IMPORTANT NOTE: As of February 2020 MGWCC is available only to subscribers at my Patreon page. A subscription costs $3/month.

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:

IMPORTANT NOTE: As of February 2020 MGWCC is available only to subscribers at my Patreon page. A subscription costs $3/month.

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:

Title: “Three-Quarter Time”
Prompt: This week’s contest answer is something you may need to do to figure out the meta.
Answer: PONDER
Correct entries: 175

You all aim for perfect months (where you correctly solve every meta), but did you know that I do as well? In my case it means that each week’s number of correct entries is less than the previous week’s, preferably by a significant amount. I scored one in May, with totals of 682, 593, 432, 222, and 175. Go me!

But enough about me; let’s talk about you. 175 of you puzzled out last week’s SAD (simple and difficult) meta. As usual, the two determinants of whether a meta is SAD are: 1) Did not that many solvers get it? and 2) Can it be explained in two brief sentences? Yes on the first, and let’s try it on the second:

Each of the six theme entries can also be answered with a 4-letter word that has three of the same letter — PAPP, OMOO, NUNN, DODD, EPEE, and ARRR. Those 3/4 letters spell PONDER.

So SAD it was. Another feature of this meta type is that a significant number of those who get it get it very quickly. Notice for example the scoreboard times of e.a. (12:08, though I happen to know that he only received this puzzle at 12:04, so he got this in just four minutes. I’m not kidding) and JanglerNPL (12:10).

Similarly, pannonica:

Surprisingly easy!

And tonyrobots:

Felt more like a week 3 for me but that could just be a case of post-solver’s bias.

And Alex B.:

Seems easy for a week 5? I guess we’ll see.

But if you didn’t spot it quickly, there was quite the journey to Wonderland ahead. Raygirl writes:

Ooof. So obvious in hindsight but boy did I follow that rabbit for a long time.

Meg chased the same elusive critter:

Rookie mistake. Not immediately checking the senators. Really seductive rabbit holes with no rabbits.

And Burak never escaped from the chase:

The only rabbit hole I could find was to add “TRI” to a couple of entries like poll -> poultry and mrs -> mystery. I have no idea what to do with this one 🙂

Did I miss any potential theme entries? Of course not! How could you even think that? Absurd. pgw says:

hmmm, did I suss it out?

Jason Shapiro had the a-ha moment:

ohhh…

Mutman was exultant:

YAYY! My first 5 for 5 ever!

xhixen liked it:

WOWW!

And finally, Magoo had just the drink to celebrate getting the meta:

now it’s time for some Mumm champagne.

Cheers!

PATREON UPDATE:

We’re up to 966 solvers who’ve made the jump to Patreon! Join them here.

Reminder that May and June refunds will be given during the first two weeks in June. So if you see a charge from me for May and/or June and still have time left on your subscription, don’t worry — you’ll be refunded then.

THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:

This week’s contest answer is a poker hand.

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