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LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:

Title: “Square Meal”
Prompt: This week’s contest answer is a six-letter plural noun.
Answer: BAGELS

Correct entries: 573, of which 552 were solo solves

Six wacky theme entries, each consisting of four three-letter words:

23-A: [“Which of you coaches decided to bench NBA Hall of Famer Unseld?”] = WHO SAT WES OUT? Saw him play several times at the Capital Centre as a kid. That’s how old I am.

66-A: [“You’ll find that lady’s flask of liquor in Mr. Waterston’s pocket”?] = SAM HAS HER RUM

76-A: [“Got an update on that guy’s sibling?”] = HOW WAS HIS SIS?

121-A: [“Photographer Goldin wasn’t trying to break any land-speed records!”?] = NAN RAN FOR FUN

16-D: [“Quarterback Newton finally has permission to do the lawn”?] = CAM CAN MOW NOW

65-D: [“Did you hear that model Carangi was fired from her job?”] = GIA GOT THE AXE

Now what? Notice that each of these sets of four three-letter words can form a box with an empty square in the center (see graphic below). After that, find that same 3×3 box in the grid, highlight the letter inside, and you get contest answer BAGELS, which our six 3×3 centerless boxes resemble if you squint.

Channeling Jerry Seinfeld: “Hey, why are there donut holes but no bagel holes? What happens to the holes? Do they just throw them away? Are there billions of bagel holes sitting in a trash heap somewhere?”

GUEST META:

Today’s meta is a guest spot from longtime FOMGWCC (Friend of MGWCC) Patrick Berry. Good luck!

THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:

This week’s contest answer is a four-letter word.

NOTE: Due to the late post, the deadline for submitting entries to this meta is Wednesday, May 31st, at noon ET.

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