MGWCC #736 - “Back to the Start”

An excellent puzzle written by one of the innovators of the meta crossword format. It comes out every Friday at noon and increases in difficulty throughout the month. Available for modest subscription (worth every cent) here: www.xwordcontest.com
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Joe Ross
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MGWCC #736 - “Back to the Start”

#1

Post by Joe Ross »

MGWCC #736 — Friday, July 8th, 2022

GUEST CONSTRUCTOR MONTH 2022, WEEK 2 OF 5:

“Back to the Start” by Will Pfadenhauer and Malaika Handa

Week 2 of GCM is here, authored by two talented Guest Constructor Month veterans, Will Pfadenhauer and Malaika Handa.

Image

Will writes:

Hi folks! I’m stoked to be back on Matt’s site, and this time with a true powerhouse of a collaborator: Malaika! Seriously, this puzzle would not exist without her help – but more on that later. Since I was last here, I launched a new website for the meta crosswords I’ve been making! You can now find all of my past puzzles on PandorasBlocks.org. By day, I’m a graduate student at UMass Amherst where I study invasive plants, and when I’m not doing that or making puzzles I’m usually preparing for my next adventure race or wallowing in the sadness of being a Nationals fan in 2022.

And now, from Malaika:

Image

Hey squad, I’m glad to be back for my second puzzle on Matt’s site, and my first collab (anywhere) with Will! If you’d like more puzzles from me (not metas alas), I have a few midis every week with Vulture. (Warning: Extreme Levels Of Pop Culture References.) I also send out an email every time I have a full-sized puzzle somewhere, whether it’s in a print publication, an indie publication like this, or just on my own website. You can sign up here. And lastly, if you’d like to hear my General Crossword Thoughts, I write things on Crossword Fiend (twice a week) and on Rex’s blog (once a month) and on Twitter (far too much). I’ve been called “childish,” “adorable,” “thoughtless,” and “a breath of fresh air,” by Various Internet Commenters so take that as you will!!


Alrighty — let’s see what this dynamic duo has come up with for Week 2 of 5:

THIS WEEK’S INSTRUCTIONS:

This week’s contest answer is things that often end up where they started.


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


WANT TO SUBSCRIBE TO MY CROSSWORD CONTEST?: MGWCC is available only to subscribers at my Patreon page. A subscription costs $3/month.
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Meg
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#2

Post by Meg »

Waiting for the update, but feeling pretty good about it.
Confirmed. Thanks to Will and Malaika!
Last edited by Meg on Fri Jul 08, 2022 2:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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Joe Ross
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#3

Post by Joe Ross »

Thanks, Malaika & Will!


30. Joe Ross 07/08 - 12:59

Couldah been a Top Ten contendah, but I was helping (prodding) other muggles.



35. Meg 💯 07/08 - 13:05

Nice work, Meg!
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MMe
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#4

Post by MMe »

Way to go, Will and Malaika!!
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Laura M
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#5

Post by Laura M »

#47 because I had to do some work for my actual job first :-) Elegant and fun meta!
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MajordomoTom
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#6

Post by MajordomoTom »

that was a week one, done and submitted, now back to the WSJ

EDIT: #56 on the board, not bad
Last edited by MajordomoTom on Fri Jul 08, 2022 2:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Lots of planets have a North", the Ninth Doctor.
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markhr
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#7

Post by markhr »

Elegant puzzle. Tricky enough for a good week 2.
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ky-mike
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#8

Post by ky-mike »

Late start. Completed and submitted sitting in the airport. Waiting on update.

Edit: A swing and a miss. Guess I will take another look, but the streak will start over next week.
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oldjudge
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#9

Post by oldjudge »

Really a solid week two by Malaika and Will, and some interesting outdoor and indoor scenery.
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Cap'n Rick
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#10

Post by Cap'n Rick »

Got it! Nice one, Will and Malaika!

Edit: 71
Last edited by Cap'n Rick on Sat Jul 09, 2022 9:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
Ahoy! Check out my meta puzzles here! Check out "Smooth Sailing Sundays" here!
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woozy
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#11

Post by woozy »

Oh..... what a relief after two? three? months of misrated puzzles to have a puzzle that is unquestionably a week 2.

....

Also after the hideousness that is my attempts at the WSJ and the MMMM (MMMM? since when has *that* every been an issue?) it was nice to be tossed a bone.
Funny story. I was all set to enter Par for the course for the CrossHare midi contest for April but I mistakenly thought midi meant 7x 7 and not 11 x 11. Oops. Well.... Here's a complex but **small** meta on the subject of golf.
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ajk
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#12

Post by ajk »

Saw nothing during first effort this morning. Then opened it again this afternoon and instantly my eye was caught by something that turned out to be the right path.

Definitely a fun one.
Check out this very cool project by many of your favorite muggles to raise money to fight cancer. You get a fun puzzle bundle and good causes get $. Win-win: Crosswords for Cancer
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Streroto
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#13

Post by Streroto »

Beamed. Fun and clever puzzle. As much as I love Matt’s work it’s nice to have guests from time to time.

Stay well all
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MikeyG
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#14

Post by MikeyG »

Definitely took a bit of staring, but then the cobwebs scattered, which means more time to play with Ginger Cat! Fun Week 2!
Less cross words, more crosswords.

Solve my latest "Pun of a Kind" Meta!: 92. It's a Breeze
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BarbaraK
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#15

Post by BarbaraK »

I've beamed up after completing Will and Malaika's excellent mission.
If you want help with a meta, feel free to PM me. The more specific you are about what you have and what you want, the more likely I can help without spoiling.

(And if I help you win a mug, I’ll be especially delighted.)
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Guffman
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#16

Post by Guffman »

Amazing how a short nap is all you need to see what you didn't see before.
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ChrisKochmanski
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#17

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

Beamed!

Very nice! My compliments to Will and Malaika!
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Bird Lives
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#18

Post by Bird Lives »

Sheesh -- Malaika and all her sports clues.
Awaiting confirmation but confident.
Jay
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KayW
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#19

Post by KayW »

:alien: :flying_saucer: Beaming up... and hoping I don't end up back where I started.

Fun one. Bravi, Will and Malaika!
Contest Crosswords Combating Cancer (CCCC) is a bundle of 16 metapuzzles created to help raise money for cancer-related charities. It is available at CrosswordsForCancer.com.
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Jeremy Smith
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#20

Post by Jeremy Smith »

I completed the grid as soon as the puzzle was released, but saw nothing promising to be meta-related. Went outside and cut an acre and a quarter of grass and immediately saw the mechanism when I picked up the puzzle again. Beam me up!
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