Title: The Ending Places
Prompt: The meta answer is a prolific science fiction author.
Answer: URSULA K. LE GUIN

To be clear, I did accept several variations of her name – including Ursula Le Guin, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Ursula Leguin (it is technically two separate words: Le Guin) – as correct. Submissions were split pretty evenly between those with and without the K, although a couple solvers mentioned that, after finding URS, ULA, LEG, and UIN, they did wonder about the K and were happy to find it included.

There were 75 correct answers and 2 incorrect submissions this month.

Congratulations to this month’s randomly chosen winner: Amy Hamilton of Indianapolis, IN! The prize this month is a copy of a thematically apt novel embossed with FROM THE LIBRARY OF ARIADNE. This month I’m going with what might be called the obvious choice, but I just can’t pass up the opportunity to gift an Ursula K. Le Guin novel. So this month the prize is The Beginning Place by Ursula K. Le Guin (which some solvers did notice was the inspiration for the puzzle’s title). Congratulations, Amy!

You can read Ben Chenoweth’s blog post about this month’s contest over at Crossword Fiend, where you can also leave a comment and rate the puzzle.

Dubious Honors

This month’s Tick-Tock Award, which is awarded to the solver whose submission I received first, goes to Alexander M., whose answer came in at 9:21 AM EDT on November 1. The White Rabbit Award, which is awarded to the solver whose submission I received last, goes to Mat H., whose answer came in right under the wire at 11:59 PM EST on November 5. I have no actual prizes to hand out to these solvers, they just get the satisfaction of BOOKending this month’s contest. Well done!

Can you beat their times next month??

Thank you to everyone who submitted an answer to November’s contest! And thank you to Heather Gearan for contributing to ACL! If you are interested in constructing a puzzle for ACL, please visit our Submit a Crossword page. See you in December!

Ex libris Ariadne