An integral part of the plot in Before Midnight is a contest to identify 20 women in history who used cosmetics. The clues were in verse form and each week contestants had to submit an answer before midnight of a specific date. Since the Wolfe Pack's Book Discussion on September 20, 2010 was focuses on Before Midnight, we decided to hold our own contest to identify 24 women who appear in the Corpus, using clues also presented in verse form.
The following clues were written by Jonathan Levine (at times channeling the spirit of Henry Enberg) and edited by Ira Matetsky and Ellen Krieger. The clues are in couplet form (and yes, many do not scan). The clues may refer to the lady's name (first or last) or to an event or incident with which she is identified. Some of the women are well-known and play an important part in the story, while others are minor characters and may be considered obscure. The women might be villains or victims, or tangential to the plot. More than one character may be used from the same story, but, no women, is the answer to more than one question.
Entries in this contest were submitted by regular mail or e-mail.
| QUESTIONS | ANSWERS | |
| 1 | Erin's son had a daughter He made his fortune from toilet water |
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| 2 | This chitlin-eatin' southern belle Didn't try to send her employer to hell |
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| 3 | In the Village she would sing and dance But never put seltzer down your pants |
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| 4 | A swamp-woman of the first order she was the perfect chef's daughter |
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| 5 | It's "rite all kite" I can drink ginger ale all night |
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| 6 | Her name sounds like an herb; She liked the city not the 'burb |
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| 7 | For Bruner Realty she did work; She shot a man, but he was a jerk |
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| 8 | In a box of osmundine she did hide, With an elastic throng at her side |
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| 9 | She was a beautiful Hebe, A killer, so not as sainted as Phoebe |
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| 10 | Harvey's daughter had a kid She wouldn't say but we know what they did |
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| 11 | An all-female board? It may sound silly, But to her, it was not willy or nilly |
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| 12 | The spotted tie did her in; Alas, she wasn't guilty of a mortal sin |
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| 13 | Summers on the shore she would reside With a child who seldom cried |
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| 141 | Lily found a hot new star, Who asked Archie for help from near, not afar |
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| 51 | A 45-caliber private eye, With legs that went up to her thigh. |
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| 6 | Pretty Peggy, where do you dwell? In soggy Glendale, which to Archie is hell |
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| 17 | With an emery board she was quite good, But her accent she was hardly understood |
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| 18 | Ardently, on that frosty morn, She killed a man to whom a daughter was born |
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| 19 | Neither Violet, Angelina or Sally was her real name; She had a boy friend but he was a shame |
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| 20 | Not the daughter of WW II (and the Red Cross's) General Al, She did not consider Archie a bosom buddy or pal |
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| 21 | On the screen, Marlon yelled your name, Ensuring an everlasting fame |
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| 22 | An Italian secretary with black hair on her head, You got the impression she would be good in bed |
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| 23 | This blonde beauty was not a wheel, But to Archie she was a big deal |
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| 24 | For a strong man she did pine, Hinting at sex from a position supine |
