Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words

Season 20, Episode 6, Aired
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Episode Summary

Lisa discovers she has an impressive knack for solving crossword puzzles and she enters in a city-wide crossword tournament. Feelings are hurt though when Homer bets against Lisa in the championship match.
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Fan Episode Reviews (8)

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  • This is Simpsons old school.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By thundercat2000, Dec 23, 2010 Report Abuse
    This is Simpsons old school. It was funny and it had both a heart and a soul. It was very creative in showing the visual gags in the crossword puzzles. I loved it when Homer showed that he still loves Lisa. Her reactions were priceless when Homer told her that he betted against her. Showing her to ask for her forgiveness was the icing on the cake. the b story was funny. I loved it when Homer was helping breaking up couples and the humans and the furniture came as ghosts to haunt him. I hope they continue this way.moreless

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    6 1

  • sweet

    8.5
    "Great"
    By fenway98, Aug 29, 2010 Report Abuse
    When Lisa discovers she has a thing for crossword puzzles, she decides to enter a crossword puzzle competition. But she becomes extremely mad with Homer, when she finds out he's been betting against her on her crossword competitions.

    Meanwhile, Homer starts breaking realtionships up for a living.

    This was a great episode. It made season 20 even more great. Some great parts were Homer's highlights in his hair, Homer betting on the asian kid, and the whole breaking up scene. The ending of the episode was also very sweet, and showed The Simpsons still have some emotion.

    Overall Grade: 85%/B+

    Wonderful episode. Woo Hoo!!moreless

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    0 0

  • Emotion Was Really Forced

    4.0
    "Poor"
    By futuramarama, Dec 21, 2009 Report Abuse
    OK, Lisa discovers a talent in solving crosswords, and enters tournaments. Homer starts betting for her to win, and when she does, he wins money. But in the final part of a tournament, Homer bets against his daughter. The opponent wins by tricking Lisa, and so Homer won. But then Lisa finds out, and is heartbroken her father would bet against her. Homer tries to cheer her up, but it seems nothing will work. So Homer gets to make the crossword clues arrange and be a message of apology for Lisa. They make up.

    There was some humor in it, but I really cannot hold a straight face when people say the ending was sad. It was tacked on and forced, not sadmoreless

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    0 0

  • An episode that gave me its share of laughs, and I was glad to see Homer's sensitive side at the end of the episode.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By Iverson82094, Jul 29, 2009 Report Abuse
    Lisa discovers her amazing talent for doing crossword puzzles and becomes an expert cruciverbalist, and she soon enters a citywide crossword puzzle tournament. Homer, short on cash after abandoning his "Sweet Conclusions" professional break-up artist business, goes to cheer Lisa on at her tournament and discovers an underground crossword puzzle betting ring. In the ultimate betrayal, Homer profits from betting against Lisa in the championship match. When the heartbroken Lisa finds out, Homer must spell out his love for her with a little help from New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz (guest voice as himself) and master crossword constructor Merl Reagle (guest voice as himself).moreless

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    0 0

  • Lisa discovers that she has a knack for solving crossword puzzles and soon enters a nationwide tournament. Homer wins a huge amount of money betting on her in the tournament, but bets against her in the finals upsetting Lisa tremendously.moreless

    7.0
    "Good"
    By meathead704, Nov 17, 2008 Report Abuse
    There are some very clever moments in this epiosde and genuinely funny moments as well (Like when Lisa forms crosswords in her mind when she is riding on the school bus) which is why I am giving this episode a higher rating than I think this episode deserves. Once again we see Homer taking up a new job. Enough already. One thing I would like to say: The man playing against Lisa in the finals obviously cheated by throwing down his fake eyeglasses to distract Lisa. So wouldn't he have been disqualified for cheating? A good episode, but it's flawed.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • As spoken, Homer's message to Lisa was, "Dear Lisa, you make me so happy. Really, really, really happy. Sorry, he told me I needed a hundred-and-forty-four letters. What was my point again? Oh, right. Bouvier or Simpson, I cherish you." For the record this little speech has 147 letters, not 144. Edit
    • The words in Lisa's Hopscotch Crossword are: justice, happier, vegan, rebel, practicing, over, think, PTA, cerebral, rights, saxophone, playtime, lemonade, paradox, Jimbo, recess, Ralph, overachiever, recital, Krabappel, uniter, PhysEd, phenomena, and tree. Edit
    • Just after Bart says "Speaking of San Francisco people mover--" the show cuts to Homer at gay club helping Grady break up. During this transition the following can be seen on the screen for a split second: Scene 151 Take 2 Akom & Film Roman Fix Edit

  • Notes

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    • Tim Long credited the 2006 documentary, Wordplay which chronicles the national crossword puzzle championships, as the main inspiration for this episode. Edit
    • Blackboard Joke: None. Couch Gag: The Simpson family members, dressed as ancient Romans, are covered in ash as Mount Vesuvius erupts behind them. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • (After Lisa loses the crossword puzzle tournament) Lisa: Oh, I blew it again. Homer: She blew it again! Woo-Hoo! (The bartender approaches Homer with a large tray of money) Bartender: (Disdainfully) Here's your money, soaked in your daughter's tears. Homer: You know for a bartender-bookie, you're awfully judgmental. Edit
    • Homer: Sweetie, will you please look at daddy! Lisa: You stopped being my daddy when you bet against me! All I have now is a mom. That's why I'm taking her maiden name. So from now on, my name is Lisa Bouvier! (Homer gasps) Nelson: Hey, Mr. S. Lisa B. Homer: Nooo! Girl: Would you like to buy some band candy? Homer: Yeees! Edit
    • Lisa: Guess what, mom? I'm a cruciverbalist! Marge: Oh, Lisa, another religion? You know, you'll just drop the whole thing at college when you get a Jewish boyfriend. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Rocky During the crossword tournament montage of Lisa competing, there's a shot with her sitting in a corner with a towel wrapped around her similar to Rocky Balboa in the Rocky movies. When Bart is feeding her alpha-bits cereal, the spoon has the letters A-O-B, which is Boa backwards, which alludes to the last three letters in the name Balboa. Edit

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