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LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:
Title: “This and That”
Instructions: This week’s contest answer is one way to solve metas.
Answer: TRIAL AND ERROR
A four-stepper last week. First insight: the initials of the five theme entries, which are all “X and Y” phrases, spell common words:
HEARTS AND MINDS = HAM
COPY AND PASTE = CAP
BRIDGE AND TUNNEL = BAT
CUT AND THRUST = CAT
CHICKEN AND RICE = CAR
Second insight: each of those newly-formed words can also be the first word in another common “X and Y” phrase:
HAM and cheese
CAP and gown
Bat and ball
Cat and mouse
Car and Driver (the magazine)
Third insight: each of those “Y” words above begins a clue in the puzzle:
[Cheese and salsa go in it] = TACO at 62-A
[Gown cousin] = ROBE at 5-A
[Ball, Bacall, or Beyoncé, say] = ICON at 64-A
[Mouse swallower] = ASP at 59-D
[Driver of many classic motorcycles] = LENO at 10-D
Fourth insight: take the first letter of those entries and you get TRIAL; extend that a la the theme and you’ve got contest answer TRIAL AND ERROR, found by 272 solvers.
TMart says:
Thought I was hot on the TRAIL, then I realized my ERROR!
damefox writes:
Not how I solved this one! Well, maybe a little at the beginning, but once I got step 1 it flowed from there. Cool puzzle! I was going to submit “BY STARING AT THE GRID AND WAITING FOR A MIRACLE” if nothing popped out at me. 😉
vraal says:
Thank you for not serving us the old BAIT AND SWITCH
and finally, gifo says:
Hit and miss is often more like it
As far as prizes, well…my sheepish apologies will have to suffice. Eventful 24 hours here, and I forgot to choose both monthly and weekly winners. Will choose 12 monthlies next week as penance.
THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:
This week’s contest answer is certain parts of the body.
Solve well, and be not led astray by words intended to deceive.