X-Men Unlimited
Since its debut comic book in 1963, Marvel's X-Men franchise has grown expontentially in size and popularity, with countless mutant super-heroes and super-villains revolutionizing the genre and launching a hit series of movies and TV shows. Now, they're taking over the goo game: For the month of October, each goo is inspired by an X-Men character. Can you solve for X?
Shaggy 2 Dope
publication date: Saturday, October 31, 2020
category: 
Music
clue: Unlike this dopey rapper, the X-Men villain Magneto never wondered of magnets, "How do they work?"
explanation: Shaggy 2 Dope is half of the duo Insane Clown Posse. His line, "fucking magnets, how do they work?" from the 2009 song "Miracles" became a popular Internet meme. more…
intended difficulty: easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
David Belasco
publication date: Friday, October 30, 2020
category: 
Theater
clue: This playwright and producer, the first to adapt Madame Butterfly to the stage, was among the foremost Americans devoted to the theater in the late 1800s. The Belasco Theatre is named in his memory.
intended difficulty: easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Nick Frost
publication date: Thursday, October 29, 2020
category: 
Movies
clue: With his frequent collaborators Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, this British comic actor has made a number of well-regarded films, including the Cornetto trilogy, that have made him as famous as his namesakes Emma and previous goos David, Robert, and Honor.
intended difficulty: easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
David Berkowitz
publication date: Wednesday, October 28, 2020
category: 
Crime
clue: He terrorized New York in the mid-70s with a handgun, supposedly on orders from a dog named Sam, but he was also a Pyro believed to be behind numerous arsons.
intended difficulty: easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Chares of Lindos
publication date: Tuesday, October 27, 2020
category: 
Art
clue: One of ancient history's best-known sculptors didn't live to see his final creation, a Colossus of a statue, become finished.
explanation: Chares is believed to have died before the completion of the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. more…
intended difficulty: medium
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Angel Olsen
publication date: Monday, October 26, 2020
category: Music
clue: This indie rocker from St. Louis has become a critical darling for having the voice of an Angel.
intended difficulty: medium
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Thomas Becket
publication date: Sunday, October 25, 2020
category: 
Religion
clue: He had only a brief career as a Bishop in England, but since his 1170 assassination, he has become among the most venerated saints in the Catholic Church and Anglican Church.
intended difficulty: medium
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Marshawn Lynch
publication date: Saturday, October 24, 2020
category: 
Sports
clue: His career with the Seahawks can apparently be turned on and off again, just like the Beast mode that gave him his nickname.
intended difficulty: very easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Charlize Theron
publication date: Friday, October 23, 2020
category: Movies
clue: Sure, it was a Longshot for her to star in a romance with Seth Rogen. That's why they called it that.
intended difficulty: very easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Billie Joe Armstrong
publication date: Thursday, October 22, 2020
category: Music
clue: He and his colorful bandmates re-popularized punk rock in the 1990s, with hit albums like Nimrod.
explanation: Armstrong is the lead singer and guitarist of Green Day. more…
intended difficulty: very easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Patrick Doyle
publication date: Wednesday, October 21, 2020
category: 
Business
clue: Like turning over a new Domino, he oversaw a record-setting corporate turnaround in the fast-food industry that started when his company apologized for being terrible. He was hired a year later and named the best CEO of 2011 by CNBC.
explanation: Doyle was CEO of Domino's from 2010 to 2018, during which the company saw the largest same-store sales increases in industry history. more…
intended difficulty: easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Jason Becker
publication date: Tuesday, October 20, 2020
category: Music
clue: ALS robbed this promising San Francisco musician of his ability to shred on the guitar, but he can still communicate and compose via software that watches him Blink.
intended difficulty: medium
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Devin Booker
publication date: Monday, October 19, 2020
category: Sports
clue: This young athlete went pro for Phoenix in 2015 after just one year at the University of Kentucky.
intended difficulty: medium
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Boy George
publication date: Sunday, October 18, 2020
category: Music
clue: This androgynous and colorful singer scored a hit with his band in the 1980s about a lizard experiencing Karma.
explanation: Culture Club's best-known hit is "Karma Chameleon." more…
intended difficulty: easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Antony Starr
publication date: Saturday, October 17, 2020
category: 
Television
clue: Before his starring role as a superhero in The Boys, he starred in Banshee.
intended difficulty: medium
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Elizebeth Smith Friedman
publication date: Friday, October 16, 2020
category: 
Military
clue: During the Prohibition and WWII, there was practically no Cypher that couldn't be figured out by this celebrated cryptologist, who worked in partnership with her husband William.
