Oooh, love it! I think the DORM clue was initially Introspective Quixote or something like that for DON, until realizing that was part of the meta-related name and so that had to get nixed.
Explanation: In line with the title, initials IQ, eight symmetrical across entries also have the initials IQ. Their entries' initial letters spell out DON ADAMS, and a quick search (if you didn't already know!) shows he played Agent 86 (number tie-in!) on the late '60s spy send-up GET SMART, the answer to the meta. Four catchphrases made popular by the show also make an appearance in the clues!
No because he would have said, "not only that but even though they said it would never last, it played sole music! Why it even had a separate compartment for toiletries...a bar of Dial soap of course...."
At last, a show I've watched, uh, once or twice? a few times? Would you believe every week?
Are there any other Easter Eggs or hints in addition to 48A, 21A and 16A?
I purchased the first season after this meta and watched a few episodes. Very endearing parody - and I didn't know Mel Brooks was involved until creating this puzzle!
I K Snamhcok 3s · 2024-03-02T19:51:56.613Z
Mikey, you should know that I regularly quote your punny clues and entries to my wife. Occasionally she’ll chuckle. (Tough audience.) I, OTOH, laugh often. Thanks, as always, for a puzzle I always look forward to. (Though not as much as the baseball season.)
Fun one. Gotta say though, missed the whole IQ thing. Just saw that there 8 two-word clues starting with "I", and got there that way. But hey -- a solve's a solve. Thanks for the puzzle, Mikey!
when i didn't see anything immediately, i tried quantum leap just for funsies... then i scanned the clues like i was supposed to and got "Dona Dams?" probably some show i've never heard of about lady boss beavers... a quick google search sorted it out ... i feel so stupid
Well don't feel badly Philip, I watched the original, read the clues, saw the catchphrases, said to myself, "those are all Get Smart quotes" and STILL did not see the way to the end until someone told me NOT to abandon the initials. Clearly I missed it by THAT (where that is the expanse of the Grand Canyon) much.
Funnier yet would make it seem like the previous week's clue SHOULD be the answer, but have it not be....diabolically funny that is.
Qmark 5s · 2024-03-02T20:49:57.671Z
Loved puzzle #86 Mikey...thanks!
HeadinHome 🤓2:48 · 2024-03-02T20:37:28.306Z
Have to admit, I got it just from 21D and the title. Fun nevertheless, and nostalgic. As a little girl I wanted to look like Barbara Feldman, with her crazy long eyelashes!
I was starting to worry about not solving a 1.5 level puzzle when a review of the clues revealed something significant. But I have to say I was shocked to see all the easter eggs after the fact!
I was afraid it was going to be "Young Sheldon". Which would have been very disappointing and unpleasant. But instead it was "Get Smart" which was very gratifying and a pleasant surprise.
whimsy 🤓11:40 · 2024-03-03T02:38:33.066Z
Fun! Thanks, Mikey!
I gotta remember to be on the lookout for #99 -- but it'll probably be about bottles of (root) beer on the wall or something. :-)
I was afraid it was going to be "Young Sheldon". Which would have been very disappointing and unpleasant. But instead it was "Get Smart" which was very gratifying and a pleasant surprise.
This was my absolute favorite show when I was a kid! I'm old enough to know it, but young enough to have seen it in syndicated reruns after school. My "favorite number" has been 86 ever since. And I still use the term "Cone of Silence." Also, thanks for the gift card!!
You are welcome! I saw a couple episodes last week, and I think I might keep watching it. It was comforting for some reason, and that's probably due to the affectionate nature of the satire. Always love send-ups like this!
Bbaack 15:49 · 2024-03-03T15:24:52.231Z
Aah, this brought back good memories, including Tennessee Tuxedo!
I, of course, tried to make it much too hard. BLOSSOM made me think of BIG BANG or JEOPARDY (Mayim Bialik) but of course both of those were longer than 5 seasons. Quiz and quips made me think of Weakest Link (5 seasons, on and off) and countless others. I had noticed the letter were I.Q. but no show with that name came to mind. Finally a friendly Muggle reinforced the name idea and I was off looking at the show I.Q. (well actually Q.I. for "Quite interesting" - which I plan to find and watch because it sounds, well quite interesting). As I struggle with that I went back through the grid and saw Indefinite quantity, which I though originally should have been SOME. Hmm, wasn't there another quantity somewhere, maybe that has somehting to do with it? Yep "Impressive quantity"! I'll just be that quantity has...wait a minute I.Q. TWICE...DOH!!!
You got me on that one Mikey, and when I saw "Sorry about that chief" and "Would you believe" this Boomer's mind Immediately Questioned the fact that Don Adams wasn't Individually Quoted. A true level 1-2 that I tried desperately to turn into a 2-3. A level 1.5 in a grid that had to be a 3-4 to build with all that content.
Meta World Peace 3s · 2024-03-09T00:38:57.641Z
Did I get 100 on the IQ test? I'm going for a perfect score!