The wording changed from when you can renew your currency without the IPC to when you need an IPC. Before "within the prescribed time or within 6 calendar months after..." you could get yourself current with a safety pilot. Now if you have "failed to meet the instrument experience requirements ... for more than 6 calendar months" you must have an IPC. There is no requirement for an IPC if you are only out of currency 5 months. You can still go up with a safety pilot and log the required approaches and hold or do the other sim/FTD means of getting current.