Hint 1: The longest grid answer and the title should point you in the right direction. Pay attention to that title!
Hint 2: Three clues and their corresponding grid answers make specific reference to the meta activity, yet have nothing to do with solving the meta itself.
Hint 3: There are 8 meta-themed clues and answers. Again, where does the title point you?
Hint 4: The 8 themed answers contain all 3 parts you'll need to solve the meta.
Hint 5: The title indicates that you should look for colors…
Hint 6: Specifically, there are 8 clues that contain different color references. Ask yourself why.
Hint 7: The theme is Clue! Which explains why the meta answer consists of 3 parts.
Hint 8: The grid answers to the color clues will give you 2 out of the 3 parts to the meta.
Hint 8: Go back to the theme clues if you still can’t find part 3 of the meta. Notice how a lot of these clues are oddly worded? There’s a reason for that.
Answer: MISS SCARLETT in the BALLROOM with the REVOLVER
Explanation: There are 3 clues and answers that point to the Clue board game in the grid:
- 16A: Murder implement
WEAPON
- 21A: Game pieces
TOKENS
- 54D: One of many in a manor
ROOM
The 8 themed clues contain colors that correspond to the game tokens of the Clue suspects:
- Mr. Green (green)
- Colonel Mustard (yellow)
- Mrs. Peacock (blue)
- Professor Plum (purple)
- Miss Scarlett (red)
- Mrs. White (white)
- Dr. Orchid (pink)
- Mr. Boddy Black Jr. (black; victim)
In grid order, the theme clues and answers are:
- 1A: Rainbow (black)
BASS
- 17A: Environmental (pink)
ALLERGIC
- 27A: Verdant (green)
LEA
- 29A: Ostracized (yellow)
LEPER
- 44A: Like (blue)
ROYAL
- 63A: Verbose (purple)
OVERDONE
- 64A: Egg (white)
OMELET
- 67A: Red (red)
MERLOT
The first letters of the answers above spell out BALLROOM, in grid order. Their last letters spell out SCARLETT. The first letters of their corresponding clues spell out REVOLVER.