phrase

[dinky1]

sell like hotcakes

[Quizmonster]

The earliest-recorded use of the phrase is in a book by C F Briggs published in 1839. In that, there is a sentence which reads: "You had better buy 'em, Colonel," said Mr Lummucks, "they will sell like hot cakes." Presumably, the idea behind the phrase is that the busiest time in a bakery-shop is likely to be when a new batch of bread/cakes is brought through and the warm, tempting smell is wafting out onto the pavement. That is certainly likely to bring customers pouring in...and send cakes pouring out!

[Quizmonster]

Where, in heaven's name - did that upside-down question mark come from...apart from Spain? Yesterday, it was definitely an apostrophe!

I suspect the new, improved AnswerBank is up to mischief, since it has already this morning failed to produce a blue-coloured clickable link I tried to provide in a 'Food & Drink' question.

The next few days could be interesting!