Actually, Bluesky, i play the 'what if?' game every time I drag my weary butt into the sky! Every single time we brief what we will reject for and up to what speed and then we brief what we would do post-v1, despite getting checked every 6 months (and, often in between), with, say, an engine failure or engine fire. Every commercial pilot does/should. It is part of the reason why aviation is so inherently safe these days.....the other reason is that you guys are doing an equally conscientious and good job on your side of the screens. Which brings me back, full circle, to a debate on is this practice safe? I wasn't really even thinking of a radio failure, per se, which is undoubtedley a problem (as pointed out) - the big thing that night was the sheer level of traffic and that surely provides its own big-enough distraction? From conversation with local controllers we were already cleared to hold at a non-standard level and then moved to a point that i'd never even heard of to hold shortly thereafter. My concern is that, sooner or later, something will 'give' - I just hope, for everybodies sake, that this doesn't happen whilst 2 a/c are cleared inbound to the same hold at the same level.....happy new year!