intended difficulty: medium
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Megan Fox
publication date: Thursday, October 15, 2020
category: Movies
clue: She's been in movies about Transformers and Ninja Turtles, but her latest movie is Rogue.
intended difficulty: very easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Jim Morrison
publication date: Wednesday, October 14, 2020
category: Music
clue: This poet-singer became a legend in the late-60s counter-culture, weaving the anagram Mr. Mojo Risin' into his lyrics.
intended difficulty: very easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Hikaru Nakamura
publication date: Tuesday, October 13, 2020
category: 
Competitions
clue: Trying to earn a living on Twitch during a pandemic must have been risky, but chess players are used to making a bold Gambit.
explanation: Chess grandmaster Nakamura has become a popular phenomenon on Twitch in 2020. more…
intended difficulty: medium
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Shin Lim
publication date: Monday, October 12, 2020
category: 
Illusions
clue: This Singaporean illusionist rarely speaks in his up-close Magik act, where he manipulates cards with the manual dexterity he learned from his training as a pianist.
intended difficulty: medium
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Jamal Ahmad Mohammad Al Badawi
publication date: Sunday, October 11, 2020
category: 
Terrorism
clue: This Yemeni terrorist, who has been called the Mastermind of the bombing of the USS Cole, lived (barely) to see 2019.
explanation: Al-Badawi was assassinated on January 1, 2019 by an American drone strike. more…
intended difficulty: medium
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Denis Leary
publication date: Saturday, October 10, 2020
category: 
Comedy
clue: This foul-mouthed, frequently angry Boston-Irish comic was a strange choice to cast in a children's movie, playing a Sabretooth tiger in a historical Ice Age.
explanation: Leary plays Diego in the Ice Age films. more…
intended difficulty: very easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Jake Gyllenhaal
publication date: Friday, October 9, 2020
category: Movies
clue: He's played a gay cowboy, a Spider-Man villain, and a prince of Persia, but none of that prepared him to star in Nightcrawler.
explanation: Gyllenhaal's films include Brokeback Mountain, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. more…
intended difficulty: very easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Bing Crosby
publication date: Thursday, October 8, 2020
category: Music
clue: Besides his successful careers in live comedy and film acting, he recorded a series of hit songs that included "White Christmas" and "Quicksilver."
intended difficulty: easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Francis Ford Coppola
publication date: Wednesday, October 7, 2020
category: Movies
clue: One of Hollywood's most celebrated filmmakers (and filmmaking family patriarchs) is responsible for films about an American general, a godfather, a conversation, a vampire, and an Apocalypse.
explanation: Coppola's films include Patton, The Godfather, The Conversation, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and Apocalypse Now. His family includes Talia Shire, Sofia Coppola, Gia Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, and Nicolas Cage. more…
intended difficulty: very easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Steve Wynn
publication date: Tuesday, October 6, 2020
category: Business
clue: Is it amusing that this prolific casino developer, whose works include the Mirage, is named for what you want to do in one?
intended difficulty: medium
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Frank Richards
publication date: Monday, October 5, 2020
category: 
Stunts
clue: When jumping into a pool, a belly flop is more painful than a Cannonball. This iconic stunt performer did something even more painful with both.
explanation: Frank "Cannonball" Richards was a live stunt performer whose act involved a series of blows to his belly, culminating in a cannonball. more…
intended difficulty: hard
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Betty Friedan
publication date: Sunday, October 4, 2020
category: 
Activism
clue: She sparked a revolution in feminism with her 1960s book about women's Mystique.
explanation: Friedan wrote The Feminine Mystique. more…
intended difficulty: easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Stephanie Abrams
publication date: Saturday, October 3, 2020
category: 
Journalism
clue: She has covered many a Storm in her nearly two decades with The Weather Channel, from which she broadcasts to America every morning from her TV studio headquarters.
explanation: Abrams co-hosts AMHQ: America's Morning Headquarters. more…
intended difficulty: medium
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Charles Woodson
publication date: Friday, October 2, 2020
category: Sports
clue: As a Wolverine, he played both offense and defense to lead Michigan to a 1997 championship. Now he's considered one of the NFL's greatest-ever defensive players.
intended difficulty: easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
Val Kilmer
publication date: Thursday, October 1, 2020
category: Movies
clue: He played the chilly Iceman in a mid-80s action movie about top fighter pilots, and he's expected to reprise the role soon in the long-delayed sequel.
explanation: Kilmer starred in Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick. more…
intended difficulty: very easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates
