Solution: MATH 0.9 xⁿ + yⁿ = zⁿ
Answer: DEAD LABEL

Written by Justin Melvin

In this variety cryptic, 16 clues with entries "similar to Fermat's proof" refer to Fermat's Last Theorem and its alleged proof that Fermat didn't have the room to fit in the margins. For those 16 across clues, the first or last letter extends past the grid, spelling the cluephrase FIND THE LAST WORDS.

F
1
L
E
2
T
3
C
H
4
E
R
5
R
6
E
B
7
E
C
8
C		A
A
9
C
O
R
10
P
11
T
O
A
D
Y
X
12
T
A
I
13
R
A
G
E
R
S
H
W
I
N
14
T
U
M
S
R
15
S
A
C
E
Y
16
V
D
17
E
X
E
M
P
T
N
18
Y
M
19
P
H
S
20
T
E
E
21
T
H
N
U
22
P
B
23
C
A
E
S
A
R
24
A
I
M
S
L		OW
D
25
I
26
S
C
O
K
27
D
I
L
M
28
D
I
T		TO
T
29
R
E
K
K
I
E
30
T
H
E
31
M
O
B		P
D
W
A
32
A
T
L
A
S
33
S
E
N
I
O
R
H
34
A
N
G
A
35
R
I
S
36
P
I
37
A
38
A
A		U
E
39
L
O
I
40
H
U
M
M
I
N
G
B
I		RD
T
N
N
41
H
E
I
G
L
42
K
E
R
N		R
L
43
O
N
G
E
S
T
44
F
E
R
R
A
R
I		S

The extra words in the 22 clues with an extra word spell out new cluephrases that refer to famous people whose last name's enumeration is on the corresponding "elliptic curve." The curves are meant to be reminiscent of gravestones, and together with the FIND THE LAST WORDS cluephrase, suggests using the epitaphs of each:

Curve numberClueFirst nameSurnameEpitaphWord countExtract
4O.K. lawmanWYATTEARP...That nothing's so sacred as honour and nothing's so loyal as love!20D
7'Jeopardy!' founderMERVGRIFFINI will NOT be right back after this message10E
5'Jezebel' leadBETTEDAVISShe did it the hard way13A
9'Follow Wise Orion' poetEMILYDICKINSONCalled back6D
6Geodesic dome architectBUCKMINSTERFULLERCall me Trimtab3L
5'Mending Wall' authorROBERTFROSTI had a lover's quarrel with the world5A
7Original OceanFRANKSINATRAThe best is yet to come4B
11Unrespected comedianRODNEYDANGERFIELDThere goes the neighborhood8E
5Bugs voiceMELBLANCThat's all folks7L



Across

numberclueanswerclue typeindexextra wordreading
1One who gets to hold lady is quivering artisan?fletcherMARGINF(L_)ETCHER
5Hitchcock film has all its characters in bracerebeccaMARGINBRACE letterbank
9Biz Markie’s third appearance after taking the lead of comedic opera’s number one character met with second round of applausecorpNORMAL20C_ + O_ + _R_ + _P_
11Minion's O.K. to a gutless dummytoadyEXTRAOKTO+A+_D+Y
13One loud party? Quiet! Something to celebrate? Who said to strike up the band?!iragershwinMARGINI + RAGER + SH + WIN
14Oddly, Thutmose produced breadbasketstumsMARGINT_U_M_S_
15Pouch with some stickers and a decal (just the middle)sacNORMAL10S_ + A + _C_
17Former temp reorganized, free from dutyexemptMARGINEX+TEMP*
18Group of larvae speeds after Big ApplenymphsMARGINNY + MPHS
20Lawman saw things in corporate ethicsteethEXTRALAWMAN_TE ETH_
23Emperor in jeopardy, thrashing about a scarecaesarEXTRAJEOPARDYSCAREA*
24Computer brain machine's startup poky, doesn't set ambitious goalsaimslowMARGINAI + M_ + SLOW
25Put down half-eaten corn at dance halldiscoMARGINDIS + CO_
28So, do I hold it together partially?dittoMARGIN_D IT TO_
29Tree grew around 2001: A Space Odyssey fantrekkieMARGINTRE(KKI)E
30Those people love taking just a little bit off the top from businesses!themobNORMAL13THEM+O+B
32Cartographic book founder discovered Ararat lastatlasEXTRAFOUNDER_AT LAS_
33Older Spanish man embraced meseniorMARGINSEN(I)OR
34Solo lecture played back somewhere at the airporthangarMARGINHAN+RAG<
37Tower of Jezebel: really greataaaEXTRAJEZEBELddef
39Aboveground dweller extracting diesel oileloiMARGIN_EL OI_
40Spooner's begging group for flying creaturehummingbirdMARGINSpoon: "BUMMING HERD"
41Grey's Anatomy actress Leigh goofing offheiglNORMAL6LEIGH*
42Street Fighter character grabbed Ryu's head (separate lead characters)kernEXTRALEADKE(R)N
43Yard visitor said to have the most yardagelongestMARGIN"LAWN GUEST"
44Exotic, rare firs are Italian importsferrarisMARGINRAREFIRS*



Down

numberclueanswerclue typeindexextra wordreading
1"Celtics follow legend of fruit, mesmerized," as the Reverend sayslarrybirdEXTRAFOLLOWSpooner "BERRY LURED"
2Wise dancing goat - it was heard in Animal HousetogaEXTRAWISEGOAT*
3Doctor Eccher's nurserycrecheNORMAL3ECCHER*
4Early American sewer's cover lost on Orion craft siteetsyEXTRAORION(-B)ETSY
5Poet misfortune, shouting, "Pole! Fish!"rawdealEXTRAPOET"ROD EEL"
6Falco, who's acting chief of geodesic engineering? *croak*edieEXTRAgeodesic_E + DIE
7Increase stress following previous loverextensionNORMAL5EX + TENSION
8Theatrical Charlie attached dome to loudspeakercampEXTRAdomeC+AMP
10Architect pets risk soiled promotional materialspresskitEXTRAarchitectPETSRISK*
12"Ultimatum! Ultimatum!" encapsulated outcrytumultNORMAL4_TUM ULT_
16Cicero's truth, in abbreviated form: "Value each repair mending injuries that are sustained"veritasEXTRAmendingV_+E_+R_+I_+T_+A_+S_
19Group of wolves getting old wall, presenting in a way to look more appealingpackagingEXTRAwallPACK+AGING
21Activity that takes hours multiplied by signing stufftimesinkNORMAL8TIMES + INK
22Author mix up prior to disasterpotpourriEXTRAAUTHORUPPRIORTO*
26Original thread-attached conversation "So....naan?"sewnonEXTRAORIGINAL"SO NAAN"
27Mark sandwich shop next to Cambridge ocean institutiondelimitEXTRAOCEANDELI+MIT
31Miserable and hungry after morsel of meatmeagerNORMAL7M+EAGER
34One lyric's leading to like Adele's unrespected voicealtoEXTRAUNRESPECTEDA + L_ + TO
35Bakeoff judge's comedian didn't start with regretsruesEXTRACOMEDIAN(-P)RUES
36A lot of money in holdings of revolutionary bugs FelipepileEXTRABUGS_ELIP<
38Pokemon voice Abraham not one who plays it up for the audienceabraEXTRAVOICEABRA(-ham)