The ISIHAC
Handy Hints Page

Last Updated
19 Nov 2009

On the BBC Radio 4 show I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, one of the rounds requires the teams to provide answers to some everyday domestic problems. Here are some of the teams' suggestions, along with some of my suggestions. If you have any ideas you would like included, please e-mail me here, and I will add the best ones (with full credit to you of course)
Just move your mouse over the words ANSWER or REAL ANSWER to reveal all!

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What can I wear to avoid cutting the ends of my fingers when grating cheese?
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REAL ANSWER
London Palladium
21 Nov 2005
Is there any way I can make cheeses live longer in my larder?
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REAL ANSWER
London Palladium
21 Nov 2005
How can I ensure my omelettes are really fluffy?
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REAL ANSWER
London Palladium
21 Nov 2005
Since I started storing my carrots in the fruit bowl, they've become rather bitter. Is there a reason for this?
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London Palladium
21 Nov 2005
How can I tell whether the aubergine in my larder is male or female?
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London Palladium
21 Nov 2005
[ My friends soup is a beautiful golden colour. What do you think her secret is?
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Not broadcast]
London Palladium
21 Nov 2005
I store my eggs in the fridge. However, my husband only eats them hard-boiled, so in the fridge we have fresh and hard-boilded eggs side by side, and we sometimes get them muddled. Can you suggest an easy way of telling which are the fresh and which are the hard-boiled?
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REAL ANSWER
London Palladium
21 Nov 2005
I hear that avocado pears make excellent face masks. Is this true?
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London Palladium
21 Nov 2005
[ Have you seen the price of cocktail sausages in the shops? Surely there must be an inexpensive way to make cocktail sausages at home?
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Not broadcast]
London Palladium
21 Nov 2005
[ What can I do if my hands are covered in flour from making bread, and the phone rings?
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Not broadcast]
London Palladium
21 Nov 2005
What's the best way to cook a live crab?
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London Palladium
21 Nov 2005
[ What's the best way to pick up a hake?
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Not broadcast]
London Palladium
21 Nov 2005
What's a good way to liven up a pile of boring old vegetables?
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London Palladium
21 Nov 2005
[ I'm laying out a selection of cold meats for a formal buffet, and I see my tongue is completely dry. Can you help?
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Not broadcast]
London Palladium
21 Nov 2005
[ I hate plucking pheasants. Can you help?
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Not broadcast]
London Palladium
21 Nov 2005
I love a bit of cottage pie, but I'm not sure about the quality of my mince. Any suggestions?
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London Palladium
21 Nov 2005
Is there anything I can place at the entrance of a wasps' nest that is guaranteed to clear them?
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Bristol
29 May 2006
[ Is it true that one shouldn't plant plants that are in flower, and if so, why?
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Not broadcast]
Bristol
29 May 2006
My children collect sheeps' droppings. Could they serve any purpose in the garden?
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Bristol
29 May 2006
[ How can I stop slugs coming into the house?
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Not broadcast]
Bristol
29 May 2006
[ My grandmother said you could get rid of splinters with just some old bread. How does that work?
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Not broadcast]
Bristol
29 May 2006
Yesterday, I notice some duckweed in my pond. Is there anything I can do about this?
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Bristol
29 May 2006
[ I think flies are attracted to me. Could there be a reason for this?
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Not broadcast]
Bristol
29 May 2006
When sowing my seeds, I find many small ones stick to my hands. How can I avoid this?
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REAL ANSWER
Bristol
29 May 2006
My mother always told me never to throw away egg shells because they were useful in the garden. How so?
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Bristol
29 May 2006
When I was a child I remember my grandmother stroking the weeds in her garden. Why might she have done this?
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Bristol
29 May 2006
[ I think I've got mice, but I'm not sure. What can I do?
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Not broadcast]
Bristol
29 May 2006
My old mother always used to spread seaweed on her beds. Why did she do this?
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Bristol
29 May 2006
My face tends to become shiny in hot weather. Is there anything I can do about this?
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Halifax
26 Jun 2006
I'm concerned that my bust is a little too large. Is there a good way to draw attention away from it.
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Halifax
26 Jun 2006
How can I ensure my lipstick lasts longer?
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Halifax
26 Jun 2006
How can I stop men staring at my cleavage?
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Halifax
26 Jun 2006
[ I'm a classic English pear shape, and find skirts hard to buy. Could you give me any tips?
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Not broadcast]
Halifax
26 Jun 2006
I have a square face, and find buying hats difficult. What do you suggest?
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Halifax
26 Jun 2006
[ How can I tell whether my pearls are genuine?
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Not broadcast]
Halifax
26 Jun 2006
Have you any hints for a flatter stomach?
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Halifax
26 Jun 2006
I'm embarrassed about my short, stumpy legs. Is there any way I can give the impression of having longer legs?
