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:
What was the theme of our mysterious meal last week? We started with SALMON SALAD, then moved to a plate of CHEDDAR CHEESE, followed by an entree of a CHICKEN CHIMICHANGA, then got another entree with SCALLOP SCAMPI. So what’s our dessert, courtesy of the McDonald’s Corporation?
The salient feature shared by all courses is: each has two words that begin with the same three letters. The only Mickey D’s dessert that would be appropriate is the seasonal (i.e. last week) SHAMROCK SHAKE, found by 429 solvers.
Which is high for a Week 2, though a number of solvers who missed it were irritated because 1) Some said a milkshake isn’t really a “dessert”; 2) The Shamrock Shake has been around since the ’70s, but McDonald’s now lists it officially as the “McCafe Shamrock Shake,” which threw off some of those unfamiliar with it.
But I didn’t hear from anyone who saw the three-letter alliteration and still rejected “Shamrock Shake” for either of those reasons; were there any of you out there? The drink is universally referred to as a “Shamrock Shake,” even on its Wiki page, so the “McCafe” weirdness seems just a Google away from clarification. And STRAWBERRY SUNDAE was by far the most common incorrect answer (47 out of the 56 submitted), but one-letter alliteration? There are many hundreds of foods that qualify for that (on the McDonald’s menu alone there are a bunch), so that couldn’t have been right.
lhj says:
820 calories!
JesseLansner says:
Shamrocks for my real friends Real rocks for my sham friends
e.a. suggests:
poblano poboy?
Similarly, Marpocky:
PORK PORRIDGE? GRAPE GRANOLA? CRAB CRACKERS?
drdans writes:
Fortunately for me, I had to look it up.
Makfan shares a memory:
Reminded me of eating at Hamburger Hamlet in college.
And paradox28 ponders:
Does solving this meta make me a cool cookie?
This week’s winner, whose name was chosen randomly from the 429 correct entries received, is Andrew Foerster of Charlotte, N.C. In addition to a MGWCC pen, pencil and notepad set, Andrew will also receive a 1-year subscription to MGDX AND a $5 gift certificate to McDonald’s! (My wife is urging me to give away goofier prizes here to up the fun factor. It needs no upping, of course, but be prepared for some odd prizes in the future).
THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:
This week’s contest answer is a hotel on the Las Vegas Strip that would have made a good sixth theme entry in this puzzle.
Solve well, and be not led astray by words intended to deceive.
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: