I took the trouble to test your first SQL, and it worked fine for me (after I
changed it to tables I have!). Some of the syntax (. vs !) seemed a bit
suspect but never mind.

Of course, you can't concatenate SQL statements the way that you suggested
(after the ending semicolon).

Then I tried (using Query Wizard, ie the "intelligent screen") to put two
replacements in, and that seemed OK too.

Then I got a query compile error, and since I'm not working for you I gave up.
<g>

I assume you're aware that you must SAVE an update query before running it. If
you run it during design, it will just act like a SELECT query.

As to loops, or how I'd really do it, I guess I'd do it in VBA code (not
really a loop)
Q="UPDATE blah blah"
db.execute(Q)
Q="Update this-or-that"
db.execute(Q)

Unless the things to update are retrieved from a table or array or something,
it's not necessarily really a "loop". Just a bunch of sequential updates,
crude perhaps but effective. You could (at a pinch) run a bunch of update
queries from a macro, I suppose.

Chris