h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

See - I told you it was musical.

It's one of those where I feel I should be kicking myself, but I just didn't follow up the leads right - I should have thought about Canterbury...

By all means set one if you like Icy

OK, then.

What connects:

An Italian astronomer
A western TV series
Mr Akabusi's family
The Aurora Borealis
Derrick Evans
The Scarlet Pimpernel

Icy

Need a clue?

Yes

(I'm tempted to say you'll kick yourself, but...)

The Americans don't pronounce it in the same way we do.

Mr Akabusi's family is the most bizarre. I mean, I can get Kriss-Aunt, a delicious breakfast pastry...

So, how are you doing on the less bizarre ones?

Well, there are plenty of Italian astronomers but I went for the most obvious one, Galileo Galilei - I was going along the lines of double initials, with Anthony Andrews playing the Pimpernel in the TV movie, and Aurora Borealis being an album by a band called Cloud Cult but otherwise...

Italian astronomer - Galileo Galilei (out of a possible 50 or so)
Aurora Borealis - Northern Lights
Derrick Evans - Mr Motivator
Scarlet Pimpernel - Sir Percy Blakeney

4/4

Okay, I've got

Galileo Galilei
Four Feather Falls/Rough Riders/Wild Wild West?
Kriss' Kin?
Phillip Pullman
Mister Motivator
Anthony Andrews

Is there a word for double initials that Americans pronouce differently, or have I swerved right off the mark?

You were doing so well!

Your 'but otherwise' four in post 87 were correct
You've also got Akabusi's family correct in your last posting.
The only one you haven't got is the TV show, but I think you've got enough to Google now. (but beware of spellings)

Oh I *see*...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/other_sports/horse_racing/5029720.stm

Epsom Derby winners since 2001! If only I had any notion of horse racing apart from one day in April

I will have to come up with a real stinker now...

Hardly a stinker, but anyway, what (apart from the obvious) connects

Christopher Walken
Chevy Chase
Robert Downey Jr
Courteney Cox?

I fear I've not been abstract enough, thus a "straight" question is one you ain't going to get if you just don't know the answer.

They've all appeared in music videos -

Christopher Walken (Fatboy Slim - Weapon Of Choice)
Chevy Chase (Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al)
Robert Downey Jr (Elton John - I Want Love)
Courteney Cox (Bruce Springsteen - Dancing In The Dark)

I'll come up with something a bit fairer. Sorry!

The WBO
The WTC
1660?

Oh, I didn't post that as you said 'apart from the obvious'.



Hmmm, the new one looks interesting.
1660 - Charles II?
WBO - Chris Eubank?
WTC - 9/11?

I reckon the answer is none of them have been used to advertise the Landrover Discovery.

Sorry Icy, it's good but it's not right.

They're sequential, and literary.

WBO
WTC
1660

Is it too late for me to say I've been to Maidstone?

Why did you have to mention Maidstone?

I was just beginning to get over it, too.