Botticelli, September 2025

Thread Games
241

Miriam Maisel, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Morton Downey, jr.
Close enough! Mr. Mxyzptlk

2 DQs reserved

242

A clean sweep!

IQs:
1. Were you the Elephant Man?
2. Did you produce the movie about the above person?
3. Were you directed by the above person in his 1974, other 1974, 1977, and 1981 movies?

243

Santa Anna must have had a matronymic with M (Manuel, maybe?), I guess, otherwise take a DQ.
Take 2 DQs.

I am not John Merrick… I am a human being!
Take 2 DQs.

244

M

  1. Real
  2. Male
  3. First and last name begin with M
  4. Living
  5. Known for the arts
  6. Born after Jan. 1, 1950
  7. Best known for the perfoming arts
  8. American
  9. Born before 1975
  10. Born before 1962
  11. Not known for acting
  12. Musician
  13. Caucasian
  14. Not known for dance

I count 9 DQs outstanding, so no more IQs, please. Please have all DQs in by noon EDT Monday, September 22.

245

2 (producer) was Mel Brooks; 3 was Madeline Kahn (in Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, High Anxiety, and History of the World, Part I, respectively). Close enough on Joseph Merrick.

2 DQs reserved.

246

DQ: Known for being part of a band?

2 DQs reserved.

247

Previous IQs:

Did you play Le Chiffre in the most recent Casino Royale? - Mads Mikkelsen (sp?)
Were you a gangster who corresponded with a vampire? - Not Meyer Lansky, but Hubie Marsten in Stephen King’s novel 'Salem’s Lot
Were you a former SS man and current assassin in The ODESSA File? - Mackensen

DQs:

Best known as a vocalist?
Has won a Grammy?

One DQ reserved.

248

Max
Maria
Myra Hindley


DQ: Known for some variety of rock music?
2 DQs reserved.

249

M

  1. Real
  2. Male
  3. First and last name begin with M
  4. Living
  5. Known for the arts
  6. Born after Jan. 1, 1950
  7. Best known for the perfoming arts
  8. American
  9. Born before 1975
  10. Born before 1962
  11. Not known for acting
  12. Musician
  13. Caucasian
  14. Not known for dance
  15. Best known as part of a band
  16. Best known as a vocalist
  17. Has not won a Grammy
  18. Known for some variety of rock music
250

DQs:

  1. Best known before 1980?
  2. Band had at least one #1 hit on Billboard?
251

M

  1. Real
  2. Male
  3. First and last name begin with M
  4. Living
  5. Known for the arts
  6. Born after Jan. 1, 1950
  7. Best known for the perfoming arts
  8. American
  9. Born before 1975
  10. Born before 1962
  11. Not known for acting
  12. Musician
  13. Caucasian
  14. Not known for dance
  15. Best known as part of a band
  16. Best known as a vocalist
  17. Has not won a Grammy
  18. Known for some variety of rock music
  19. Best known since 1980
  20. Band did not have a Billboard #1 hit
252

Clarification, please: “Best known since 1980” meaning “best known during the period from 1980 until now”, or “became best known at some point between 1980 and now”?

253

Not quite sure of the semantic difference here, but perhaps:

“Greatest level of fame occurred since January 1, 1980”

would be the best way to phrase it. Which I guess is more your second phrasing?

254

EH often asks IQs like “Died since 1990?” My first thought is always along the lines of “Yes, in fact I’ve died seven times since 1990”, but the response I give is “Died/Did not die after 1990.”

255

DQs:

Band best known with 4-person lineup?
Band have rotating members after 1980?

256

Final DQs:
1. first name starts from Ma-Mi?
2. last name starts from Ma-Mi?

257

M

  1. Real
  2. Male
  3. First and last name begin with M
  4. Living
  5. Known for the arts
  6. Born after Jan. 1, 1950
  7. Best known for the perfoming arts
  8. American
  9. Born before 1975
  10. Born before 1962
  11. Not known for acting
  12. Musician
  13. Caucasian
  14. Not known for dance
  15. Best known as part of a band
  16. Best known as a vocalist
  17. Has not won a Grammy
  18. Known for some variety of rock music
  19. Best known since 1980
  20. Band did not have a Billboard #1 hit
  21. Band not best known with a 4-person lineup
  22. Band has changed some members since 1980
  23. First name starts from Ma-Mi
  24. Last name starts from Mj-Mz
258

I yield my two remaining DQs, one per customer, to anyone who can think of a good use for them.

259

Did you sing about a horse named Wildfire?

260

M

  1. Real
  2. Male
  3. First and last name begin with M
  4. Living
  5. Known for the arts
  6. Born after Jan. 1, 1950
  7. Best known for the perfoming arts
  8. American
  9. Born before 1975
  10. Born before 1962
  11. Not known for acting
  12. Musician
  13. Caucasian
  14. Not known for dance
  15. Best known as part of a band
  16. Best known as a vocalist
  17. Has not won a Grammy
  18. Known for some variety of rock music
  19. Best known since 1980
  20. Band did not have a Billboard #1 hit
  21. Band not best known with a 4-person lineup
  22. Band has changed some members since 1980
  23. First name starts from Ma-Mi
  24. Last name starts from Mj-Mz
  25. Did not sing about a horse called Wildfire, as near as I can tell