>Hi Michael:
>
>I'm guessing that SELECT MIN(column1), MAX(column1) FROM table does based upon the NC criteria that was specified.
>
>What's the answer<s>.
>
>CT


You correct. Since SQL Server 6.5 cannot traverse an index twice in the same query, the optimizer will scan the leaf level of the NC picking the first key for the MIN and the last for the MAX. Since the other query used a subquery to solve the MAX, the optimizer can traverse the index, once for each query (the inner and the outer).

-Mike