Minute A Day About Movies

MAD Puzzle No. 6
4/22/10

Themeless
Puzzle
Answer Grid

Comment
The odd thing about the 15 across the middle (37A) is that I had tried to get it into a puzzle once or twice in the past, but it didn’t work out for whatever reason.  This time, I didn’t have it in the grid to start, but other things weren’t working and the mockumentary title proved to be a good substitute.  The connection between THIS IS SPINAL TAP and The Simpsons is Harry Shearer, who played bassist Derek Smalls in the film and voices many characters on the TV show, including Otto Mann of “The Otto Show.”

The reason for the extra hint in the 11D clue:  I suspect there’s a crossing in the NE that could keep people guessing.  The idea of a puzzle is not to stump you.  It may mislead you, but should offer enough information so you can solve it, and maybe that extra hint will make a difference for someone.  The Roman poet, by the way, is HORACE, which is ORACHE with the H shifted to the front.

If the name ATARI rings a bell and it’s more familiar as an arcade and video game company, the answer is yes, the company was named for the term from go.

1. William says:

   April 23, 2010 at 9:50 am

   Pretty good overall…….new to me:
   a ghost of gnats is a swarm
   shine on means blow off
   I didn’t need Horace hint I think, but it’s easy to say once pirogue is in there, as I suppose I might have chosen another middle vowel. But I guess I knew orache from other puzzles.
   Nice clues:
   Play start = snap
   Figure that’s not square = cool cat
   Permanent set = second teeth
   Nice puzzle, keep ‘em coming…thanx
2. abide says:

   May 14, 2010 at 4:01 pm

   Beautiful cluing, John. Definitely in the Cranium Crusher area for me. My entire SE corner was blank, thanks to your ACTI misdirection and my PEPPERMINTSWIRL (figured that could be one of those little pinwheel mints). Had to Google Piaf and NANCI to straighten that out. Thanks for the fun puzzle.
3. barb says:

   June 30, 2010 at 6:42 am

   great puz – harder than nyt fri/sat imo – maybe like an “easy” cranium crusher. i didn’t understand #33 down clue/answer, btw.

   PLEASE keep making this level of WONDERFUL puzzle – i could eat them up all day like this!
4. John Farmer says:

   June 30, 2010 at 8:41 am

   Thanks, Barb. The clue for SIGN, “Take or steal, perhaps,” is from baseball. Maybe it’s a little too inside baseball. Signs, relayed by the third-base coach, give instructions to batters and runners on base. Take would be “take a pitch,” and steal, “steal a base.”

   Next puzzle won’t be long. Minutes or hours…sometime today.