XWord Muggles Forum

How I got across --
But I understand there's a much more fun way!

Thanks for a multi-faceted puzzle, Ben!

We start with 44 solvers! Appropriate for a "week 1" puzzle:

markhr
woozy
Tom Wilson
Cindy Weatherman
boharr
LarsCaine
katie
Danny K Bernstein
Pair O Ducks
Darth
Cindy Heisler
I K Snamhcok
hoover
frostyjhammer
Meg
MatthewL
DebbieC
imontoo
Hector
kurtalert
heidi
Ergcat
dadsonvacation
Tyrpmom
lbray53
ducky
GamingGuy907
Rebekah Hardy
Sharkicicles
BMW
DrTom
Elana
Laura M
DIS
KayW
whimsy
Alex Sisti
Jaclyn
Berto
Tim
CPJohnson
Dow Jones
ELSavage
Jeremy Smith

Solved but needed to backsolve the clues after identifying the nickname. Interesting idea, thanks.

FINALLY got this one with the help of google! Not for the faint of heart, but highly rewarding!

Stormed the castle, no Google needed...thanks Ben!

Solver update:

JM
Johnny Luau
ajk
Gutman
Golem
HeadinHome
Spid4567
Qmark

We're up to 52 now. Nudges imminent!

Nudges, in order of increasing blatancy:

1. Your hint is in 77 across: "Nickname of the meta answer who starred in the movies disguised in the asterisked entries (and whose first name is also spelled out in the grid)"

2. If you start with the asterisked entries, each one represents a movie title. Some might be easier than others!

3. If you want to look for the name spelled out in the grid, just look at across entries. Symmetry (and centrality) will be your friend!

4. As a last resort Google "actor nickname bruno" and you will get the meta answer. Then see if you can decode the disguised movie titles!

I got the meta right way because of the nickname but I’ll say it’s worth the fun to do a backsolve.

Solver update:

DCBilly
Steve M
Depp Alexander

That brings us to 55. Last update right before the answer reveal, Monday morning Australia time.

Got it, but only after all the nudges...

Only one additional solver, giving us a grand total of 56 solvers:

Dave C

Onwards to the answer reveal...

Here's the solution to "Name That Actor":


I remember being pretty happy about getting ALL TWENTY SEVEN FEET into the grid, with a clue that harkens back to the source of the idiom "whole nine yards". And I absolutely adore the clue and entry 34A: With 34 across and 34 across and 34 across... (ad infinitum): Sounds of hesitation. I can just imagine all those ERs looping to infinity!

I also really enjoy a lot of Bruce Willis' movies. I couldn't find a way to clue DIE HARD, MOONRISE KINGDOM, or HUDSON HAWK, and many other great movies. But what a body of work!

Great puzzle. Got it after the nudges.