LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:
A record 553 (old record was 514) solvers found my wife’s favorite TV show last week: THE GOLDEN GIRLS was, of course, our meta answer, as the four main characters’ names inhabited the puzzle’s theme entries:
HAGIA SOPHIA
ROSE UP IN ARMS
CARTE BLANCHE
DOROTHY GALE
A week 1 of 5 meta should be very easy, but this one proved unmissable: I received zero incorrect entries, something that’s never happened before.
xhixen says:
Thank you for being a crossword friend.
Blanche Schulz rejoices:
At last, I made it into the puzzle.
While Jed shares:
My wife’s mom initiated the birds and the bees conversation after an episode of Golden Girls. Crazy but true.
And Dary Merckens states:
This is what I looked like trying to figure out the meta:
This week’s winner, whose name was chosen at random from the 553 correct entries received, is Deirdre Zarrillo of Albany, N.Y. In addition to a MGWCC pen, pencil and notepad set, Deirdre will also receive a signed copy of my new book Mental Floss Crosswords. Winner next week will receive the same.
MONTHLY PRIZES:
Forgot to post these last week, so here they are now: 109 solvers submitted the correct contest answer to all four of October’s challenges (HOP ON POP, JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, CRIME, ARCHIMEDES). The following ten lucky and skillful winners, chosen randomly by computer from that group, will receive a MGWCC pen, pencil and notepad set:
Nathan Curtis — Somerville, Mass.
Mark Halpin — Cold Spring, Ky.
Don Lycette — The Woodlands, Tex.
Pete Muller — Santa Barbara, Calif.
Audrey Muratore — Houston, Tex.
David Plotkin — Mississippi State, Miss.
Ned Robert — Los Gatos, Calif.
Steve Smith — Winchester, Mass.
Matt Gardner Spencer — Arlington, Mass.
Bruce Sutphin — Clifton Park, N.Y.
Congratulations to our 10 winners, and to everyone who went 4-for-4 in October.
SANDY AND STREAKS:
The true depth of the devastation (and lingering inconvenience) wrought by Hurricane Sandy in the Northeast somehow didn’t quite sink in with me here in quiet southwest Virginia, but I’ve gotten several e-mails from solvers whose still-unresolved power issues have recently ended their leaderboard streaks. So if Sandy affected your leaderboard position in any way, please e-mail me (crosswordcontest@gmail.com) and we’ll get your streak restored. These puzzles are tough enough without having to contend with natural disasters as well.
PATRICK BLINDAUER’S PUZZLEFEST IV:
It’s that time of year again: Patrick Blindauer‘s fourth edition of Puzzlefest is available now for pre-order. It’s a suite of puzzles with an overarching meta that I’ve been test-solving so can vouch for its cleverness. The best $11.11 you’ll spend this season!
THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:
This week’s contest answer is a movie that won the Best Picture Oscar. Submit your answer in the form on the left sidebar by Tuesday at noon ET. Note: the submissions form disappears from the site promptly at noon on Tuesday.
To print the puzzle out, click on the image below and hit “print” on your browser. To solve using Across Lite either solve on the applet below or download the free software here, then join the Google Group (1,897 members now!) here.
Solve well, and be not led astray by words intended to deceive.