That's Not Right!

Answer: ACUTE

Explanation: That's not right! So it might be wrong...or it also might be left! Five, symmetric 7-letter entries are the only five that contain any "R"s (for RIGHT) in the grid: CORRECT, GRASSES, VARIANT, PIRATES, ARRAYED. These all form new words when all "R"s are changed to "L"s (COLLECT, GLASSES, VALIANT, PILATES, ALLAYED). Find alternate entries (first time we've had this month, actually!) that satisfy these; in order: AMASS, CUPS, UNDAUNTED, TAEBO, EASED. These spell ACUTE, the meta answer, and another adjective that is not right - specifically, right angles! The largest integer value for an acute angle would be 89 degrees, a numeric tie-in.

LOL, what a cute idea!

I for one will eschew the obvious pun and say merely that the puzzle is "a fetching" one. Reminds me of an MMM of a while back (12-22-2022), which may be why I solved this one so quickly, Plus the shout-out to the next World Series winners (yeah, right).

Clever and well done! So with 90-degree-angles out of the way already, next week's theme can only be the international direct-dial code for Turkey.

That was fun! It’s always nice when the first thing you try is the path. Congrats Mikey for your MGWCC solves!

Very gneiss, Mr. G!

Much fun. Thanks, Mikey

Me: Describe a split hot dog MikeyG: Acute meat

Wow! Making a grid with no Ls and very limited Rs must have been challenging! This is a classic meta!

Very fun Mikey! Thanks. Especially enjoyed how puzzle 89 was not quite right.

Fun one! Took me a minute to see it. Funnily enough, I thought ACUTE (or obtuse) angles might play into the mechanism somehow, but it didn't occur to me it would eventually be the answer.

great puzzle - thanks mikey!

Fantastic puzzle! ACUTE was going to be my WAG since 89 is highest value of an ACUTE (not right) angle. But I hated to submit it until I found it by puRRing the parts and pieces from the grid. Thanks Mikey

Well, I finally got it, but only after a lot of help. Clever puzzle (once my brain fog lifted). Thanks for the puzzle, Mikey!

Was stuck on SAUCE because I thought you’d be doing a lot of Pilates on your Spring break.

I had everything (Even that the themers were the only entries with Rs) except replace Rs with Ls. Somehow I always miss things like that.

Needed all the hints! Very nice.

Loved it. Thanks Mikey!

Excellent! Got it with nudge #7, sigh. I can't believe I missed that the grid didn't contain any Ls, and only had Rs in 5 entries. Amazing construction, especially since it didn't seem strained at all!

Nice one, Mikey! Love the mechanism!

Gah -- Totally oblivious about there being no L's in the puzzle until about nudge 7 or 8. Ya got me good this time, Ginger! (Let's give credit to the muse.)

Ahhhh, missed it on my first try -- thought "pick up" for COLLECT and either "vessels" or "Well, I see it now" for GLASSES. Bc of "pick up", I got SAUTE as the answer, but was wrong. Came back for a second try, and spotted "gather" in the clue list. Never even thought about "acute angles" and 89 degrees and your affinity for numerical significance!

My going-in guess was AMISS--but that would have been "a mile" off the mark ;) Pirates may not approve of this low R-count puzzle (before they are swapped out entirely!), but I sure do. And nice touch to use exactly 5 R's in the 62-A clue!

VERY nice! I got to this late, don't know why I did not ee it last week. I started by trying to use variant spellings (ala crosswordese), but got nothing. THen I used my old chemistry training, "what if the R was a L" (now granted I could have said what if a Right is a Left but now you see how my mind works - oddly). PIRATES to PILATES was the first. I struggled near the end because I spell TAIBO the way that would make GRASSIS in session correct (I also looked at TAI/EBO as one of the variants earlier). But I knew what I needed. As a matter of debate, I have gotten many places while in my cups; but I realized that a C was required. Nicely hidden sir, now on to the Right puzzle!