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:

We were looking for a two-word, 11-letter phrase found in mathematics, and our theme entries were…well, what? There was nothing obviously theme in the grid, so now what?

First insight was to realize that the “Six of One” in the title referred to the six one-word clues. They were:

63-A [Honcho] = SUIT
74-A [Mistake] = OVERSIGHT
86-A [Authority] = MANAGER
15-D [Jibing] = INSULT
24-D [Injury] = BOO-BOO
35-D [Ensemble] = UNIFORM

There was a possible shortcut to the meta here, by realizing that the first letters of those six answers anagram to MOBIUS, but that’s a tough rearrangement to notice, even with the information that you’re looking for a math-related term.

The second insight was to notice that each of those six clues could work for two of the six answers in that set:

[Authority] could be MANAGER or OVERSIGHT
[Mistake] could be OVERSIGHT or BOO-BOO
[Injury] could be BOO-BOO or INSULT
[Jibing] could be INSULT or UNIFORM (i.e., consistent)
[Ensemble] could be UNIFORM or SUIT
[Honcho] could be SUIT or MANAGER, closing the loop back to [Authority].

Third insight was to connect the first letters of those six as in the diagram above, forming a never-ending contest answer MOBIUS STRIP, back and forth between the clues and the grid.

Ale M was exultant:

OMG I got it!!!! M-O-B-I-U-S and back to M again in a continuous strip that crosses in the middle of the grid. First letters of the six one word clue answers, connected to their alternative answers in the grid. Six of one, half a dozen of the other. I got it!!!! YESSSSS!!!!!

Maggie W. almost short-circuited the meta:

I figured out the basic mechanism yesterday afternoon…you’d be amazed how long you can sit there going “IBOMSU?… SUIBOM?…” before realizing it totally works backwards.

Vraal got it, but after a struggle:

Damn Matt that was freaking hard!!!!!!!!

And finally, with no obvious theme entries many solvers naturally got distracted by intriguing noise that looked like a pattern. Like Jeff Louie:

The fact that it was a math-related meta, and that, conspicuously, the first four clues were 1, 4, 9 and 16, and that this had nothing to do with the meta, is possibly the most evil thing you have ever done.

This week’s winner, whose name was chosen at random from among the 40 correct entries received is Erich Peterson of Kentwood, Mich. In addition to a MGWCC pen, pencil, and notepad set, Erich will also receive a 1-year subscription to Matt Gaffney’s Daily Crossword.

MONTHLY PRIZES:

Here are 10 winners chosen randomly from the 34 solvers who got all five of September’s contest answers correct (PARLO(U)R, EGG, SPAIN, A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, MOBIUS STRIP). Each will receive a MGWCC pen, pencil, and notepad set:

Peter Abide — Biloxi, Miss.

Mike Wilhelm — Clarksburg, W. Va.

Congratulations to our 10 winners, and to everyone who went 5-for-5 in September (wasn’t an easy thing to do).

SPECIAL PRIZE THIS WEEK AND NEXT:

The great Patrick Blindauer has a Kickstarter up for his new weekly subscription feature, Piece of Cake Crosswords. One easy 15×15 delivered to your inbox each week for a year for $29. Those of you who have enjoyed Patrick’s monthly website puzzle (which I blogged at Crossword Fiend for almost all of its 5-year run) know what a creative constructor he is, so consider kicking in — especially as a gift for a friend who may be new to crosswords, since these will be — well, a piece of cake to solve.

Winners this week and next will receive a 1-year subscription to PoCC.

THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:

This week’s contest answer is a two-word sentence uttered frequently by talk show hosts.

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