I found the problem

The 'Density' switch had been altered from Default to Compact

I will make due allowance that this may have been self inflicted, but I have serious doubts that happened.

Density can be found by clicking the three horizontal bars in top right hand corner... Density is a few names down the list... three choices there between compact, default and relaxed.

The answer found at : https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1360794 ....is worth a try....but the density needs to be checked FIRST.

Brian

First, thanks for using betas.

We have a beta forum at https://thunderbird.topicbox.com/groups/beta where beta-specific problems and questions can be posted for quick turnaround by other beta users. If this is found to be a regression, a bug report will be needed to get the attention of deelopers.

Thanks for your email, Wayne.

This is likely not the time nor the place. An that is exactly my point.

Finding the appropriate place to report a problem/ask a question/report a bug/....and seeing there are dofferent places for different 'stages'....the three report/ask etc etc above can be doubled...taking into account betas/current releases/ect etc In short, the mozilla/thunderbird/firefox etc sites....are a mess. The info is spread out like a dogs breakfast and is generally harder to find than a flea on a dogs back. eg: https://thunderbird.topicbox.com/groups/beta .....i had zero knowledge of the existence of this page....despite using Thunderbird betas and Thunderbird full releases for the better part of ten years (probably longer)

I am not, by nature , a 'whinger' Wayne, but a revamp of the whole show would save everyone (clients and Moderators and helpers etc) a Massive amount of that most valuable resource...Time In so doing, it may even help Mozilla enormously, in attaining, and holding, the lead position, in what can only be described as an incredibly competitive field.

Brian

Sorry if this came off wrong - my intention is to assist and educate, not preach.

To your point, the beta forum is pointed to prominently in the Thunderbird start page https://start.thunderbird.net/en-US/beta/ as "beta forum" (which hopefully you would see on startup unless you disabled it) and via the beta KB article https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/thunderbird-beta found from the Help menu "Get help with beta". These pointers have been there for at least four years.

Open to suggestions of where you'd like to more readily find help information.