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:
Title: “Did You Hear How It Started?”
Instructions: This week’s contest answer is the three-letter entry in the grid that could be an eighth theme entry.
Answer: ELF at 73-Across
Super-tough meta to end the month, though the mechanism was rather simple. All you really needed to be off to the races was one insight, like “CONCRETE’s first letter is a hard C, and concrete is hard.” Similarly for the other six starred entries:
8-D — GELATO’s first letter is a soft G, and gelato is soft
11-D — OVERTHROW’s first letter is a long O, and an overthrow is long
41-A –INSTANT’s first letter is a short I, and an instant is short
34-D — HOURGLASS’s first letter is a silent H, and an hourglass is silent
49-D — UBANGI’s first letter is a long U, and the Ubangi is long
66-A — ANECDOTE’s first letter is a short A, and an anecdote is short
Which three-letter entry fits the pattern? ELF at 73-Across, since it’s first letter is a short E, and an elf is short.
(leaderboard name redacted for his personal safety) says:
Pretty easy for a Week 4
Proof that metas strike everyone a little differently.
Small Wave Dave quips:
Tough and amazing puzzle. Wish my aging knees fit the theme!
Guest Constructor Month 2018 contributor Pomona47 quips:
This meta took me eons.
Similarly, Guest Constructor Month 2018 contributor pgw:
This was a hard crossword!
And finally, jeremiahsjohnsons notes:
Will Ferrell is the exception that proves the rule
This week’s winner, whose name was chosen at random from the 94 correct entries received, is Bob Dorfman of San Francisco, Calif. In addition to a MGWCC pen, pencil, and notepad set, Bob will also receive a 1-year subscription to Matt Gaffney’s Daily Crossword.
JULY WINNERS:
Congratulations to the following ten MGWCC winners for July, whose names were chosen at random from among the 84 people who sent in the correct contest answer to each of last month’s four puzzles (20 QUESTIONS, SPOILER ALERT, GROW BY/45-D, ELF/73-A). Each will receive a MGWCC pen, pencil, and notepad set:
Evan Birnholz — Drexel Hill, Penna.
Zen Dexter — Kellyville, N.S.W, Australia
“C” Fogarty — Point Clear, Ala.
Gideon Fostick — Givat Shmuel, Israel
Toby Golick — New York City, N.Y.
B.K.
Joon Pahk — Somerville, Mass.
Randy Rogers — Davenport, Ia.
Seth Tribble — New York City, N.Y.
Bunny Zukowski — Lebanon, Penna.
Congratulations again to our ten winners, and to everyone who went 4-for-4 during July.
MEL ROSEN, R.I.P.:
Crossword giant Mel Rosen passed away on Tuesday. He wore many hats in the puzzle world for decades, and was a kind, jovial, and knowledgeable presence. Rest in peace, Mel.
Mel Rosen has died. This is a big one. He co-authored "The Compleat Cruciverbalist" which I devoured as a kid — it was the only book around in that pre-Web time showing you how to write your own crossword. RIP and condolences to his family. https://t.co/JVIp6QLp6b
— Matt Gaffney (@metabymatt) July 27, 2018
Read tributes to Mel by Will Shortz here and David Steinberg here.
FUN WSJ CONTEST PUZZLE:
My Wall Street Journal meta this week is a fun one. Try it here once you’re done with today’s Week 1.
THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:
This week’s contest answer is a breed of dog.
Solve well, and be not led astray by words intended to deceive.