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:

http://www.mgwcc.com/

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:

Seven letters in last week’s grid were “Among Strangers” — meaning surrounded entirely by consonants if a vowel, or vice versa. When highlighted in the grid (see solution at right), they spelled, from top to bottom, LESOTHO — fittingly enough, since that country is completely surrounded by another country, South Africa.

rosebud liked it:

Enclave! Enclave! I mean Encore! Encore!

Daver asks:

Is it coincidence that the vowel captures are on the left and the consonant captures are on the right?

Yes, that’s just how it worked out. The three vowels were only slightly difficult to surround, but the four consonants took a while. The H-area is by far the coolest.

glasser says:

My first perfect month!

Nice!

And VlnVla notices:

If you take THE SOLO letter, you get the answer!

This week’s winner, whose name was chosen randomly from the 206 correct entries received, is Chuck Glew of Chicago, Ill. In addition to a MGWCC pen, pencil and notepad set, Chuck will also receive a 1-year subscription to Matt Gaffney’s Daily’s Crossword.

MONTHLY WINNERS:

The following 10 solvers were selected randomly from among the 90 people who sent in the correct contest answer to each of July’s five puzzles (THE KING’S SPEECH, CHIOS, VICTOR, QVC, LESOTHO). Each will receive a MGWCC pen, pencil, and notepad set:

Katie Hamill — Arlington, Mass.

Maggie Wittlin — Lincoln, Neb.

Congratulations to our ten winners, and to everyone who went 5-for-5 in July.

THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:

This week’s contest answer is one of the 28 sports being contested at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

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