IMPORTANT NOTE: As of January 2015 MGWCC is a subscribers-only crossword. The cost is $26 per year, and you can subscribe (or get a free trial month first) here:

www.mgwcc.com

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:

“Take the Short Way” read last week’s title, and 258 solvers did just that. Seven of those crossword-friendly three-letter direction abbreviations hid in the theme entries, split across the two parts of a celebrity’s name:

21-A [Guitar hero] = ANDRES SEGOVIA
38-A [He was once in a duo with Michael Stipe called Community Trolls] = MATTHEW SWEET
57-A [“Gilligan’s Island” star who was 1959’s Miss Nevada] = DAWN WELLS
70-A [He sang three hit duets with Linda Ronstadt] = AARON NEVILLE
93-A [Original “SNL” cast member] = LARAINE NEWMAN
51-D [“Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” star] = JANE SEYMOUR
14-D [“The Office” actor] = RAINN WILSON

That’s seven of the eight, the missing one being SSW. So we’re looking for a famous writer/producer/director of TV and film whose name splits SSW, and that would be meta answer JOSS WHEDON.

Jon Delfin wonders:

Might he remake “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”?

mrbreen says:

I’m suddenly compelled to binge watch Firefly and binge eat Choco Tacos!

daviddwild notes:

Halfway through, I was expecting that NNW would be the missing direction and that Alfred Hitchcock would be the answer.

Opposite views — patanga says:

Very difficult for a week 3.

But Amy Reynaldo says:

Too easy for week 3!

genefaba says:

Took a bit to get my bearings.

Jed got it after a second look:

Friday: stare & stare. Saturday: it’s right there.

brucery asks:

I wonder if he’s ever appeared at SXSW.

And finally, BobJ notes:

Appropriate since SSW is right in the middle of CROSSWORD.

This week’s winner, whose name was chosen randomly from the 258 correct entries received, is Ed Davisson of San Francisco, Calif. In addition to a MGWCC pen, pencil and notepad set, Ed will also receive a subscription to Peter Gordon’s Fireball Newsflash Crosswords. Next week’s winner will receive the same.

IMPORTANT NOTE: As of January 2015 MGWCC is a subscribers-only crossword. The cost is $26 per year, and you can subscribe (or get a free trial month first) here:

www.mgwcc.com

Solve well, and be not led astray by words intended to deceive.