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:
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:
A “simple” hidden word theme last week — but not so simple really, since the eye doesn’t tend to scan for foreign words.
Very common occurrence for me these days – I’m clueless on the #MGWCC while 300+ people have submitted correct entries. I’m getting more stupider as I do these damn things #TeamNope
— Burghman (@Defenseman29) December 10, 2017
It's Week 2 and I'm #TeamNope. #MGWCC
— Tyler Hinman (@thatpuzzleguy) December 9, 2017
Looks like the Hinman Stupidity Index is up to 242. #MGWCC #TeamNope
— Tyler Hinman (@thatpuzzleguy) December 9, 2017
We were looking for a famous historical figure, and our theme entries were:
17-A [Ten Commandments phrase] = GRAVEN IMAGE
27-A [Boundary] = DIVIDING LINE
48-A [Best Director winner for 2011’s “The Artist”] = HAZANAVICIUS
63-A [Delicious green] = BIBB LETTUCE
Hidden in those entries are contest answer Julius Caesar‘s famous line “Veni, vidi, vici” — plus a reference to Caesar salad? Nope — that’s romaine lettuce. Here we want “Et, tu” hidden in lettuce. Words spoken at his assassination (supposedly), so all four utterances are in chronological order!
Jesse Lansner wonders:
Now that I’m done I don’t know if I should praise this puzzle or just bury it.
hibob notes:
I came; I saw; I conquered about half the puzzles this year.
Small Wave Dave informs us:
The Phoenix Zoo had a boa constrictor named Julius Squeezer.
Ale M quips:
“Brutal” puzzle, but I’m glad I took a stab at it.
Too soon!
And Golem says:
Nice bit of trivia there at XLVII-down.
Tibi gratias ago!
This week’s winner, whose name was chosen at random from among the 423 correct entries received, is Phil Wilcox of Riverhead, N.Y. In addition to a MGWCC pen, pencil, and notepad set, Phil will also receive a 1-year subscription to Matt Gaffney’s Daily Crossword.
A DECEMBER TO DISMEMBER:
Clarification on the rules for AD2D: you’ll still win a prize even if you don’t solve all five of December’s puzzles if your total still gets you into prize territory. So let’s say you started AD2D with 46 out of 48 metas solved, and then you go 4 out of 5 this month; you’ll still get yout 50-out-of-53 metas prize. I didn’t mean to imply in the rules that you lose all your hard work from this year if you don’t go 5-for-5 in December, just that any puzzles you get credit for in December have to be solved solo.
SPECIAL PRIZE THIS WEEK AND NEXT:
In addition to a MGWCC pen, pencil, and notepad set, winners this week and next will also win a 1-year subscription to either of Andrew Ries’s new subscription puzzle features. One is a weekly Rows Garden, and the other is a weekly themeless with a “stagger-step” grid pattern.
Andrew’s an extremely talented constructor who won my Crossword of the Month feature twice, including once for this crossword which was so clever that I won’t forget it as long as I live!
THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:
This week’s contest answer is a six-letter word.
Solve well, and be not led astray by words intended to deceive.