The third MMMM of 2026 challenged solvers to find a pop-rock hit from the ’80s. The grid’s three theme entries (PATRON OF THE ARTS, HIGH EARTH ORBITS, SORRY TO HEAR THAT) all contain the word “HEART,” but something seems strange with the Down entries that intersect each “HEART.”

They’re all valid entries, but don’t line up with their given clues. For instance, 7-Down, clued as [Rick of Rickrolling fame], is of course ASTLEY, not ASHLEY. All such intersecting Down entries are one letter off in this way:

For each theme entry, the letters “HEART” need to be “eclipsed” with the letters “TOTAL” to make the intersecting Down entries make sense. This yields the meta answer, Bonnie Tyler’s 1983 hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart.”

Coincidentally, there was a total lunar eclipse the morning of this MMMM’s launch – the last one until the end of 2028!

Meta Song:

I enlisted my friend Stacey Ryan and our California crew to help create our own version of this Bonnie Tyler classic hit. Enjoy!

Selected Solver Comments:

Marivicmooch   Just in time for this month’s Blood Moon!

AWise   What a great grid! so clever!

mmurphy   All I know is that if you don’t bring the full Jim Steinman-esque dramatic bombast to the cover version, it doesn’t count.

Laura M   My favorite trivia about this song is that it was originally intended for Meat Loaf. 

Leslie   I meant to comment that everything about this puzzle was perfect, including the title!

ClementeFan   I can’t believe I got the first three puzzles of the year correct!!

Alternative Music Clues:

Evan suggests cluing GUERRERO as [Skateboarder Tommy who released the album “Soul Food Taqueria” in 2003], STEER as [“I get delirious whenever you’re near / Lose all self-control, baby, just can’t ___” (Prince lyric)], and ODIN as [God mentioned in the Black Sabbath song “Valhalla”]

EricH suggests cluing LOAF as [Meat ___ (“Rocky Horror Picture Show” biker)].

EasyNow suggests cluing TEASE as [“And she’ll ___ you / She’ll unease you” (lyrics from a Kim Carnes hit)].

Groaners:

misunderstruck   Once upon I time I was stuck on the solve, now I’m just blurting it out.

Jennybean   I was Holding Out for a Hero, but this was good too!

HPetriJr   At least for me “It’s [Not] a Heartache” this month!

Laurabrarian   Every now and then I get a little bit angry, but not at this fun meta!

fitziot   Every now and then, I solve the meta!

Travis Matthews   Turning around from missing last month’s MMMM!

WannabeCoder   Every now and then I get a little bit nervous // That the best of all the grids have gone by //
But then the next month’s meta drops

Darcy   It’s a Totalache.

Tiongua   I told my friend to send in the answer, but he said aorta do it myself.

Steve Blais and Evan suggest checking out the “literal” music video of the song here. 

Totals this month:

497 correct, 7 incorrect

Rating: 4.30 out of 5 stars

Difficulty: 2.59 out of 5

Monthly mug winner: Bertie Pennington from Amsterdam

Thanks to Matt Gaffney for blogging the puzzle at Crossword Fiend, where you can rate the puzzle (thanks!) and/or leave a comment.

Thanks to Tamara Brenner for the graphic.

Thanks for playing and see you next month!