Puzzler details

[Brion Toss]

Hi again,
Lots more responses to the Puzzler, but everyone is still missing the second main reason why the backstay can be smaller than the jibstay. It has nothing to do with the leach of the main taking its load to the mainsheet. Yes, this can help, but not that much on most boats, and even then it is dependent on wind angle and mains'l hoist. The reason also does not have to do with aft-swept spreaders giving some help to the backstay. Likewise this helps, but there's an additional factor which would supplement such a sweep.
So imagine that you have a sloop with athwartships spreaders, no mains'l hoisted, and you are somehow hard on the wind. There are two factors reducing load to the backstay. What are they?
Fair leads,
Brion Toss