Moscow meta solution

Concept by Seth Kleinerman. Implementation by David Speyer.

The eight puzzle answers are all 1, 3, 5, or 7 letters long:

AMY
BOXES
E
MEN
MONTANA
N
NEATIFY
SNIFF

Play with the answers for a while and they give:

         N
       M E N
     B O X E S
   M O N T A N A
 N E X T   T I M E
   N E A T I F Y
     S N I F F
       A M Y
         E

...such that every answer is read both across and down.

The center row or column reads NEXT TIME, which is Inspector Gadget's pass phrase. (At the end of every episode of Inspector Gadget, archnemesis Dr. Claw says "I'll get you next time, Gadget, next tiiiiiiiime!") When teams met with Inspector Gadget, he told them the following:

For a long time I've known Moriarty was up to something, but I never thought he'd go this far. Controlling the world's Heather. Wowsers, the sheer scope of it. But don't worry, I'm going to protect that girl if it's the very last thing I do.

Speaking of last things, last weekend, I almost caught Moriarty. But he didn't make any sense. I asked him who he was, and he said he wasn't Moriarty. But then I asked again, and he said he was. It was as if he was lying to ever other question I asked him! Since he wouldn't give me a straight answer, I had to let him out of my gadget-clutches.

And remember kids, attention to detail is very important. S.P.I.E.S. agents like to drop subtle hints all over town that might help you. You wouldn't want to explore a dangerous city like this one without taking advantage of that, so be sure to carefully study the map and other documents you receive.

Well, so long. Good luck, and watch out for banana peels. Go go gadget copter!

{Nothing happens.}

Wowsers, that's odd. Go go gadget roller skates!

{Nothing happens.}

Hmm... Go go gadget distraction!

{He points behind the back of the audience, then runs away.}

Thus teams learned that (1) sometimes maps are important, and (2) that Moriarty lies to every other question, including the first one.

The Inspector Gadget encounter was written by Oliver Kosut, and performed by Jeff Filippini and Naomi Cliffer.