XWord Muggles Forum

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.



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:



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.

Waiting for the update, but feeling pretty good about it.
Confirmed. Thanks to Will and Malaika!

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!

Way to go, Will and Malaika!!

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

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

EDIT: #56 on the board, not bad

Elegant puzzle. Tricky enough for a good week 2.

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.

Really a solid week two by Malaika and Will, and some interesting outdoor and indoor scenery.

Got it! Nice one, Will and Malaika!

Edit: 71

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.

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.

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

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

I've beamed up after completing Will and Malaika's excellent mission.

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

Beamed!

Very nice! My compliments to Will and Malaika!

Sheesh -- Malaika and all her sports clues.
Awaiting confirmation but confident.

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

Fun one. Bravi, Will and Malaika!

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!