We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Mikeyboy
saying something like:

Hi guys, my wife's old Fiat Punto needed a top-up of windscreen washer
fluid. Pulled the handle that releases the bonnet/hood and nothing
happened. Tried several times, with no success.

Has the handle suddenly went very easy to pull? If so, the cable could
have snapped or come off the release mechanism. You might be able to go
in from the front via the grille and release the catch with a long
screwdriver, but I'm not familiar with the Punto, so it's just a guess.

Whatever the reason, once you get it open give the locking mechanism a
squirt of oil.
--

Dave