Looks like I missed two controversial weeks over at the MGWCC.  I did do one of the puzzles in my spare time and I would have gotten it wrong.

This week’s meta seemed completely straightforward…. was Matt tricky like he was last week? I hope not. 

I’m not really sure how it can take me an hour to do a crossword puzzle (and get essentially all the answers.)  I must be doing something wrong if I have the ability to get the solution but somehow it takes that long.

I’m tackling Dan Katz’s latest minihunt next ( http://web.mit.edu/thedan/www/minihunts.html ) so solve along and we’ll compare notes this weekend.  But for now, my crossword log is after the cut.

Log:

0:00:00

Starting with a printed out (but unseen) copy from work. Reading the blog instructions… carefully.

0:00:34

Ok, got it. scanning the grid for easy ins

0:02:49

Some maybes… NYT for 50A?

0:03:54

guesses 38a palace, 40d letmein, 65a end. all could be wrong. [most of them were wrong]

0:05:10

38a palais instead for now (5d looks like -S)

0:09:09

since 20a looks plural, gussed -SCREWS for 5d. 28a should be a monopoly space, possibly -road… thinking

0:10:41

oh, though it might be B&O RAILROAD (minus the ampersand), but it doesn’t fit.

0:17:29

ok, with THEBABE for 1D, things clear up in that corner, and B[AND/OR]AILROAD now fits. interesting  [Yes, that took 7 minutes. Maybe I’m passing out for 5 minutes at a time]

0:19:09

finally, a corner (top left) is done.

0:22:50

guess SUN- for 34D, guess USH (don’t like it) for 37a, wee for 42d, own for 41a, then 41d is nicely ORVILLE

0:26:13

SUNSHADES for 34d, and 51a HEAVEHO

0:27:58

I knew 66a couldn’t be sports… but I needed O?EAS to get it. [Maybe I just need to do more crosswords to be faster at them.]

0:29:27

Ooh, another AND/OR. in 45A (bottom middle is done)

0:34:05

stuck in bottom right

0:36:05

36d WITHC[ANDOR]? let’s try the across..

0:36:26

COMMANDO ROLLED works

0:39:16

guessing my way through bottom right… leads to PALACE for 38d? crossed with PALAIS? fun. (both are not fully confirmed still)

0:41:00

Jackie really is EDIE? (or EDII) well, ok. still need top center top right bottom right.

0:42:45

the BOX part of 44d PANDORASBOX just doesn’t seem to work… the B or X should cross more easily. [BOX was right, as I recall]

0:45:07

16d guess MIDDAY may help up there.

0:46:12

with no reason other than it fits, I’m guessing PORTLAND OREGON for 18 across

0:46:58

That’s four and/ors… what’s the symbol for AND/OR?

0:50:09

Just making sure there isn’t one. I guess the answer is SLASH. sending that in. (could have guessed it after finding the first one, obviously). Still working on crossword.

0:52:43

FINALLY got top middle. APU, then CAP-, then CAB- then BURNFAT. Feels good to finally resolve that.

0:58:22

ok, got top right (I think… is 34a STSTAN? best I can do)

1:01:09

googling muhammed’s wives to finish things off, (missing 49d and 57d)

1:03:01

Didn’t work (directly), since she’s Aisha in wikipedia, but AYESHA in the crossword. Anyway, done.