The buttons ran up a crape strip to the throat, and a gray bonnet was tied in a neat bow above.

But exactly how to turn a length of bulbous black ribbon into a neat bow was not.

Yet all the strands miraculously unravel and tie themselves into neat bows by the final scene.

We, as parents, did not fit into a neat category either.

Since human behavior and relationships do not fall into neat categories, some of my reflections may even seem contradictory.

The mob likes its celebrities to fall into nice, neat categories of saint or sinner.

Closing ourselves off sets up divides between us and them, and history shows that putting people into neat categories never ends well.

It doesn't lend itself to neat categories.

A neat feature allows you to choose whether to follow the more or less challenging paths - and earn points accordingly.

The box was serviceable with neat features, such as series link.

Expect fewer 'crashes' and lots of neat features, such as the ability to 'scribble' notes on web pages that you want to send to pals.

It also has lots of neat features aside from just flashing up notifications of calls, messages, emails, etc.

Neat features include picture-in-picture, for keeping an eye on another channel.

A soldier — neat hair, polished shoes, one prosthetic hand — considers the question.

Newly released patients, apart from looking a little hollow round the collar, tend to have neat hair, scraped into obedience by matron's rake.

Flyaway, windswept hairlines are one way to kick back against overly neat hair.

I see its driver with his neat hair and his smart, well-pressed trousers.

The big chains don't churn it out as a neat package.

And it all folds into a nice neat package that fits in the trunk of a car.

Yes, let's tidy up the year into neat packages.

It seems to me that we like our heroes (and, indeed, villains) to come in neat packages, and struggle with their inherent moral complexity.

There was a wooden box on the table and its cover had been removed and revealed that it was full of neat packages.

Divide themixtureamongfour servingplates, then topwith a neat pile of salad leaves inthe centre.

Prepare only what you need and gather the shavings into a neat pile: the flavour diminishes on exposure to air, within 15-20 minutes.

The dense particles quickly sweep into a neat pile in the center of the bowl.

The secondary flow will quickly sweep the solid particles into a neat pile in the center of the bowl or cup.

On the ground was a neat pile of ash, about 35 centimetres in height.

His shoes are lined up in a neat row.

Nothing says professional chef like a neat row of charred lines on your steak.

The geese, weighing 3.6kg each, and garnished with vegetables and seasoning, were placed on the ground in a neat row by an official.

Out front, a neat row of hot-pink umbrellas sticks up from the yellow sand.

Unlike the mud huts that most of the villagers lived in, the teachers had proper houses in a neat row.

This could well be one neat solution to dark and dreary evenings.

Producers fretted about how to ensure that the actors' mouth movements matched the original tapes, before stumbling upon a neat solution.

A neat solution, of course, would be for people renting a property to like it so much they decide to buy.

It was a neat solution in 2004.

If the government can't afford both carriers, we're happy to suggest a neat solution.

Whether it's a neat stack or a rough heap isn't important, but leave it alone for years to settle and moulder, and don't disturb it.

Pile on plates in a neat stack, interlayering with the parmesan, spinach and almonds, finishing with a final layer of almonds and parmesan.

The interstate highway was remarkably clean and tidy, and every few miles or so there was a neat stack of large black plastic rubbish bags.

And these relentless rows and neat stacks seem to whisper catty secrets to us about our values.

Together, they unwrapped the packages to find neat stacks of about ten gold coins dating from 1847 to 1915.

But neither neat summary nor triumphant accusation ever becomes possible; it was 'the perfect crime ... committed in the sight of everyone ... no witnesses, only accomplices'.

Not a neat summary of their career, then; rather, a sprawling, messy overview that straddles genres.

She just wanted to 'get on with the job' - a neat summary of her dedication to duty.

This same forthright spirit, matched with a knack for neat summary, proved rather more rewarding when it came to describing the challenges facing the world's displaced.

And yet, human beings are complicated creatures, not readily subject to neat summaries.

Audiophile-grade hi-fis in the lounge and bathroom walls are a neat touch.

There are neat touches, such as the way the words collapse as you turn the page.

Again, he had some neat touches and played good passes.

Neat touches like the red handstitching on the leather sports seats give the cabin a real lift.

It's a gorgeous device, with neat touches and subtle curves.

It was a neat twist that must have satisfied the arch wheeler-dealer but, for once, he would not come out on top.

But there's a brisk efficiency to the storytelling and a neat twist at the end.

In a neat twist, it turns out that said man has been dreaming of her.

However, just when you think he's drifting off-topic, or getting lost in a bad pun, he returns with a neat twist and an impactful payoff that ties it all up.

There are a few neat twists and treats of a kind.