Andy Byron
publication date: Friday, August 1, 2025 (part of August 2025)
category: 
Controversy
clue: He ran a company named for the scientist who studies a sky full of stars, until he failed at the hardest part of being publicly exposed (don't panic!) and abruptly let somebody go, which brought him a world of trouble.
explanation: Byron was the CEO of data analytics firm Astronomer, until his extramarital affair with another executive was exposed when they were caught hugging, and then suddenly breaking their embrace in embarrassment, on the "kiss cam" at a Coldplay concert in July 2025. The moment became a popular meme almost overnight. The clue references the Coldplay songs "The Scientist," "A Sky Full of Stars," "The Hardest Part," "Don't Panic," "Let Somebody Go," and "Trouble." more…
intended difficulty: hard
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, Samir Mehta, Richard Slominsky, Erik Bates, and LaVonne Lemler
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