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LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:
Title: “Ballot Boxes”
Instructions: This week’s contest answer is a U.S. state.
Answer: TEXAS
I don’t do much politics here, but you couldn’t expect me to let the letters BETO pass by without using them for a timely Week 1. That’s Robert “Beto” O’Rourke, who ran for U.S. senator this year from Texas. I learned recently that Beto is not only a short form of the name Roberto in Spanish, but also for any of the many names that end in -berto (Alberto, Humberto, Gilberto, etc.).
Anyway, BETO hid in the four long entries:
17-A [“That’s doubtful”] = DON’T BET ON IT
27-A [Caprese salad ingredients, often] = GLOBE TOMATOES
44-A [1971 Jackson 5 album, or a hit off it] – MAYBE TOMORROW
57-A [Get, as a magazine] = SUBSCRIBE TO
A closer look revealed that Beto’s opponent appeared four times in the grid as well: incumbent TED Cruz showed up in DATED, DOTED ON, TEDX, and CITED. Much easier letters to sneak into the grid! Ted emerged victorious in the Senate race, but Beto did pretty well too and retains his seat in the House of Representatives [UPDATE, 11/9, 12:45 PM ET: a solver writes to inform me that this is incorrect; O’Rourke did not run for re-election, and his House seat will be filled in January by Veronica Escobar). Also, before we return to our regular apolitical disposition, let me point out that current Texas senator CRUZ (Spanish for “cross”) and former Texas senator Phil GRAMM gets you pretty close to the Spanish word for “crossword,” which is “crucigrama.”
calhoun says:
Truth be told, i loved this puzzle!
polystyrene man says:
Had to Google Beto, as I’m Canadian and have the option to remain blissfully unaware of U.S. politics
Similarly, Magoo writes from the UK:
I’m hoping this cursory research is enough, but as a limey have never heard of Mr O’Rourke (though maybe tomorrow? Don’t bet on it), so a little nervous
Evan wonders:
I wonder if TED X is a way of voting for or against Ted Cruz, but maybe it’s both?
It’s just what fit! And hey, free X.
And finally, Norm Hurlbut:
This puzzle is the ONLY thing I have enjoyed this election season, which cannot end fast enough — thanks!
And with that: politics toggle turned back to OFF position for a very long time. Unless another usable theme emerges, of course.
This week’s winner, whose name was chosen at random from the 563 correct entries received, is Richard Kalustian of Tacoma, Wash. . In addition to a MGWCC pen, pencil, and notepad set, Richard will also receive a 1-year subscription to Laura Braunstein and Tracy Bennett‘s Inkubator Crosswords series (in which all the puzzles are all written by women).
THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:
This week’s contest answer is a 10-letter animal.
Solve well, and be not led astray by words intended to deceive.