Agreed bobbycollins, we have seen some real acrimony on this site in the past, and I think that the recent civilised exchanges are totally refreshing. Further, I must commend you for your own principles (forgive me if I'm wrong on this but I think it's you) as I believe you have made it quite clear that if you receive significant help in solving a puzzle, you just don't submit it (Crosswit77 please note!).
And Cruncher, I concur on your Lip Service comments ... help a measure too explicit again (well, more than a good measure!).
As for this week's, I would not have been happy to receive such explicit help - I reckon there's almost always a route to the answer/theme available to the great majority of solvers. This time round, yes my first encounter was that autograph book entry, but I have seen it quite a few times since. I half recall it being in a childrens' Readers' Digest compendium vintage mid 60's - where it stood alongside
"if the Bmt put : if the B. putting :"
(I didn't crack that one - punctuation is highly significant - let me know if you do as badly as I did & I'll expand)