails, please add our domain: theanswerbank.co.uk to your trusted list of senders. If you use a service like SpamArrest make sure that you accept emails from noreply@theanswerbank.co.uk.

  We also have some tips below, depending on which email provider you use.

  Hotmail

  Place the domain: theanswerbank.co.uk in your Safe List. Access your Safe List from your Contacts page.

  AOL

  Place the domain: theanswerbank.co.uk in your address book.

  Yahoo! Mail

  If you have SpamGuard on, then Yahoo! Mail may redirect AnswerBank emails to your Bulk mail folder. If you find an AnswerBank email there, report the message using the “Not Spam ” button.

  G-Mail

  If you find any AB emails in your Spam folder, select the box next to an individual email and click “Not Spam”.

• 7. Why does the link in my email from the AnswerBank take me to an error page?
• Check that the entire link in your email is highlighted before clicking on it. If it isn't highlighted or “clickable” copy and paste the entire URL (ending in .html) in a separate browser window.
• 8. Why can't I see the Adverts category?
• Anti-adware software, such as “NoAdware” and Norton's Internet Security "Ad Blocking" settings is likely to be installed on your computer, which by default examines web content and blocks information that it suspects may be advertising related.
• 9. Why was my post removed?
• Posts will be removed if they include any comments that go against the Site Rules. Posts that are unintentionally duplicated will also be removed. If you have replied to a question or continued a conversation whose posts have been removed, yours may be removed also for continuity reasons. Please note, due to the high volume of posts, the AnswerBank Editor cannot reply to individual queries regarding this issue.
• 10. How do I un-register from the AnswerBank?
• Send an email to the AnswerBank Editor asking to be un-registered.
• 11. How can I display a YouTube Video on AB?
• To display a YouTube video on the AnswerBank, all you have to do is provide us with a description of the clip (i.e. the title), and the applicable URL. Copy and paste these details into the boxes provided, to ensure the video link is correct click validate button, then submit your question/answer – your clip will appear on the site with your question/answer.