One for you movie buffs out there! Just to keep you on your toes this meta is a highly experimental mashup of rebus puzzles and crosswords. Because the end result proved to be even more obscure than I feared, I've also provided you with some hints. The answer to the meta is an actor. Answer & explanation: https://xword-muggles.com/viewtopic.php?p=166512#p166512
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Just in case anyone is having trouble decoding any of the movie titles, here they all are: 1A. BORON = "The Fifth Element", 34A. ERERER = "Looper", 38A. BLUSH = "Red", 56A. ESP = "The Sixth Sense", 68A. NOVEL = "Pulp Fiction", and 10D. + 39D. ALL TWENTY SEVEN FEET = "The Whole Nine Yards"
Nice idea! I saw B R U C E and used the "Guide to the Galaxy" (aka Google) for the rest.
Cindy Heisler 2s · 2024-05-07T12:56:59.954Z
Found his name spelled out in the grid, but needed Google to verify the movies. Enjoyed this! Thanks, Ben.
hoover 5s · 2024-05-07T13:17:08.640Z
I didn't know that was his nickname, but IMDB collaborations confirms that Marisa Tomei did appear in one film with him. Then I went back and saw 1A The Fifth Element and 56A The Sixth Sense, and I didn't check the rest.
I didn't either but.... It's a dope-slapper when you do... His first name is B-R-U-C-E so where in the grid can we find a BEEARE EWE CEE EEE in the grid?
Nice one Ben. Saw Boron and thought of Borat and so tried Sacha Baron Cohen first (who was in a movie with Marissa Tomei), but then had to actually work through it. Thanks for the puzzle!
Ben...I knew immediately that Boron was the 5th element, and I like that movie. Then 6th Sense...well. Let's see if I got the others as well: Red, Whole 9 yards, Pulp Fiction, Looper? Loved the BEEAREYOU SEE EEE. Plus, old Bruno Radolini (his rock star "alter ego" and the number of Brun flicks. Fun diversion.
Sharkicicles 2s · 2024-05-08T04:38:37.663Z
Apparently Gary Oldman did that movie as a favor and hates it. I don’t know why, it’s a great movie and he is excellent as Zorg. One of my favorites.
I solved this early BUT created a rabbit hole I could not get out of until I decided to just submit based on what I had. The first movies I found were the ones with numbers in their titles, so I assumed that they all did. Since WILLIS has six letters and there were six movies, I thought I would be able to make a connection between those numbers and the letters in WILLIS. The fifth element (letter) in ALLTWENTY was "W" so I spent WAY too much time trying to find similar connections. Hey! Maybe an idea for a future meta!
KayW 🤓5:42 · 2024-05-07T21:01:39.325Z
Very creative - thanks! I admit I first googled "Actors nicknamed Bruno" and then found BEEAREYOUSEAEEE in the grid. Decoding the movies was tougher to do but still fun (it helped to pull up IMDB page and look over the list).
ELSavage 🤓6:56 · 2024-05-08T02:44:51.372Z
I was worried about this one since movies and celebrites are a weak spot for me. I didn't get all of the movie references, but enough of them to combine with 77A to get me where I needed to go.
whimsy 10:33 · 2024-05-08T05:01:25.090Z
I googled my way in (actor nickname + Marisa Tomei movies = ?) and only recognized the movie connections and 3 letter words after the fact. In retrospect, I really like the multi-faceted aspect of the puzzle -- Thanks, Ben!
backsolved after looking up the nickname. Was a bit sidetracked by trying to do more traditional rebus stuff and getting nowhere, but once I actually looked at his filmography I started matching them. Forgot about the down one, but figured out the rest (although I'd never heard of Red). Interesting idea, thanks.
HeadinHome 🤓3:17 · 2024-05-09T00:28:44.224Z
Yes - the rebus mention had me adding all kinds of bits to entries… didn’t get very far!
HeadinHome 🤓3:17 · 2024-05-09T00:25:30.140Z
Well i had the idea but my execution was off. I was thinking the movie Reds, so tried Warren Beatty; saw maybe Belushi in BLUSH so tried him and a couple others; guessed Pulp Fiction and tried John Travolta. Just needed to do a bit more googling, since I am only familiar with a couple of these films! (Finally looked up Pulp Fiction and saw Bruce Willis, and thought of that ESP /6th sense clue!). NEVER would have thought of Looper! Also the spelling of BRUCE was totes lost on me. Clever! Great (hard) challenge that I’m glad I finally solved without nudges.
Qmark 3s · 2024-05-09T03:41:15.439Z
Nice one, Ben...loved how you spelled his first name down the center of the grid using 3 letter words. Thanks!
Steve M 28:25 · 2024-05-09T17:50:14.017Z
Very clever puzzle! From ESP, I was thinking Sixth Sense from the start, but “whose first name is also spelled in the grid” through me off… started looking for a PETER or an EARL. Found out that Bruno Mars was born Peter Gene Hernandez, but he didn’t fit the movie clues. Finally came back to the most obvious answer and figured out most of the movies. Needed a previous comment to spell out B R U C E in the grid. Thanks for the fun puzzle.
Dave C 4s · 2024-05-11T19:57:34.237Z
It took me a while to backfill after I knew the answer...