5 JULY 2003, Page 63

Q. I will shortly be hosting a small houseparty in

Ireland. My guests inhabit very different worlds, and there will be representatives from the musical, literary and racing fraternities. I fear there will be very

little common ground, and conversation may be sticky.

G.W., Thorpe-le-Soken A. Why not help your guests to relax by pouring wine from a great height into their glasses? The ensuing tinkling noise will be familiar to everyone present, and they will soon be guffawing uninhibitedly. You will need to practise the skill during the week before your house-party to ensure that no 'fine wines' are wasted through spillage, but the manual dexterity you achieve will elicit warm applause. Having broken the ice in this way, more sophisticated topics can be introduced in due course.