It's All in the Game

[lbray53]

Sssort of solved. In spite of needing ALL of the hints I really enjoyed and appreciated the solve.

I think I got too involved in trying to figure out the inferred vs literal aspects of this puzzle and abandoned my usual solving strategies.

In retrospect I get it and appreciate the construction.

Thanks Jay.

[rjy]

Late to it, but sssolved nnnudgelessly. Fun one, Jay, thanks!

[Darth]

Sssolved. Thanksss. ;)

[ChrisKochmanski]

SSSolved!

No nudges needed. I was late in getting to this. On the road most of the day.

Fun! Thanks, Jay!

[Qmark]

Didn't get to the puzzle until today...no nudges needed...thanks Jay!

[jhseeman]

SSSolved....fun one.
Thanks Jay

[woozy]

I've seen the "spelled out" mechanism before. And I'll probably see it again. Let me say that as fair (and it is fair) and appropriate (it was very appropriate) I will never ever see or get this mechanism when it occurs. I just won't.

The inferred mechanism in this case was brilliant and apparent and just plain lovely.

[MaineMarge]

SSSolved without nudges. By inference. By spelling with backsolving.
Good one, Jay.

Now OTC, so to speak, and out to take Ruthie
(A 3 letter animal) for a walk along the shore

[Bird Lives]

The Sunday Summer Substitute had more solvers on Monday than on Sunday, bringing the total to 51.

23. DIS
24. MatthewL
25. andeux
26. whimsy
27. Laura M
28. SamKat9
29. Sharkicicles
30. KayW
31. GR
32. Jeremy Smith
33. benchen71
34. BethA
35. Darth
36. rjy
37. Jaclyn
38. sledge
39. michaelm
40. Tyrpmom
41. kurtalert
42. I K Snamhcok
43. Dow Jones
44. tuber
45. LindaPRmaven
46. Qmark
47. JHSeeman
48. SJMcK
49. dannyvee
50. Gutman
51. Sendhil Revuluri

Maybe even more will come in on Tuesday.

[HeadinHome]

Just wanted to say, I thought this was a very clever meta, and wondered if anyone has ever used it before? It seems like a “classic,” but I don’t remember seeing this idea before. I got the answer before finding the method (just figured it out, esp. from the clue at 25A… then thought - wonder if all these blanks… YES! Well done. (Did not use the nudges.)

[hoover]

Nudged to a sssolution.

[Bird Lives]

With another four solvers we close out the week at fifty-five.

52. Mikey G
53. Katiedid
54. hoover
55. Rufus T Firefly

The answer is DRAW A BLANK.

Ten clues had a blank space. The entries to those clues spelled out the answer.
.

.

.
Some solvers keeping the prompt in mind, got as far as JEOPARDY and SCRABBLE and guessed the answer and eventually backsolved to the metanism.

Hector, in the Crosshare comments, was very informative:

The answer phrase seems to come from Elizabethan times in describing lotteries, wherein each participant's name is written on a slip in one bin, and each prize on a slip in a second together with enough blank slips to match the number of participants; then each participant is paired with a prize or a blank. It seems the figurative potential of the phrase wasn't long in being noticed. From the OED: 1605 Husbands are like lotts in the lottery: you may drawe forty blankes before you finde one that has any prise in him. J. Marston, Dutch Courtezan iii. i. sig. D4

If you’re not familiar with Elizabethan Jeopardy, you’ve got a real treat coming.

Thanks to everyone for the other comments as well.