For my second MGWCC, the crossword solve was definitely tougher than #132, though I finally managed. I like puns well enough, so I enjoyed the puzzle theme.

Time-wise, I’m not an especially fast crossword solver, but I should really do the crossword for time instead of just pleasure. I think I could trim 10-20% off my times, at least.

The non-crossword portion took about 13 minutes, for a total time of of 35 minutes.

The puzzle is here: http://crosswordcontest.blogspot.com/2010/12/mgwcc-133-friday-dec-17th-2010-edible.html , the answer checker above should work, and my solving log is after the cut.

Log:

0:00:00

Printing puzzle (solving on paper this time)

0:00:22

Done printing

0:00:59

Finally got something, 17A CAAN

0:06:32

I have most of the left third, but not the two theme answers… ??SOP?T?BLES could be MESOPOTABLES.

0:07:00

oooh, probably AESOPS

0:08:31

ok, finished left third.

0:13:01

E and SE areas done. Slow going generally.

0:14:37

finished South, having trouble in center

0:16:20

got 7D, but not sure I’ll ever get the N part. Stuck on it for now, anyway. I still need the center and NE

0:20:17

Got the top right and middle, except the 45D 50A crossing. trying the top again

0:21:10

PIBB broke open the top.

0:21:26

…and Y for the final letter. now looking for a cajun restaurant

0:22:24

Feels like it might not be broken on normal word boundaries… like CRAW DADHUT (bad example, I know, but I’m being timed)

0:24:07

I feel lke it’s not cheating if I use Google for the meta part. googling cajun food terms

0:24:38

MIRE POIX, ETOUFFEE, CAYENNE, and FRICASSEE all candidates…

0:25:46

ETTU is a grid entry that might work…[I’m sad that that wasn’t it, actually]

0:27:27

not many 6 letter answers… RENAME, PLEASE, RUBIKS, STEPON…. none seem right

0:28:46

I’d go with ROUX THE DAY, but that doesn’t seem to be in the grid.

0:29:56

lots of other good words… ANDOUILLE, GUMBO…

0:30:39

oh, duh. There’s BAYOU. what could that go with? blue? checking all the 5 letter answers

0:32:00

POPUP BAYOU or BAYOU POPUP? enh

0:33:20

none that I can find in google

0:34:42

somehow I missed the bottem left acrosses… THESE BAYOU is ok, but HOWES BAYOU is an actual restaurant!