Oh there is someone else who could be the answer! When we were test-solving this, I mentioned to Will that this is one of those metas where you can change the prompt, leave everything else the same, and have a whole new puzzle (see last season's "Initial Forecast" for another such meta), except that I couldn't think of any other person or character who could feasibly be the answer lol.
I assumed that this was the reason for saying character from a famous "movie franchise." That being said, I actually don't know if Minnesota Fats appears in a movie franchise...
fun stuff, thanks. Considering that I didn't know either 25A or 67A it's a sign of good construction that I only had to guess at the 61A/56D crossing. And guessed correctly (helped that OTTO was a plausible name).
KayW 🤓2:38 · 2024-02-18T17:18:50.814Z
Nice one, Will - thanks!
Cindy Heisler 2s · 2024-02-18T17:31:32.365Z
Thanks, Will. Very nice.
Dave C 2s · 2024-02-18T18:48:41.220Z
After difficult WSJ and MGWCC solves, it was nice to have a straight-forward one.
lbray53 6s · 2024-02-18T19:22:31.224Z
I saw Rashida Jones while looking up the Parks and Rec cast for my final grid entry. How lucky was that! Instant answer.
I figured it wasn't sax player Illinois Jacquet or pool player Minnesota Fats. So it was between Indiana Jones and New Mexico Berkowitz. Thank God Crosshare let me have a second guess.
Anita and Steve 3s · 2024-02-18T20:49:39.082Z
Got this one before finishing even a third of the grid, and 1-1/2 theme entries. :-) Thanks Will!
Fun, thank you! (I appreciate the occasional easy meta so I can get to the solution mostly unassisted… though I also try to learn from the more elaborate mechanisms where I read the solution later and am just dazed with the complexity!)
ReB 3s · 2024-02-18T21:03:41.805Z
This seemed the most obvious answer for an "easy" level of difficulty, especially as I had no alternative in mind. Now if only there had been an "ark" hidden somewhere...
HeadinHome 🤓14:39 · 2024-02-18T21:36:22.675Z
You know, if you think about it, doesn’t it seem like he should have a first-state/name that’s at least rugged sounding or somewhat exotic? Like Texas, or Colorado, or Hawaii? Indiana??
This was one of those where, if I'd started right when it came out and been vying for a top leaderboard spot, I'd have guessed after one theme entry. The only one of those I knew just from the clue was Tennessee Williams, but that was enough.
Tyrpmom 3s · 2024-02-19T02:09:29.931Z
Thanks.
Carolyn 18:39 · 2024-02-19T02:26:07.549Z
Very nice! Thanks
Larry Edelstein 🤓5:31 · 2024-02-19T03:23:37.849Z
Duncan Idaho is well on his way, two movies already
Well there are a lot of people it COULD have been (and I'll say with "First Place" in the title I kind of wanted BARBARA EDEN) but only one it HAD to be. Alabama Whitman, Colorado Ryan, Texas Slim...eat your hearts out. Loved the "Hook's hand" clue!!! Fun puzzle Will