Do spiders make you squeamish? This theme may not be for you. This week, five goos inspired by arachnids are waiting for you to get trapped in their page on the Web.



Alain Robert

publication date: Friday, April 6, 2012

category: Stunts

clue: This extreme athlete and publicity-seeking stuntman is so controversial, we can't even agree on what category he belongs to.

explanation: Robert was a climber known for scaling skyscrapers without equipment or permission, earning the nicknames "the Human Spider" and "the French Spider-Man." more…

solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Justin Woods, Matthew Preston, Denise Sawicki, Joanna Woods, Steve Dunn, Mike Eberhart, and Aaron Shurtleff

trivia: Robert was previously a Controversy goo in 2005, which no players solved. Afterwards, Denise Sawicki and Amy Austin said he should have been listed in Sports.


Spider Robinson

publication date: Thursday, April 5, 2012

category: Literature

clue: It's fitting that this Canadian writer earned the Robert A. Heinlein Award, since he's been a lifelong fan and even wrote a book based on Heinlein's idea.

solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Justin Woods, Matthew Preston, Denise Sawicki, Joanna Woods, Erik Bates, Mike Rothstein, Steve Dunn, Mike Eberhart, and Aaron Shurtleff


John Goodman

publication date: Wednesday, April 4, 2012

category: Television

clue: Roseanne's husband ain't afraid of no spiders.

explanation: Goodman played Roseanne Barr's husband in Roseanne and a spider exterminator in the movie Arachnophobia. more…

solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Justin Woods, Matthew Preston, Denise Sawicki, Joanna Woods, Erik Bates, Mike Rothstein, Steve Dunn, Mike Eberhart, Aaron Shurtleff, and Sarah Kyle


Michael David Cummings

publication date: Tuesday, April 3, 2012

category: Music

clue: The singer of "When Worlds Collide" is not as successful as his brother Rob Zombie.

explanation: Cummings, lead singer of Powerman 5000, went by the stage name Spider One. more…

solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Justin Woods, Matthew Preston, Denise Sawicki, Joanna Woods, Erik Bates, Mike Rothstein, Steve Dunn, Mike Eberhart, Aaron Shurtleff, and Sarah Kyle


Andrew Garfield

publication date: Monday, April 2, 2012

category: Movies

clue: In July, this young British actor will become the amazing Peter Parker.

explanation: Garfield was set to play Spider-Man in The Amazing Peter Parker a few months after this goo was published. more…

solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Justin Woods, Matthew Preston, Denise Sawicki, Joanna Woods, Erik Bates, Mike Rothstein, Steve Dunn, Mike Eberhart, and Aaron Shurtleff


Other Themes in Spring 2012

Life After Death

Just as spring follows winter, new life can follow death. To commemorate the addition of zombie players to the game, here are five celebrities who achieved significant success posthumously. Go »

Super Maximum

Life a real-life Arkham Asylum, the most famous villains of the United States are jailed in the super-maximum-security facility in Florence, Colorado, home of mobsters, gang leaders, drug lords, terrorists, and various enemies of state, including these five goos. Go »

Double Trouble

Most celebrities have non-famous siblings, but twins who achieve fame in the same field are especially rare. Have twice the fun this week guessing these five pairs of famous twins. Both names are required for your guess to be correct. Go »

Go Ahead, Make His Day

Once a star of macho action pictures, Clint Eastwood began directing movies in 1971 and has become one of America's most celebrated film-makers. These goos are inspired by five of his movies, both recent and classic. Are you feeling lucky? Go »

When in Rome

The ancient Romans founded one of the greatest empires of antiquity, excelling in government, war, arts, and general decadence. Get in a time machine and spend this week identifying some of the major figures of the Roman era. Go »

The Modern Woman

2012 has not been easy for women so far, as these five controversial ladies can attest. Each one made headlines, for better or worse, in the first few months of this year. Go »

Men are from Mars

The fourth planet from the Sun has long held the fascination of men, especially these five, who will forever be associated with the red planet. There's a reason why both Mars and men share the symbol ♂. Go »

Goo Noir 2

It feels good to be back in black! Ever since the original noir genre tapered off in the 1950s, writers and filmmakers have kept returning to the dark theme. These five goos are famous for their work in neo-noir. Go »

Meow Mix

It's the final week of the regular season, and your last chance to save up nine lives. Can you identify these five celebrities with feline names? Real winners don't rely on performance-enhancing drugs like catnip. Go »

Spring 2012 Tournament

The dead shall rise! In this tournament, whenever an odd number of players remains, a defeated player will return as a "zombie" to challenge the top-seeded player. If successful, they'll gain full re-entry into the tournament. This time, it's not over until it's over. Go »

Spring 2012 Bonus Goos

What will you do on your summer vacation? With the tournament concluded and the next season ready to start on Monday, here are three days of extra goos that have no bearing on the season winner. Enjoy the break and come back refreshed next week. Go »