XWord Muggles Forum

I first saw the women's names before each of the languages in each theme entry. Most can be thought of a famous singers (even known by one name, almost), and they "stopped talking" by "singing", but that went no where. It seemed too strong of a coincidence to not be a red herring, almost. Almost.

[EDIT] I should have noted the singers:

EMA (wiki: Erika Michelle Anderson, better known by her stage name EMA)
OMO BELLO (opera singer, doesn't go by one name)
DIANA (Ross - natch)
SADE
ANGE/ANGELA -(Okay, this is the weakest of the weak)

my favorite rabbit hole was to see NAPOLI in 39A and GANG in 60A and think Stop Talking! was related to the Mafia. Fortunately omerta is 6 letters. Plus the pesky lack of connection to the other themers.

Hand also raised for DIANA/SADE/ANGELA. IMAN being Somali initially made me try to turn the end of 25A into SOMALIA (the delay between this period and actually getting it was...embarrassingly long). Then there was a CHINE is French for China phase. In the end I think I saw POLISH (as in the verb) at the end of 39A, and then half a second later it clicked that I could pronounce it differently.

Edit to make clear that I should have gotten it earlier than I did

I commented to Matt that I now know how to say "Shut Up" in five languages. Think I mighta missed the off-ramp back there.

I got stuck in the DIANA/SADE/ANGELA hole and couldn't get out. Never saw the languages, and I know I wouldn't have found the next step even if I did.

Now I have a new streak going....2 DNFs! Such is the meta life....

Bob cruise director wrote: ↑Sun Feb 28, 2021 5:56 pm This week I made a major investment and signed up for the MGWCC. With more than a little assistance from my fairy god mother, I have been beamed up and confirmed.

Me too! Although I haven't solved it yet...

I saw MUM and ADIOS and TATA in the grid, with the title Stop Talking! I couldn’t solve it but submitted a guess: SHUSH. I thought that was a reasonable guess. Oh well! On to the next one!

Weird fill makes me look a little bit askance, so maybe that's a clue, and I was like, "Who says GELATI?" (even though that's the plural) but didn't think much of it. CHROMOSOMAL was also a bit odd.

So I put it down, picked it up about three times, etc. Then my eyes just went to GREE and LATI and I was like, "OOOOH" (just like that).

And...that was it. Had to do a couple more of those until I realized, not even looking at the puzzle, "Wait a minute...that one actress might be Polish" and so that did it. Could easily see the rabbit holes that you could go down here, though!

At first, I was like, "Ready for a tough Week 5," but then I realize I never have any idea what day it is anymore. Easy-breezy coming up soon, I hope!

Mike

It was actually Pola Negri that set off my weird fill detector. Some actress from a 20s (1920s - just realized we now have to specify:) movie that had to specify the exact year since it wasn't even the most famous with that name?