Back

Solution to Stage Select

Authors: Jason Juang and Capen Low

STA RSC REA
MGL ADO SMA
RVI NBE NDE
RDO RAE
MON TWI
KIC ROW
TRO BOT TAC
HIK OMA HEL
PER CLA MPS
Mega Man 3 stage select screen
The stage select screen from Mega Man 3

The puzzle is presented as a Hollywood Squares-style tic-tac-toe game. The trick is that the board positions correspond to the stage select screens from the original series Mega Man games. The names of the players, X and Zero, are an additional link to the Mega Man series; they are the protagonists of multiple spin-off series.

Each set of questions below represents a different game: Mega Mans 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10, in order from top to bottom, left to right. These eight games are the entries in the series that feature the classic 3×3 stage select screen layout. One word in each question has been replaced with the word "robot". The replaced word is the name of a Robot Master (sans the "Man" or "Woman" suffix), or the word "Rock", representing Mega Man himself (whose original name was Rock) in the center square.

Find the answer to each question. Record the first letter of the answer, and whether X or Zero got the square, in the position in the grid corresponding to the robot's position on the stage select screen. Two examples are given to get you started. One "neutral" square is also given; that square ultimately ends up not belonging to either player.

Fill in the blank grid squares to complete the names of well-known fictional robots in the grid. These robots are represented:

  • Starscream, from the Transformers series
  • GLaDOS, from the Portal series
  • Marvin, from the Hitchhiker's Guide series
  • Bender, from Futurama
  • Doraemon, of an eponymous manga series
  • Twiki, from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
  • Crow T. Robot, from Mystery Science Theater 3000
  • Tachikoma, from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
  • H.E.L.P.eR, from The Venture Bros.
  • Clamps, also from Futurama

Finally, find the empty squares in each grid where X and Zero can complete a three-in-a-row. Read the letters in order from X's winning squares, then from Zero's winning squares, to find the answer, ICE CREAM SANDWICH, which is also the name of a version of Google's Android OS.

In the Flash Gordon universe, this Prince is leader of the Hawkmen
Vultan
The 1990 Kaneko arcade game Air Buster, later ported to Sega Genesis, featured this subtitle
Trouble Specialty Raid Unit
Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick played for the University of Massachusetts in this city
Amherst
This Florida city is home to the NBA's Heat
Miami
She committed suicide before Birnam Wood came to Dunsinane
Lady Macbeth
Tom Papa portrays El Superbeasto in an animated film directed by this heavy metal frontman
Rob Zombie
Bean is the protagonist of the spin-off sci-fi novel  's Shadow
Ender
In 2012, Maxfield & Oberton ceased production of this line of spherical neodymium magnet toys
Buckyballs
Despite being a Konami character, this "Snake" appeared in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Solid Snake
Rock, Paper, Shotgun called this "the simplest game you'll ever play"
Divekick
One entry of a Scott Adams treatise on irrational conclusions reads: "The car won't start. I'm certain the spark plugs have been stolen by  "
Rogue clowns
Sylvester Stallone features in the arm-wrestling themed action drama,   the Top
Over
A demonic talking skull, voiced by Delk, persistently hounds Threepwood, voiced by this man
Armato
Along with Robert Geiger, this Kansas City editor coined the term "Dust Bowl"
Edward Stanley
The Imperial Bright Order of Wizards studies the fiery magical Lore known by this runic name
Aqshy
Jazz musician Pharaoh Sanders is best known for playing the tenor type of this woodwind
Saxophone
This color "ring of death" indicates serious hardware failure in Microsoft's X-Box consoles
Red
RADA Studios, once known as The Drill Hall, is a venue owned by the Royal Academy of these arts
Dramatic Arts
Cheerleader George Henderson, who is known by this nickname, claims to have invented The Wave
Krazy George
Anthony Hopkins portrayed him in a 1995 Oliver Stone film.
Richard Nixon
The name of the chemical weapon "napalm" is a combination of the names of this acid and palmitic acid
Naphthenic acid
As they say, "I sing, I want, I want Charles in charge of  "
Me
This Star Control race of arachnids worships Dogar and Kazon, the twin gods of destruction
Ilwrath
The Academy Awards, colloquially known as the  , have been hosted by Billy Crystal nine times
Oscars
George Caldwell, the protagonist of John Updike's The Centaur served in this war
World War I
A bio-cyborg hybrid, Plant Contra was voiced by this Kirk in 2004's Neo Contra
Thornton
In 2002, LucasArts released Jedi Knight II: Jedi  
Outcast
Genesee & Wyoming   own and operate the Tomahawk Railway in northern Wisconsin
Incorporated
Mustang, also known as the Flame Alchemist, is the commanding officer of this animated protagonist
Elric
This device, used for measuring wind speed, consists of multiple cups on arms connected to a vertical shaft
Anemometer
In The Blind Side, this actor portrayed Burt Cotton, a character based on real-life coach Hugh Freeze
Ray McKinnon
South Padre Island, in this state, is a popular Spring Break destination
Texas
Pope wrote "Peace to thy gentle shade, and endless rest" in this man's epitaph
Rowe
This Chinese junk sailed from Hong Kong to New York in 1846–47
Keying
"The Master  !" is the first issue in a propaganda comic series supporting the Turbo Duo game console
Plan
This weapon, equippable by Cloud Strife, is available for 1500 Gil in Gongaga Village
Hardedge
He portrayed Liz Lemon's airline pilot boyfriend on "30 Rock"
Matt Damon
The group   and The Wailers released the 1973 single "Concrete Jungle"
Bob Marley
In the 1974 Super Outbreak, a tornado killed 32 people in the city of Xenia in this state
Ohio
Tom Hanks, playing this lead character, meets a mermaid in 1984's Splash
Allen Bauer
This is the sixth track of singer-songwriter Jewel's fifth album: Goodbye Alice in Wonderland
Only One Too
When magma extrudes onto the surface (for example, during a volcanic eruption), it becomes known as this
Lava
A sheep named Dolly achieved international fame in 1997 for being the first mammalian this
Clone
He directed Schwarzenegger as Matrix in the 1985 action hit, Commando
Lester
"Pump ... You Up!" was the bodybuilders' catchphrase in a skit on this comedy show
Saturday Night Live
The third and final entry in Wesley Snipes' Blade trilogy is known by this subtitle
Trinity
The home plate umpire usually calls this as a ball or a strike
Pitch
This Presley is often called the King of Rock 'n' Roll
Elvis