#12 - "Connect Five"

[Al Sisti]

"... a phrase formed by connecting two entries in the grid." And I'm safely home -- no hints needed this week. Another good one from PGW.

[Meg]

I got it, but I realized something early on that helped a lot. So I’m feeling pretty lucky. Nicely constructed and not all that easy.

[Cindy]

Well played PGWCC, well played!

[FrankieHeck]

I'm still in the "desperately flailing around" phase here. But that's part of the fun, right?

[FrankieHeck]

Ok, now I have it!! Nice!

[BrianMac]

Still working on the meta, but feeling like I'm probably the only person on this board who dropped in 1-Across immediately with no crosses ("Thundercats Ho!").

Also, isn't 39-Across wrong?

[Toby]

I think 39A is wrong also, and as a result needed to google 25A, but enjoyed watching the skit referred to, proving my sense of humor got stuck at age 12. Still no idea of what to do with meta.

[Toby]

I just got it! It took me a bit to see the connection to the answer. Hats off to Peter...this is an amazing job of construction.

[pgw]

Yes, 39A is wrong. Silly mistake - I got my three-letter latin legalese terms mixed up while writing the clues, then didn't bother to recheck that one because, as a lawyer, of course I know what I'm talking about ... (clue should be something like "ex ___" (on behalf of, in legal pleadings)")

[LesY]

I got this one as well! It restored my confidence after a spotty meta performance last week (whiffed on MWGCC, needed hints on both PGWCCs).

Btw Peter, I knew I liked you for a reason - still-licensed and former-practicing lawyer here. Enjoyed the SNL reference so much I didn't mind 39A and told myself "ex__" was probably what you were going for.

[Hector]

Heh, I thought I was just out of the pop culture loop for 25D.

[Anita]

Found a fat rabbit, but haven't yet figured out how to pull him out of his hole.

[TMart]

Got it - nicely done, pgw! Good start to the meta week with MGWCC week 5 looming.

[KDubs]

Just finished the grid. I feel like I know a starting step for the meta, but I don’t know the starting *point.* If I’m right, it’s clearly going to be one of those geniusly-constructed puzzles I could never in a million years put together.

[ChrisKochmanski]

Got this one, very satisfyingly, even though with a hint from a friend. My compliments to Peter W. So nicely constructed!

[Laura M]

PGW's crosswords are not good for my self-esteem :-)

I saw what I assume is the first step almost immediately, but since then have been unable to progress any farther. Congrats to those who have solved it!

[Laura M]

Kas 5 for me, even more so than the MGWCC. Area codes never entered my mind, even though the 2/12 of New York should have been a huge pointer. However, even if I had seen it, I wouldn't have realized it was actually the answer--I was stuck from the beginning on the idea that the phrase was literally hidden somehow in the grid (and I wasted too much time trying to force-find it!). Amazing construction and very creative.