Sharpeset

That's a DING for Beach Hut

Thanks - better have a music question: In 1985 I bought my first CD. It was by an artiste with the birth name Helen Adu. By what name is this singer better known?

I'll take a stab at the I-pod

DING! - exactly right

Thanks - sticking with Portland, which battleship was deliberately scuttled in the southernmost entrance to Portland Harbour in 1914?

The inmates of Portland Prison (who were prisoners of war)

Thanks- ah yes, remember it now What word links the “Wizard of Oz” with the top goal-scorer in the 1990 World Cup finals? The goalscorer was Salvatore Schillaci, who I believe was also known as Toto. Edit to finish joining the dots: and Toto was Dorothy's dog in the Wizard of Oz Back of the net! - over to you...

Thanks- ah yes, remember it now What word links the “Wizard of Oz” with the top goal-scorer in the 1990 World Cup finals?

No idea of the joke, but could the word possibly be 'Down'? Logic being: American football features eg "first down and ten"; There's a County Down in NI; Picking up on the Oldfields suggestions, I believe quarks can be classified as 'up' or 'down' (used to work in nuclear fusion facility -in admin- but surrounded by physicists discussing such things over coffee at lunchtime); That leaves elephants: can't think of a 'down' connection, but since you mention that the joke features a duck, could that duck possibly be an eider duck, giving an eider down link? Pete

Nope sorry. The name I'm after was one he used for a specific recording project. I have to confess though that, having checked my facts, this project took place while he was already in Queen (not before as my original question stated). By way of clue, the name was a very glam one, alliterative and designed as a 'nod' to another glam pop star of the time (now very much discredited) and sparkly costumes. I'll leave the question for a couple of days: if no takers by Saturday I'll set a different, possibly less obscure one. Pete Is the name you're looking for Larry Lurex? It is indeed, for a right royal DING

yes.....

Nope sorry. The name I'm after was one he used for a specific recording project. I have to confess though that, having checked my facts, this project took place while he was already in Queen (not before as my original question stated). By way of clue, the name was a very glam one, alliterative and designed as a 'nod' to another glam pop star of the time (now very much discredited) and sparkly costumes. I'll leave the question for a couple of days: if no takers by Saturday I'll set a different, possibly less obscure one. Pete

(yes, that's my answer...) That's a DING. I had to look twice then. The answer is Smile. Over to you, Sharpeset. Thanks - on a related note, under what stage name did Freddie Mercury perform before hooking up with Roger, Brian (and of course John)forming Queen?

(yes, that's my answer...)

Base purely on JoLuc's theory and a bit of de Bono...... Alice was song by Smokey Some time in the 70's, Ronnie Biggs escaped to Brazil. Biggs was a bandit, so possibly the link between Alice and Brazil is the film Smokey and the Bandit??

No to WSM and Bideford Bude?

A pillar box?

That implies short-haul, and to be international it implies European. So I'll guess at one of the budget operators. Heads it's Easyjet; tails it's Ryanair. Quick flip ... tails ... so I'll guess Ryanair! Tails you win! Impeccable logic combined with slice of luck. Easyjet were 3rd. Congratulations on becoming a grand-parent, and Ding!

Sorry, no, not Emirates (or combined Air France/KLM). Having just checked my source, Emirates were indeed the largest in terms of passenger-miles flown, but I'm looking simply for passenger numbers. Interestingly, the airline I'm looking for were only 8th in terms of passenger-miles flown...

I have a vision that this might be HighlanderI guess there was a clue in my question. Ding! and over to you Thanks - as an erstwhile Queen fan, I didn't need the clue... Came across this on the web today: In terms of passengers carried, which was the worlds largest International airline in 2011? In case clarification needed, this means counting only international flights.

I have a vision that this might be Highlander

DING - the answer I was after was indeed that the first BP puppy died before being named and a second puppy, destined to be named Petra, took its place. BBC didn't want to upset the children so didn't let on at the time

Nope, sorry

That's a big QI-style 'no' I'm afraid

Let me Revenge-DING that for you. A future Bond and a slim Robbie Coltraine* are in it too, film-fact-fans *It's very easy to win bets with this random fact. K-ching. Thanks Paul - not a film fact fan as such, only went to see the film for the theme music which was by......? Nah, too easy, so.....what was the name of the first dog to appear on Blue Peter? Pete