56. Character Study

PDF / PUZ

So, I never did get around to posting the write-up last week, likely frustrated with my beloved Cubbies (who somehow got swept by the Reds - but almost swept the Rays?? Baseball is wild sometimes).

So two write-ups below!

---

1. Puzzle #54 answer: MAYHEM (for May, of course!)

Correct entries: 46.

Shortest explanation: Six entries can anagram to words that also satisfy the same clue (such as LEMON = "Fruit with seeds" = MELON). The initial letters of these new words spell MAYHEM, the answer to the meta.

---

2. Puzzle #55 answer: STAYCATION (my kind of vacation).

Correct entries: 44

Shortest explanation: Ten entries' clues have the word "STOP" hidden within them, sometimes spanning punctuation and/or spacing. (The two most overt were at the anchor positions of the first and last across entries.) The initial letters of these clues spell STAYCATION.

All the clues for completists:

1-A: "Stop, for one" = SIGN

18-A: Cast opening? = TELE

24-A: Birthplace of Aristophanes = ATHENS

26-A: City near Sevastopol = YALTA

40-A: Dystopian author Suzanne = COLLINS

42-D: Common test options = ABC

50-A: 2020 Christopher Nolan film = TENET

54-D: This is a baker's "top" specialty LOL = ICING

69-A: Pontificate with gusto, perhaps = ORATE

71-A: ...speed past the stoplight... = NOGO

---

3. Leaderboard coming soon!!

---

4. We're onto the start of a full month, which means difficulty will coalesce, to some degree, with a standard month of MGWCC. This one is a Level 1.

Keep on puzzling, and may all your solves be beautiful!

Mikey G

The 15-letter answer to the meta is associated with June.