Wordy Wednesday 493: Hex Pathfinder 30 & Wordy Wednesday 494: Framelinks 15

WORDY WEDNESDAY #491
CRYPTICROSTIC 17 (answer)

Here is the answer to this puzzle. If you still wish to solve it yourself, please go here for the normal version of the puzzle, or here for the easier version of the puzzle. Here's a list of people who solved it:
Bonnie Veenschoten **
Cathy Bowen **
Cole Kendall **
James Haddad **
Karen Spencer **
Michael Lebowitz **
Stephen Potter **
Tyler Hinman **
Jason Boomer **
jmwddspc **
Kevin Orfield **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #492
TOUCHWORD 25 (hint)

As of this writing, 15 people have solved this puzzle. Haven't solved it yet? Here's an easier version. Send your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com within the next week to appear on the solvers list and be recognized for your puzzle prowess. Good luck, solvers!

LAST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH = DOUBLE WORDY WEDNESDAYS!
WORDY WEDNESDAY #493
HEX PATHFINDER 30
(click here for a PDF version)

In this puzzle, each answer starts in the correspondingly numbered hexagon and winds through the grid, starting in the indicated direction. When you have finished, every letter will be used in exactly two entries.

Rearrange the letters in the shaded spaces to get the final answer, a 7-letter word.

1E German cake (5)

2W Ideal occupation for one who wants to rock the house? (10)

3W Informal talk (4)

4SE Fantasy novel series written by George R. R. Martin (17, 6 wds.)

5W “Slow Ride” band (6)

6SE “Don’t take any wooden ____” (7)

7E Concept (4)

8E Wry (6)

9SE Fridge compartment for vegetables (13, 2 wds.)

10SW Pirate’s prosthetic (6, 2 wds.)

11E Flowers you might give when you want to be remembered (12, hyph.)

12SW American Revolutionary War encampment site (11, 2 wds.)

13SW Mercury ____ (1998 movie) (6)

14SE Shout (4)

15NE Prevent (5)

16SW Grand (8)

17NE “Bananaphone” performer (5)

18NW Page from a book (4)

19E Hiding place for a proverbial ace (6)

20W Common power strip feature (14, 2 wds.)

21W Uncommon (4)

22SW Certain primate (6)

23SW Adam Sandler’s costar in 50 First Dates (2004) (13, 2 wds.)

24NE Jockey’s need (4)

25NW American frontiersman Daniel (5)

26SE Jockey’s need (5)

27E The Importance of Being ____ (7)

28NW Makes livid (7)

29NE Role for Jaleel White (10, 2 wds.)

30E One who’s doomed (5)

31SW Former U.S. Attorney General Janet (4)

32W One of the gifts the wise men gave Jesus (5)

WORDY WEDNESDAY #494
FRAMELINKS 15
(click here for a PDF version)

Fill in the empty squares in the diagram with the given letters to form words.

Arrange the letters in the shaded squares to form the final answer, an 8-letter word.

A A A A A A A A A   B   E E E E E E E E E E   H H   I I I I I   L L   M M M M   N N N   O O   P P   R R R R R R

S S S S   T T T T T T T T T   U U   V   Y Y Y

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What's a 5-letter word for "United States ____ Academy (Annapolis institute)"?

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, happy solving!