Grid: untimed; Meta: 10 minutes
Alex Eaton-Salners’s contest, “Silent Partners” — Conrad’s writeup
This month we’re asked, What famous person with a mustache is hinted at by this puzzle? There were six long theme entries:
- MAILCHUTES: Letters get dropped in them
- VIOLINBOW: Concertmaster’s accessory
- DONTBECRUEL: Song with the lyric “Baby it’s just you I’m thinking of”
- IGNEOUSROCK: Granite, e.g.
- GOTOTRIAL: Get past summary judgment
- JUICYPARTS: Romance novel highlights
I was stuck for a bit and then CHUTES… and ladders popped into my brain. Followed by BOW… and arrow. I thought I was in a dead rabbit hole, but that pattern continued and the answer emerged:
FB Contest – 10.12.2025
- Chutes and LADDERS
- Bow and ARROW
- Cruel and UNUSUAL
- Rock and ROLL
- Trial and ERROR
- Parts and LABOR
That spells LAUREL, leading to his mustachioed partner (and contest solution) HARDY. Solvers: please share your thoughts.
Alex’s contributions to the meta competition world remain tremendously underappreciated, and I don’t understand why. The grid cluing is playful, creative and ambitious, and the metanisms are the equal of any of the most highly regarded creators.
Then again, I’m a big fan of the Fireball series in general, so I guess it’s no surprise that I particularly look forward to the monthly meta challenge from the Gordon team.