JeZeBeL - the old alternative entrances to Mudcat - Ragtime, Buddy etc. became redundant quite a while back when Max replaced his old computers with a new set of hardware. These do not have the same set of names which the old servers had. Now to contact the ain regular setup you just use "www.mudcat.org".
The new "Back Door" is a separate thing (I think it is on the same machine as the Mudcat Help forum), which people such as Jon and John have spotted and is often working when the main system has been unreachable.
Quack!
GtD.