Answer explanation: The four themers are artists who have a song whose lyrics mention a specific time... in grid order, they are 6:45, 1:30, 7:05, 9:00... using the hints from CLOCK and FLAGS, see where the hands end up on an analog clock and match up its corresponding letter with the semaphore alphabet... this spells out the meta answer of HELP! (Beatles song)... the funny thing about the album cover for Help! is that the photographer originally had the idea to have the FAB FOUR spell out the word HELP with their arms in flag semaphore but the arrangement of the arms was deemed aesthetically unpleasing so they improvised the arms instead spelling out the nonsensical NUJV (UK release) and NVUJ (US release)
Constructor notes: 7:05 is a tiny bit of a stretch but I couldn't find any songs that have 8:10 in its lyrics... either way the positioning of the L is somewhere in-between... solution graphics here
I loved this! Out of interest, are you familiar with Edric's annual puzzle hunt? I only ask because this year's edition just finished, and it also featured a puzzle based around the Beatles' nonsense semaphore!
thanks! - i am not familiar with edric's puzzle hunt but i do love puzzle hunts so i'll check it out! this puzzle was inspired by an old puzzle MIT puzzle hunt that used clocks --> semaphore alphabet... i just really liked the trivia about the beatles album cover so turned it into a puzzle :)
Qmark 4s · 2024-07-28T15:11:37.065Z
Thanks Phil. Well done...no hints needed.
whimsy 12:07 · 2024-07-28T21:00:07.789Z
I was worried that I'd have to find a connection between pirates and musicians, but then I noticed what I needed to notice!
Thanks, Phil!
Nabisco treat whose special edition "Star Wars" cookies contain either all dark side or light side characters (open to discover your destiny)
16A
Prefix with -genarian
17A
Like a blunt refusal
19A
His song "Questions for Heaven" contains the lyrics "Smellin' coffee downstairs / Yawn a quick little prayer / And get up at a quarter to seven"
21A
Skateboarding trick
22A
Mauna ___
23A
Sue Grafton's "___ for Killer"
24A
Audrey Hepburn's role in "Wait Until Dark"
26A
Their song "Why Should You Come When I Call?" contains the lyrics "It's 1:30 in the morning / That's alright by me / You just waiting by the phone"
32A
Kept tabs on a tabby, perhaps
34A
Verbal equivalent of a facepalm (popularized by Homer Simpson)
35A
Ron Howard's childhood role on "The Andy Griffith Show"
36A
"In memoriam" news items
37A
"The ___ Four" (nickname for the Beatles)
38A
Person with a code name, maybe
39A
Koh-i-___ diamond
40A
Medical research org.
41A
Goes on a spree, perhaps
42A
Their song "7:05" contains the lyrics "I was fine 'til 7:05 / 'til she walked out the door and right out of my life / If you're gone, I'll move on / But it only would've taken two seconds to say / Goodbye..."
45A
Jess's best friend on "New Girl"
46A
It precedes "the land of the free" in "The Star-Spangled Banner"
47A
Initials relating to readiness for casual fun (popularized by "Jersey Shore")
50A
La___ (big name in sparkling water poked fun at in the South Park episode "City People")
53A
His song "Piano Man" contains the lyrics "It's nine o'clock on a Saturday / The regular crowd shuffles in / There's an old man sittin' next to me / Makin' love to his tonic and gin"
56A
Cocktail made from peach schnapps and orange juice
58A
Scottish isle where Macbeth is buried
59A
"Drinks are ___!" ("My treat!")
60A
Vehicles on snow-covered hills
61A
Stereotypical pirate drink
62A
Pirates roam them
63A
"And another thing..."
64A
H.S. students who often slack off in the spring
Verticales
1D
One of its hands points to the hour, the other to the minute
2D
Anne who starred in the 1998 remake of "Psycho"
3D
It's fatal in a Glenn Close & Michael Douglas movie
4D
Believer in Lao Tzu's philosophy
5D
Suffix with "psych" or "narc"
6D
One who scoffs at boxed Merlot, say
7D
Fishing gear
8D
Pirate ship indicator
9D
Territory that borders Siberia in the board game Risk
10D
"The Man Who Laughs" avant-garde filmmaker Paul
11D
Oxen's harness
13D
Words before "gather" or "see"
14D
Dash
18D
Pear variety
20D
Arctic seabirds also known as parasitic jaegers
25D
Annoyed grunt
27D
Shuns
28D
U.S. state with a potato museum
29D
Creates opportunities
30D
Breeze or zephyr
31D
Complete collections
32D
Word like "and" or "or": Abbr.
33D
"Peek-___, I see you!"
37D
What Mario can shoot after obtaining a flower in "Super Mario Bros." or what Ryu's signature attack Hadōken releases in "Street Fighter"
38D
Imitative behavior
40D
TV network with a colorful peacock logo that aired "Cheers"
41D
Mario Kart items that may be launched to hit other racers (the green one roams freely, the red one homes in on the player in front of you, and the blue one tracks down the player in first place)
43D
Extremely hot, in a way
44D
Spanish city famed for swords
48D
Singing voice between alto and baritone
49D
Two of them may be used (in your hands with your arms extended) to spell out letters in the semaphore alphabet
50D
Corp. fiscal execs
51D
Ancient symbol, like those in "The Lord of the Rings"
52D
Princess in L. Frank Baum's book series
54D
Burl who portrayed "Big Daddy" in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"