Title: “Women’s Firsts”
Prompt: This week’s contest answer is a First Lady of the United States.
Answer: ABIGAIL ADAMS
Correct entries: 706 (new subscription-era record)

History meta for the Fourth, and our four theme entries were four famous Americans:

17-A: [He upset Jimmy Connors to win the 1975 Wimbledon final, just two weeks after Connors had filed an (ultimately unsuccessful) $3 million libel lawsuit against him] = ARTHUR ASHE. Much more interesting clue than the standard [1975 Wimbledon champ], innit? In addition to the lawsuit, it’s nice to be reminded (or just plain learn) who was favored to win a matchup at the time (especially if they didn’t wind up winning, as here).

11-D: [“___: Right Now” (2019 Netflix comedy special)] = AZIZ ANSARI. You’ll always be Tom Haverford to me, Aziz.

59-D: [Actress best known for “Fatal Attraction,” “Patriot Games,” and “Short Cuts”] = ANNE ARCHER

29-D: [Dancer whose “Revelations” premiered in 1960] = ALVIN AILEY

These are all A.A.-initialed celebrities, which suggested the 2nd first lady, who was found by 706 (!) solvers. I also counted as correct the two solvers who submitted Betty Ford, whose well-known advocacy for alcohol addiction education was not Alcoholics Anonymous-specific, but it’s close enough to count as a click.

Birdbrain says:

Just started watching the HBO special on John Adams – made things simpler!

Similarly, Hollie:

We watched “1776” the other night so she came right to mind!

The Goog knows everything, according to Evan:

when I Googled “list of first ladies” to confirm there was only one first lady with AA initials, the first page highlighted Abigail Adams in bold. Even Google is solving your metas.

nofeetmcgee had a breakthrough:

My first solve (after three failed attempts)! I hope it’s right!

It is! Nicely done.

ab was destined to get this one right:

Probably the most famous historical figure with my first name.

ChimiSeanGa quips:

Had less of an “AHA” moment and more of an “AA” moment

JWawro says:

The Fonz liked this one.

And finally, Laura M writes:

Happy Fourth!

Why thank you, and to you as well (belated).

GRIDS FOR GOOD:

The great Evan Birnholz & co. have raised over $36,000 with their new Grids for Good campaign. Wow! Definitely check it out.

CYCLOPS STORY FROM TWO WEEKS AGO:

If anyone remembers, I’d promised you the tragicomic story of my first attempt at writing MGWCC #630. Here it is:

I spent 4 hours on the grid and had it down to one corner left but I just couldn’t close the deal. Over and over it seemed like a certain fill should work, with a number of options for success in several different places, but no go.

So then I began to wonder if I were dealing with an impossible task? There were 80 entries and 40 I’s, so each I had to part of both an Across and a Down entry. That much I had known all along, but then came the worst aha moment ever: I only then realized that for that to happen, you need to have *40 Across and 40 Down entries*. I clicked on the relevant tab in Compiler and there was the awful truth: 41 Acrosses, 39 Downs. The crossword gods had been laughing at me for hours.

THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:

This week’s contest answer is a two-word phrase made up of two grid entries.