LAST WEEK’S RESULTS: Title: “Starting Directions” Prompt: This puzzle’s contest answer is an eight-letter word pertaining to travel. Answer: RAILROAD, found by 277 solvers, of which 192 were solo solves Which way do you want to take this? All eight ways, as it turns out. Their internal meta-compass directed successful solvers last week to eight entries in the grid. These eight began with one of the four cardinal direction abbreviations (N, S, E, W) or one of the four ordinal compass points (NW, NE, SW, SE), and were the only eight entries in the grid starting with these eight letters/bigrams ..read more

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS: Title: “You In or Out?” Prompt: This puzzle’s contest answer is an eight-letter word describing most meta-solvers. Answer: STUDIOUS, found by 328 solvers, of which 257 were solo solves More this afternoon, but for now: thanks to Gridmaster J for the graphic below, and read joon‘s solving path here. THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS: This puzzle’s contest answer is an eight-letter word pertaining to travel. Good luck ..read more

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS: Title: “Know Your Place” Prompt: This week’s contest answer is a hyphenated 10-letter adjective I hope you’d apply to this crossword. Answer: FIRST-CLASS, found by 232 solvers, of which 147 were solo solves Brief review for now — more coming later this afternoon. Thanks to Gridmaster J for the graphic! NOTE: No extension on the entry deadline this week since the delay was only for an hour. Tuesday at noon ET as usual! THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS: This week’s contest answer is an eight-letter word describing most meta-solvers. Good luck ..read more

Dear Solver, MGWCC #829 will go out one hour late today, at 1:00 PM ET. –Matt ..read more

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS: Title: “We Have a Winner” Prompt: This week’s contest answer is one of the 15 solvers who have ever won the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (ACPT). Answer: ERIK AGARD, found by 378 solvers, of which 322 were solo solves Which ACPT champ was highlighted in last week’s puzzle? Let’s take a look at our theme entries: 17-A: [U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. of the 1970s] = ANDREW YOUNG. Still with us at 92 years…well, young. 20-A: [Home to the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library (the ampersand seems a bit casual but that’s how they do it)] = YALE UNIVERSITY. Love to h ..read more

Dear Solver, MGWCC #828 will be posted no later than Noon ET on Saturday, April 13th. Apologies for the delay. –Matt ..read more

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS: Title: “Sound Alternatives” Prompt: This week’s contest answer is a six-letter word. Answer: CARBON, found by 139 solvers, of which 37 were solo solves A nice Week 5, if I do say so myself (and I guess I just did). Two of its three steps were both novel and interesting, which is about all you can ask of a tough meta! First thing to notice is some odd aspects of the grid before you even solve: a) it’s asymmetric and 21×21; b) six entries are starred, and they’re all long downs; c) those long downs are strangely placed, with four of them scrunched so tightly together on the ..read more

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS: Title: “Take a Little Off the Sides” Prompt: This puzzle’s contest answer is a Top 10 hit of the early 1990s. Answer: I GO TO EXTREMES by Billy Joel,, found by 205 solvers, of which 104 were solo solves Running behind today so I’ll finish this post this evening. NOTE: The clues on the regular PDF are a bit small this week, so I’m sending along both the regular one plus a bare-bones version whose clues are a little larger. Use either one you prefer (not a meta trick! Just don’t want to strain your eyes). THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS: This week’s contest answer is a six-letter ..read more

Dear Solver, MGWCC #826 will be posted at 2 PM ET today. –Matt UPDATE: Delay #2, I’m afraid: MGWCC #826 will go out at 4 PM ET today. Random kid emergency here (nothing scary, but requires immediate attention). –Matt ..read more

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS: Title: “It Takes One” Prompt: This week’s contest answer is a five-letter part of the body. Answer: ELBOW, found by 258 solvers, of which 167 were solo solves Step 1 last week: Notice that each of the five grid-spanning entries conceals a verb: LEAVES DROPPINGS = EAVESDROP DEATH ROW RECORDS = THROW HOSTESS TWINKIES = WINK WILL SHAKESPEARE = SHAKE THE SCOTTISH OPEN = HOP Step 2: Notice that each of these verbs pertains to a certain part of the body, especially to *one of the pair of body parts performing an action*: You EAVESDROP with one ear (usually) You THROW with one a ..read more