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Halifax
26 Jun 2006
Is there a secret to making my bust look larger than it is?
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Halifax
26 Jun 2006
What's the best way to wash jade?
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Halifax
26 Jun 2006
[ I often find that when my clothes come out of the tumble drier they're too dry to iron properly. Is there a solution?
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Not broadcast]
Halifax
26 Jun 2006
[ Do you know any good cures for sore boobs?
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Not broadcast]
Halifax
26 Jun 2006
Can you suggest a good way to pick up tiny pieces of broken glass from the floor without cutting myself?
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Croydon
19 Nov 2007
[ Is there a 100% effective way to get rid of strong odours from my hands, particularly onion and garlic?
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Not broadcast]
Croydon
19 Nov 2007
I often get unsightly bags under my eyes. Is there anything I can do about this?
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Croydon
19 Nov 2007
I'm told it's easier to catch a mouse with a brown paper bag. How can this be?
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Croydon
19 Nov 2007
[ Is there a good way to get the smell of pee out of my son's clothes?
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Not broadcast]
Croydon
19 Nov 2007
Is there a good way to stop butter from sliding around on the butter dish?
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Croydon
19 Nov 2007
[ I'm told it's possible to banish earwigs with nothing more than a newspaper. How does this work?
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Not broadcast]
Croydon
19 Nov 2007
I find it difficult to open jam jars. I'd normally ask my husband to do this for me, but he's frequently away at the moment. What do you suggest?
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Croydon
19 Nov 2007
Help! The elastic has gone in my underwear! Any tips?
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Croydon
19 Nov 2007
[ Before I get the Christmas candles out again this year, can anyone suggest a means of reducing the amount of dripping?
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Not broadcast]
Croydon
19 Nov 2007
What causes the film that forms on the top of my chocolate puddings?
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Manchester
03 Dec 2007
Why do old men wear their trousers higher than young men?
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Manchester
03 Dec 2007
Why aren't cashews ever sold in their shells?
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Manchester
03 Dec 2007
Why do women open their mouths when applying mascara?
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Manchester
03 Dec 2007
[ Why does my dog eat standing up while my cat usually eats sitting down?
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Not broadcast]
Manchester
03 Dec 2007
[ Why does my dog walk around in circles immediately before lying down?
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Not broadcast]
Manchester
03 Dec 2007
Why do we tie shoes to the back of the cars of newlyweds?
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Manchester
03 Dec 2007
[ Why do frogs close their eyes when swallowing?
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Not broadcast]
Manchester
03 Dec 2007
[ Why don't cats like to swim?
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Not broadcast]
Manchester
03 Dec 2007
Why do my boxer shorts have straight frontal slits, while my underpants have complicated trap doors?
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Manchester
03 Dec 2007
Why do zebras have stripes?
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Manchester
03 Dec 2007
Why don't women faint as much as they used to?
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Manchester
03 Dec 2007
[ How can a packet of aspirins help when the car won't start?
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REAL ANSWER Not broadcast]
Haymarket Recording Session 2
[ What's an inexpensive alternative if your dog is in need of a bath, but you just don't have time?
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REAL ANSWER Not broadcast]
Haymarket Recording Session 2
[ What's a good way to clean the lavatory, unblock the kitchen sink AND attract fish using the same inexpensive household item?
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REAL ANSWER Not broadcast]
Haymarket Recording Session 2
[ What's a cheap and effective way to stop a run in your tights?
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REAL ANSWER Not broadcast]
Haymarket Recording Session 2
[ What can you do before wearing new tights to ensure that they last longer?
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REAL ANSWER Not broadcast]
Haymarket Recording Session 2
[ How might old buttons be utilised to keep the children entertained?
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REAL ANSWER Not broadcast]
Haymarket Recording Session 2
[ What's an ingenious and inexpensive way to keep the shape of a cloth hat while it's drying?
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REAL ANSWER Not broadcast]
Haymarket Recording Session 2
[ How can you keep papers and other household nik-naks in good order using just a pair of kitchen scissors and some rubber gloves?
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REAL ANSWER Not broadcast]
Haymarket Recording Session 2
[ What can be inexpensively treated by adding a generous tablespoon of mayonaise to your child's hair, covering with a shower cap, and leaving overnight?
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REAL ANSWER Not broadcast]
Haymarket Recording Session 2
[ What's a failsafe way of dealing with unruly hairs in your eyebrows or moustache?
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REAL ANSWER Not broadcast]
Haymarket Recording Session 2
[ How might half a dozen lemons and a pocket full of loose change come in useful during a power cut?
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REAL ANSWER Not broadcast]
Haymarket Recording Session 2
[ How can you ensure an almost constant supply of free warm water in your house?
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REAL ANSWER Not broadcast]
Haymarket Recording Session 2
(d?) after venue signifies a query regarding the Date of broadcast,
(??) signifies a query regarding Venue of broadcast


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