Right, by popular request here’s another fiendish Round Blogworld Quiz question (see the previous ones and their solutions here).
Ripped off from Based on Radio 4’s long-running Round Britain Quiz, the idea is to find the link between these cryptic clues. A point for each item you get, and an imaginary cream bun if you get them all.
Here’s the question then:
What links a British seaside town with a small digit, an operatic Princess, a flower, a London builder and a San Francisco poet?
Clues will be given as necessary, and the solution will appear tomorrow afternoon.
Well, I think I know the answer but I refuse to post it because I know I’ll only be mocked.
Nobody will mock.*
*Unless it’s really ridiculous.
Well, the ‘London builder’ gave it away since I only know one and that’s Tommy Walsh.
He appeared in ‘Ground Force’ with Alan Titchmarsh who is known to raise money for Cowes Inshore Lifeboat (the small British seaside town). Titchmarsh’s favourite opera is ‘Princess Ida’ by Gilbert & Sullivan (I heard him say this when he presented ‘The Last Night of the Proms’) and he once appeared in panto with Kenny Baker who planted the magical beans which gave rise to one enormous sunflower. Baker, of course, also played the small role of ‘Digit’ in Time Bandits. The pantomime was a great success, famously commemorated in a poem by Allen Ginsberg which begins with the immortal line: ‘I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by a guy in a lime green blazer’.
Believe it or not, you’ve got one of them…the Princess is correct.
I think I have the answer. Would it spoil it to give it away this soon?
Yes it would, cleverclogs, but you could dripfeed one or two bits of the answer if you want.
I’m still working on the last 2 bits, so I’ll hold off until I’ve worked them out then.
Gaw said I was too generous with clues last time so I’m keeping shtum for a bit.
definately got the first 3….argh the last lot are too tricky
aaah! yes I have all but the last one! so I know the answer but not the last part of the clue!
What on earth would link Ginsberg, Wren, and Littlehampton with an unknown flower and Ida.
Worm – can you give me a clue for the 4th one?
it’s a flower!!
still cant get the poet 🙁
You mean the fifth one, Adelephant? You’ve got the fourth, assuming:
1) town
2) digit
3) princess
4) flower
5) builder
6) poet
The last two are definitely the most obscure in the overall answer – that’s a small clue.
Well, I’m just glad that I could give everybody a start…
It’s not Ginsberg then?
I meant the 5th – I had that one. I can’t link Ginsberg and Wren with the other answers either, so are they wrong?
Not Ginsberg, no. Not Wren or Littlehampton either.
Well, unless the other poet is one of TV’s Mythbusters, I’ve exhausted my knowledge of San Francisco’s poets…
are they linked to the film?
Not particularly.
Ferlinghetti?
Nope.
Cries of foul !!! What links a British seaside town with a small digit, confusing question, go to jail.
got the last one! heeeheee
Padstow?
Fraid not, Susan.
For those who have it, or nearly have it, here are some bonus super-duper questions, which may also give clues for any you’re missing.
1) the London builder and the San Francisco poet are two. Another is an area of Luton.
2) How is Morrissey related to the above?
3) How is a poetically-named DI from an earlier Nige Dabbler RB quiz related to the overall answer?
For anyone still struggling, here’s a big clue…the key is a novel.
and a new film!
As Johnny Nash so memorably said, There are more questions than answers. In my world anyway. Haven’t the faintest about any of these. I might have suffered work-related brain depletion this past week or two…
A taste of your own fiendish medicine, then, Nige….
‘Nother big clue…
The digit isn’t a number.
Is it a thumb?
So close, Stan….
The index finger of the left hand?
Following on from Susan’s….Padstoe?
nor thumb ria
Now my Heart is Full is the Morrissey song
Correct!
and Helen Mirren is the Tennyson link…?
Yes! You’re on a roll…
Dallow is an area of Luton.
If Adelephant wins again I propose that next time he carries a weight penalty.
the san francisco poet died of alcoholism and was proud of his “queer genealogy”
I got the answer a while ago, but Worm got the last 2 before me (I am a she by the way).
Well done you two. I’ll post the solution.