WSJ Contest — Friday, September 27, 2019

Matt Gaffney’s Wall Street Journal contest crossword, “Two’s Company”—Laura’s review

WSJ Contest – 9.27.19 – Solution

This week, we’re looking for a well-known corporation.

• [16a: Miss America/singer who likes to paint houses?]: VANESSA WILLIAMS. Vanessa Williams won the Miss America pageant in 1983, then was pressured to resign when Penthouse published nude photos taken earlier in her modelling career. She went on to have a very successful singing and acting career, and the Miss America corporation later issued her an apology.
• [22a: Comedian who drives sports cars?]: DEMETRI MARTIN. He’s reasonably well known for stand-up, and currently voices Ice Bear on the Cartoon Network’s We Bare Bears (which my kids watch).
• [37a: Ellie Kemper title character (formally) who uses lots of paper products?]: KIMBERLY SCHMIDT. The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt ran for four seasons on Netflix and is extremely hilarious.
• [46a: Choose Your Own Adventure series creator who works on his laptop?]: EDWARD PACKARD. CYOA was a book series for kids in the 80s and 90s.
• [57a: “Flamingo Road” co-star whom people consult for investment advice?]: MORGAN FAIRCHILD. Fairchild, a popular actress of 80s TV, once retweeted me.

Each personal name corresponds to a corporate name, hinted at in the clue, that is made up of two names:

SHERWIN WILLIAMS (paint)
ASTON MARTIN (British sports cars)
KIMBERLY CLARK (paper products, including Kleenex and Kotex)
HEWLETT PACKARD (computers)
MORGAN STANLEY (investment banking)

The added names, in order, are:

SHERWIN
ASTON
CLARK
HEWLETT
STANLEY

… which spells SACHS, the second name in GOLDMAN SACHS, which is a well-known corporation, and our answer. I thought this was pretty clever, and not too tough — and hinged 100% on the happy coincidence that KIMBERLY-CLARK is spelled the same way as KIMBERLY SCHMIDT.

Just when I thought our chance had passed, you go and save the best for last.