Alphabet associations - I

[Guest]

The Classical Association thread bemuses me too much - I'm not good enough and I don't get some of the links.

So here's something I think a bit simpler, which perhaps might go down well for the holiday period, which mirrors something I was asked to do for a local school.

Basically, you name between 3 and 6 words or short phrases, and ask for the thing that links them together. You have to do it in alphabetical order, so that the first answer starts with an A, the second B etc.

If you wish, you may say how many words there are in the answer (up to a max of three words)

Where it should be fairly easy, you stick to three initial "clues", but where a bit more help may be needed you add more - up to a max of 6, so it doesn't get cumbersome. But all questions should be gettable - there's no point researching for really obscure connections cos almost nobody will be able to answer.

Person who gets it right starts the next one, and so on.

So here's the first one, answer beginning with "A" - and it's a 2-word answer.

What links William Byrd, Wolfgang Mozart and Edward Elgar?

[pilamenon]

Ave Verum

answer beginning with "B" - 2-word answer.

Who links plural fruit, an Italian city and an English sea?

[Mr Pee]

answer beginning with "B" - 2-word answer.

Who links plural fruit, an Italian city and an English sea?

I haven't got a clue.

I'll stick to the music associations thread.

[Panjandrum]

answer beginning with "B" - 2-word answer.

Who links plural fruit, an Italian city and an English sea?

Benjamin Britten? (Venice, North sea and Pears)

I'll have a little think now as to my question

[Panjandrum]

Ok, which C links Mark Twain, Gerard Depardieu and Jamaican reggae star, Burning Spear?

[Norfolk Born]

Christopher Columbus. I'll post the next question as soon as I've devised it!

[Norfolk Born]

A record label, a BBC bigwig, and a phrase on a coin in your pocket.

[Lateralthinking1]

Yes, I just know that this won't be accepted but I've got to go for it - Deram Records, Katy Derham, and the Dirham. I fully appreciate that the latter is a coin rather than a phrase on one I have in my pocket. Have you considered that you might have got the question wrong?

[Norfolk Born]

There's nowt wrong with the question, and both it and the answer conform fully to the original poster's rules. Each answer comprises the same combination of two letters, the first of which is D and the second of which isn't. (Quoth the meerkat: 'Simples')

[Lateralthinking1]

Deutsche Gramophone, Director General, Dei Gratia

[Lateralthinking1]

....now that I have sorted that one out, got to go to the dentist to get my teeth done. Will be back with an E question later today - probably around 1430.

[Lateralthinking1]

OK - a bit delayed - the tea is no longer dribbling down my chin. What E connects St James's Hall, London, Tristan O'Donnell and 1 Corinthians?

[subcontrabass]

OK - a bit delayed - the tea is no longer dribbling down my chin. What E connects St James's Hall, London, Tristan O'Donnell and 1 Corinthians?

Enigma Variations ?

[Simon]

Unless subcontra's got it, that seems tough. The only Es I can relate to 1 Corinthians are that it's an Epistle or that it was written in Ephesus. I've never heard of Tristan O'Donnell and know zilch about St James' Hall. Even these with clues are too hard for me!

[Simon]

That's really weird. I'm seeing two words Epistle, yet when I go back to edit there's only one so I can't delete! Surreal.