04.03.07 -- Double Double

Puzzle by David Quarfoot and Mike Nothnagel

Three films whose clues (20A. Eddie Murphy/Nick Nolte double feature?; 38A George Clooney/Brad Pitt double feature?, Jessica Alba/Chris Evans double feature?) have the number contained in their titles (“48 Hours“, “Ocean’s 11“, and “Fantastic 4”) multiplied by 2, sprawling 14 letters horizontally across the grid to become NINETYSIXHOURS, OCEANSTWENTYTWO and FANTASTICEIGHT. The clues might more accurately read “doubled” rather than “double” and someone will point out something in defense of the clues’ usage -- uh, like the question mark indicates that a dispute between “double” or “doubled” to have been anticipated…or…the non-existence of such titles, or….who cares! It’s just cute cluing and that’s the point, isn’t it?

Glad to see ZSA (Zsa Zsa) (46D "When doubled , a Gabor") is cued correctly. Yes, she’s still around (clue, "Zsa Zsa's number of times around the sun"; answer, NINETY)! Liked seeing MANET (17A “Olympia” artist) and SHEBA (27D Biblical queendom), but other than those three references, the rest is just splattered fill for the three theme answers, much like Quarfoot’s puzzle READMYLIPS NONEWTAXES puzzle of last week (see BUSH MUSH BUSH -- 03.30.07). The fill was better this time, two heads (Quarfoot and Nothnagel) are better than one…uh, double that! Now, now, don’t get your knickers in a twist, I liked the puzzle!

Images -- Above: Suzanne Duchamp (French, 1889-1963). Broken and Re-Established Multiplication (Multiplication brisée et rétablie), 1918-19. Below: Advertisements for "48 Hours", Ocean's Eleven", and "Fantastic Four" (20A, 38A and 54A); Zsa Zsa Gabor (46D); Gustave Dore's "Solomon Receiving the Queen of Sheba"; and Edouard MANET's "Olympia" (17A) -- left click to enlarge images and puzzle.