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:

Mildly mysterious instructions last week: This week’s contest answer is a six-letter word (or a seven-letter word, for some). Our theme entries were:

17-A [What fans will throw for Ben & Jerry when they pass away?] = ICE CREAM FUNERAL

26-A [What a die-hard Papa John’s fan might get?] = PIZZA TATTOO

44-A [That lovely thing calling out letters and numbers?] = BINGO BEAUTY

56-A [Getting all the money you can out of that Japanese game machine?] = PACHINKO MILKING

What’s going on? All eight of these theme words can precede the word PARLOR, making that our contest answer. And it’s parlour for our U.K./Canada/Australia et al. friends, hence the 7-letter option. Although my wife and I were walking in stately Lexington, Va. this past weekend and were amused to spot that spelling on this sign.

Magoo writes from England:

U know what the right spelling is …

Not that it works that way of course, but John Lampkin writes:

I’m submitting both spellings to double my chances.

Canadian Guy says:

Cheers from your neighbour to the North.

zadok wonders:

Could this be the month that I solve past Week 1?

Well it’s a 5-Friday month, so an easier Week 2 than in a 4-Friday month. So good luck!

JWawro reminisces:

Takes me back to the days of visiting my grandmother, and how she referred to her front room…

vraal points out:

An answer which, I like, is etymologically associated with the business of “talking”.

Golem says:

I’ve always thought that free running gyms should be called parkour parlours.

And finally, is EliSelzer canceling his subscription?:

I’ve had enough of your… some kind of games. I’m sure there’s a word for it…

This week’s winner, whose name was chosen at random from among the 469 correct entries received is Ben Gutman of Portland, Ore. In addition to a MGWCC pen, pencil, and notepad set, Ben will also receive a 1-year subscription to Joon Pahk’s Outside the Box Puzzles. Rows Gardens, Marching Bands, other variety puzzles; highly recommended.

MONTHLY PRIZES:

Oops, I forgot to mention the monthly prizes for August in last week’s roundup. I had notified winners promptly, but just forgot to list them. That doesn’t make me a bad person, though.

Anyway, here they are, chosen randomly from the 95 solvers who got all four of August’s contest answers ((JUDO, MOSCOW IDAHO, MAKE ENDS MEET, SRI LANKA). Each will receive a MGWCC pen, pencil, and notepad set:

Joe Fendel — Berkeley, Calif.

Cynthia Wong — Dillon, Colo.

Congratulations to our 10 winners, and to everyone who went 4-for-4 in August.

THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:

This week’s contest answer is a three-letter noun.

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