THE DATE was the clue for British newspaper readers puzzling over stories about beer produced in the colours of top football clubs and a new job for Margaret Thatcher as ambassador to Washington.
April Fool's Day brought its traditional crop of weird and wonderful "news items" in the national media. But with a general election campaign in full swing and much of the news almost beyond parody, it was harder than usual to tell the spoofs from the truth.
The story about former prime minister, Baroness Grantham, being offered a job as ambassador to Washington in return for her endorsing opposition Labour Party leader, Mr Tony Blair, was given prominence on the front page of the London Independent.
It had a ring of truth, given persistent speculation about Lady Thatcher's apparent impatience with her successor, Mr John Major. But the game was given away by an alleged quote from President Clinton, who was said to be "more than happy" to welcome to Washington the woman whose party tried to undermine his election hopes in 1992.
More authentic was the "Thatcher onslaught on Blair" headline in the rival Daily Telegraph.
Lady Thatcher said there was no parallel between her achievements as leader of the Conservative Party and what Mr Blair had done to revolutionise Labour. "The whole of Mr Blair's strategy in creating the boneless wonder that calls itself New Labour is to reassure the electorate in its illusion. But illusion it remains," she wrote.
Traditional April Fool's Day fare was served up by the tabloid Mirror, which reported that scientists at a major brewery had managed to produce beer in the colours of every top-flight soccer club. Wimbledon fans would be able to toast the "Crazy Gang" in blue beer, while followers of Newcastle United could sink a pint of black-and-white striped ale.
The Daily Mail ran a story about a monkey which stole a wildlife photographer's camera in Africa and took an award-winning picture of a lioness. Underneath were instructions on teaching your pet to take photographs.