Alphabet associations - I

[Norfolk Born]

'Wallace' (Governor George, Wallace Collection) doesn't seem to lead anywhere, either. Or is everybody afraid to get it right faced with the prospect of setting the 'X' question?
Earth to subcontrabass ... Earth to subcontrabass ...

[subcontrabass]

Welcome to the cul-de-sac!
Other trails that have gone cold covered (a) Alabama Song/Whisky/Jim Morrison/Doors (b) Montgomery (the state capital) (c) Yellowhammer (the state bird) and (d) Camellia (the state flower).
'La Dame aux Camellias' might take us to Paris, and Jim Morrison could lead us to Morrisons, who probably have branches in several English seaside resorts.

Your first offering in (a) should lead you in the right direction.

[Norfolk Born]

I'm sorry - I just don't think that it should take so much effort to root out the answer to an 'easier' question. I shall stick to The Times crossword in future - it's a lot easier! That's all from me folks.

[subcontrabass]

I'm sorry - I just don't think that it should take so much effort to root out the answer to an 'easier' question. I shall stick to The Times crossword in future - it's a lot easier! That's all from me folks.

"Alabama Song" will take you straight to the answer.

[Don Petter]

"Alabama Song" will take you straight to the answer.

Easypeasy from that! But ofca did the work, and I'm keeping quiet as I don't want X.

(I did have to google the resort, I must admit.)

[Nick Armstrong]

Easypeasy from that! But ofca did the work, and I'm keeping quiet as I don't want X.

(I did have to google the resort, I must admit.)

You and me both Don! I did the "X" question last time round, and it would take me a .... while to come up with another, so not wishing to be ... curt, I pass too - specially since I am at work.

Where the hell has rubberknickers got to?!?!

[Don Petter]

You and me both Don! I did the "X" question last time round, and it would take me a .... while to come up with another, so not wishing to be ... curt, I pass too - specially since I am at work.

Where the hell has rubberknickers got to?!?!

I'm just being dragged out of the house by SWMBO, back later this pm. I'll pitch in as appropriate then.

[Simon]

Easypeasy from that, he says.

Well, having never heard of said song, I googled, and came up with "Whisky Bar Song" and Kurt Weill.

I have of course heard of Kurt Weill, though he has so far failed to loom large in my life, and I can think of no connection between him and any English seaside resort.

PS I don't do the Times crossword but on the rare days when I buy or come across the DT, I can usually manage it in about half an hour. So I'm not thick. Am I?

[subcontrabass]

Easypeasy from that, he says.

Well, having never heard of said song, I googled, and came up with "Whisky Bar Song" and Kurt Weill.

I have of course heard of Kurt Weill, though he has so far failed to loom large in my life, and I can think of no connection between him and any English seaside resort.

The seaside resort features in a song (in German) for which Weill wrote the music.

[Simon]

Well thanks scb - after a long google I've found Die Muschel von Margate. I do have to agree with ofca - this was not easy!

[subcontrabass]

Well thanks scb - after a long google I've found Die Muschel von Margate. I do have to agree with ofca - this was not easy!

The only song (as far as I know) to feature my birthplace. Now for the European capital?

[Simon]

Well, from Wiki it appears he wrote a Berlin Requiem!

So here is the X - there are two, one easy, one marginally less so.

A) What X connects a stargazer with the composer of Danse Macabre?

B) What X connects the state of Ohio with a beautiful Dutch Dido?

NB Those familiar with Amsterdam should not misread the final word

[Don Petter]

Easypeasy from that, he says.

Well, having never heard of said song, I googled, and came up with "Whisky Bar Song" and Kurt Weill.

I have of course heard of Kurt Weill, though he has so far failed to loom large in my life, and I can think of no connection between him and any English seaside resort.


PS I don't do the Times crossword but on the rare days when I buy or come across the DT, I can usually manage it in about half an hour. So I'm not thick. Am I?

Simon,

One man's meat, as we've said before! I really thought the Alabama Song was very well known (Lotte Lenya, David Bowie and all that), and so Weill was immediately obvious to me. Not so Margate, which was impossible without googling, I'd have thought. I do have a recording of the Berlin Requiem, so that confirmed it.

PS Half an hour for the Times crossword is about my benchmark as well.

[Don Petter]

Well, from Wiki it appears he wrote a Berlin Requiem!

So here is the X - there are two, one easy, one marginally less so.

A) What X connects a stargazer with the composer of Danse Macabre?

B) What X connects the state of Ohio with a beautiful Dutch Dido?

NB Those familiar with Amsterdam should not misread the final word

Got A, I think, but will not reveal my guess in case it's a spoiler. B does look a harder nut.

[Simon]

Yes Don - the problem with X is that there aren't that many words to choose from in the first place - especially music-related. I expect one could guess one of them without even considering the clues.

As we have to bear in mind, it depends on what one knows. I only needed to check 25% of the above X clues, but would never have managed the W without the help, as they are all completely without my sphere of knowledge.

I must say, though, that i've learned a few interesting snippets... so that's worthwhile.

Ofcachap - you've set some good ones - will you not at least pop in from tiime to time?