IMPORTANT NOTE: As of last week, MGWCC is now a subscribers-only crossword. The cost is $26 per year, and you can subscribe here:
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:
We were looking for a magazine last week, and there it was hidden in each theme entry:
20-A [Wedding groups] = STRING QUARTETS
35-A [Cross-examiner’s no-no] = LEADING QUESTION. As nine MGWCC-solving attorneys informed me, this clue is incorrect. Leading questions are indeed allowed on cross-examination. All that “Law & Order” and I still didn’t get this right! Mea culpa.
50-A [So fast] = LIGHTNING QUICK.
That leads to meta-answer GQ, as emboldened above.
Crossword Beast says:
Gotten quickly
Dave S. writes:
I have a subscription, but only to your puzzles, not GQ.
RPardoe found this to be a:
Fascinating query answered in my living quarters.
And finally, Jangler chides:
16A, 19A, 23A, 41A, 42A, 49A, 63A, 13D, 22D, 25D, 37D … looks like your New Year’s resolution is going about as well as most New Year’s resolutions do. 🙂
He means this tweet:
I'm serious this time, I need an intervention on the alliterative cluing. It's out of control and I admit I have a problem
— Matt Gaffney (@metabymatt) October 17, 2014
I’ll try to do better!
This week’s winner, whose name was chosen randomly from the 493 correct entries received, is Wayne Mesard of Belmont, Mass. In addition to a MGWCC pen, pencil and notepad set, Wayne will also receive a signed copy of my book Pocket Posh Easy Crosswords.
MONTHLY WINNERS:
74 solvers submitted the correct contest answer to all four of December’s challenges (SWIFT, DREIDEL, AARON BURR, SAGACITY). The following ten skillful and lucky winners, chosen randomly from that group, will receive a MGWCC pen, pencil and notepad set:
Matt Breen — Madison, Wisc.
Kevin Brown — Clayton, N.J.
Mark Goodliffe — London, England
Brent Holman — San Francisco, Calif.
Jason Juang — Mountain View, Calif.
Andy Keller — Apple Valley, Minn.
Brian Kulman — Los Gatos, Calif.
J.M.
Paul Melamud — Milford, N.J.
Paula Popescu — Pasadena, Calif.
Congratulations to our ten winners, and to everyone who went 4-for-4 in November.
YEARLY PRIZES:
28 solvers scored 48 or more correct entries in 2014. Wow! I’ll have all their names, and the special prize they’ll each be receiving, in next week’s post. I’ll also announce yearly prizes for 2015 at that time.
KID META:
The Grid Kid, Sam Ezersky, has a meta up at his site. Deadline is Sunday at 8 PM ET. I haven’t solved it yet, but plan to this weekend.
THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:
This week’s contest answer is an American historical figure.
Reminder: MGWCC is now a subscribers-only crossword, delivered by e-mail each Friday at noon ET. Subscribe here:
www.mgwcc.com
Solve well, and be not led astray by words intended to deceive.