[Solution] What’s in a Name? – 26 December 2022

Solving this puzzle requires noticing that the phrases in the right column clue the names of superheroes, and the left column consists of the last names of those same heroes. The heroes are:

  • Sue Storm – Invisible Woman (unseen lady)
  • Pietro Maximoff – Quicksilver (mercury)
  • Dinah Lance – Black Canary (dark serinus member)
  • Barbara Gordon – Batgirl (chiropteran gal)
  • Natasha Romanoff – Black Widow (spider with an hourglass)
  • Ororo Munroe – Storm (tempest)
  • Doreen Green – Squirrel Girl (rodent lass)
  • James Howlett – Wolverine (mustelid)
  • Victor Stone – Cyborg (part man; part machine)
  • Barry Allen – Flash (burst of light)
  • Kurt Wagner – Nightcrawler (bait worm)
  • Clint Barton – Hawkeye (Iowan)
  • Tony Stark – Iron Man (ferrous guy)
  • John Stewart – Green Lantern (emerald beacon)
  • Danny Rand – Iron Fist (clenched metal hand)
  • Diana Prince – Wonder Woman (lady of awe)
  • Arthur Curry – Aquaman (water dude)
  • Oliver Queen – Green Arrow (verdant dart)

Connecting the heroes’ names to their descriptions, each line goes through exactly one number. Since the right column is ordered by superhero name, the solution can be read in order of the left column, indexing into the name of the superhero. (For example, the first name on the left is (Sue) Storm, or INVISIBLE WOMAN, and the line from Storm goes through a 5. The fifth letter of INVISIBLE WOMAN is an S, so that is the first letter of the answer phrase.

The full answer phrase is SUBTITLE OF THOR 4. The fourth Thor movie is THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, the last part of which is the answer to this puzzle.