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 ♂.



Bruno Mars

publication date: Friday, April 27, 2012

category: Music

clue: Fans like this Hawaiian hooligan just the way he is.

explanation: Mars's first album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, produced the hit song "Just the Way You Are." more…

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


Orlando Figueroa

publication date: Thursday, April 26, 2012

category: Science

clue: Two months ago, this longtime Mars expert was re-hired by NASA to plan its next robotic expedition to the red planet.

explanation: Figueroa ran Mars exploration programs for NASA throughout the early 2000s. He left the administration in 2010, only to rejoin in 2012. more…

solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Mike Rothstein, Steve Dunn, and Aaron Shurtleff

trivia: Several players guessed John Grunsfeld.


Percival Lowell

publication date: Wednesday, April 25, 2012

category: Paranormal

clue: When an Italian astronomer discovered "canals" on Mars, this American businessman devoted the rest of his life to popularizing the idea of a Martian civilization. Oddly, his contributions to science later led to the discovery of Pluto.

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


Ray Bradbury

publication date: Tuesday, April 24, 2012

category: Literature

clue: Before writing about tattooed men and book-burning, this sci-fi writer chronicled life on Mars.

explanation: Bradbury wrote The Illustrated Man, Fahrenheit 451, and The Martian Chronicles. more…

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


Taylor Kitsch

publication date: Monday, April 23, 2012

category: Movies

clue: This actor's cinematic trip to Mars last month was an even bigger flop than his barely-watched NBC series about high school football.

explanation: Kitsch starred in John Carter and Friday Night Lights. more…

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

Eight-Legged Freaks

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. 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 »

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 »