Title: “Who Are You?”
Prompt: This week’s contest answer is a famous American of the past or present.
Answer: I.M. PEI
Correct entries: 263 overall, of which 181 were solo solves

Complex path to victory last week, and thanks to Gridmaster T for this week’s lovely solution above. She and Gridmaster J have been sending me concise and snazzy solution layouts each week for a while now, which is why you may have noticed the two different styles lately. These two save me time *and* beautify the site with their work, so a big thanks to them from me.

Numerous steps on the path to victory last week. Step 1: Notice that the five longest entries in the grid are each two words, and that the initials of those words are meaningful:

19-A: [Aladdin’s ride] = MAGIC CARPET
37-A: [Being considered] = IN QUESTION
52-A: [Oft-mocked part of Southern California] = THE VALLEY. I have to admit that I don’t know what valley this refers to without looking it up, or why it’s mocked. OK, San Fernando Valley turns out. I heard from a couple of solvers who live in the Valley and say it’s awesome. I only know what they tell me on TV. I’ve only been to California once and it was San Diego. Chilly in June! Who knew? “June gloom” they call it. Let’s move on…
67-A: [Brainstorming session successes] = GREAT IDEAS
84-A: [Plans to discuss later] = LEAVES ASIDE

Those initials are:

M.C.
I.Q.
T.V.
G.I.
L.A.

Probably not random! But what now?

Step 2: notice that there are two entries in the grid that can follow each of those five initialisms to make a well-know phrase. Like so:

M.C. = HAMMER and ESCHER
I.Q. = TEST and SCORE
T.V. = GUIDE and SET
G.I. = JOE and TRACT
L.A. = LAW and TIMES

Again, can’t be random, so this is the right path. Now what?

Step 3, the trickiest so far: Initials again! Insert a letter between the initials of each of these pairs to form a grid entry:

H _ E = HIE, adding the I
T _ S = TMS, adding the M
G _ S = GPS, adding the P
J _ T = JET, adding the E
L _ T = LIT, adding the I

Those spell out contest answer I.M. PEI, the famed architect who passed away in 2019 at the ripe old age of 101. Note that his name also answers the question asked by the puzzle’s title (“I am Pei”). Also note that you didn’t have to guess which letter came first in the final step’s five letters pairs; it’s always the higher one in the grid.

Mikey G. says:

This puzzle was well-built!

Thanks! But don’t think I’m going to let these comments devolve into a bunch of architecture puns. Not on my watch, pal!

DJB says:

Fantastic construction!

Appreciate it!

And FunkyPhD writes:

I would Pei good money if it would Foster you to Wright these Gaudi metas. You didn’t think I would admit this, but Hadid.

Thank you so much! It’s heartfelt, no-hidden agenda notes like this that keep me going.

THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:

The 2022 Winter Olympics begin today in Beijing; this week’s contest answer is a previous Winter Olympics host city.