Shows That Count
◆ · By Bird Lives · Published 2025-02-03T11:04:00.932Z
Meta Prompt
The answer is a TV show.
Nudge 1 The puzzle is obviously about television. Several of the entries are clued with reference to TV shows. Seven other entries could almost be clued with a similar references.
Nudge 2 These clues are symmetrically placed.
Nudge 3 Nudge 1 says that these entries could “almost” be clued with TV references. But something is missing.
Nudge 4 The missing element is hinted at in the title. “Shows” in the title is already explained in Nudge 1 – these entries are almost the titles of TV shows. The other substantive word in the title is “count.”
Nudge 5 So the missing element in those show titles is connected to “count.”
Nudge 5a A Sesame Street character with a Transylvanian accent might help you do what’s necessary here.
Nudge 6 Once you have all seven of the missing count-related things, you could add them up. Don’t. Instead, look for them elsewhere in the grid.
Checking for previous play data...
). Did have to backsolve 3 BODY PROBLEM b/c I've never heard of that one, but knew the rest (including the answer). I think 8 SIMPLE RULES was the first one I saw, but they all came to mind quickly except for 3-BODY. Especially like the 21D clue. 
1A
It flows under the Ponte Vecchio
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Across
- 1AIt flows under the Ponte Vecchio
- 5ABrute completes this famous Shakespeare line
- 9AMercedes for ladies, perhaps
- 14AEvan or Birch in Indiana politics
- 15AOthello, for one
- 16ADouble reeds
- 17ADriver in the movies
- 18AHumorist Bombeck
- 19AScheduling blocks, often
- 20APhysical, as opposed to psychological, ailment
- 23ANat ___, channel for "Dog Town" and "Wicked Tuna"
- 24ACubist Juan
- 25ADry
- 27AWhat to do when the vinaigrette is too tart
- 30AGet engaged, old style
- 33AGangbangers and where they hang
- 34ASplatter films' stock in trade
- 35ANew Mexico artist colony
- 37AProducer for Coldplay, U2, Peter Gabriel, et al.
- 38ARecap of a previous meeting
- 41ASlasher film director's shout
- 42A"___ Lisa," song by Jay Livingston
- 44AStatistic with "per" in the middle
- 45APut a red herring in a puzzle perhaps
- 47APlacates a fussy restaurant customer
- 49ASetting for "Si, mi chiamano Mimi"
- 50AKobe's 325-lb. teammate
- 51ATitle word before "This Way," "Free," "to Be Wild," etc.
- 52AKeri Russell in Netflix's "The Diplomat," e.g.
- 54A"I before E," "Hit with 16, stand with 17," etc.
- 60AWaze suggestion
- 62ALanded
- 63AHard, punk, or acid, among others
- 64AGarner or Flynn
- 65AMeyers of late night TV
- 66AWhat TV's "Indian Matchmaker" wears
- 67AEye ailments
- 68ALolita's surname
- 69ABig birds
Down
- 1D"Pease porridge hot" rhyme scheme
- 2DHe wrote the lyrics for "Hair"
- 3DRole for Bening in a recent biopic
- 4D"I don't believe it!"
- 5DTV chef
- 6DMatadors' foes
- 7DTarget of a Lara Croft raid, perhaps
- 8DUkraine neighbor in Risk
- 9DFrench director Eric ("Pauline at the Beach")
- 10DPioneer in subscription TV
- 11DCry heard on Oprah's TV show
- 12DMontmartre mom
- 13DIt promised to "put a tiger in your tank"
- 21DIt separates whites and colors
- 22DFirst name in cosmetics
- 26DGo bad
- 27D"Um, excuse me?"
- 28DAlumni fund friend
- 29DStrip with Zonker and Uncle Duke
- 30DMatches : wrestling : : ___ : boxing
- 31DArt deco mononym
- 32DTV doctor role for Hugh Laurie
- 34DTiny flying insect
- 36DEditorial override
- 39DOne from Basra or Baghdad
- 40DReporter Brenda or Packer Bart
- 43DHibachi residue
- 46DOne who takes over from EMTs
- 48DSupports for artists
- 49DIn whose dramas the last shall be "Faust"
- 51DType of chess for those in a hurry
- 52DSon of Zeus, brother of Athena
- 53DComedian Sahl
- 55DTV comedy set in Korea
- 56DIt's entered in court
- 57DThe good earth
- 58DRaw silk color
- 59DGoes downhill fast
- 61DLow digit