Theme: NEWS FLASH!
Here's big news: This appears to be Pranav Daryanani's first published crossword puzzle. If so, congratulations! It's perfect for Monday, fast and fun but with some fresh fill. I didn't see the theme until the big reveal:
54-Across. "This just in!," or what 20-, 33-, and 40-Across are doing?: BREAKING NEWS. Oh, I get it! In the theme entries, the word NEWS is broken so that NE occurs at the beginning of the answer, and WS occurs at the end. Here are the theme entries:
20-Across. "Bridgerton" and "Stranger Things," for two: NETFLIX SHOWS.
33-Across. Cushions for napping on long flights: NECK PILLOWS.
40-Across. Statutes that attempt to ensure a carbon-neutral future: NET-ZERO LAWS.
Yours truly enjoys this sort of theme. It's not just about BREAKING a word, but revealing it in a way that is a clever play on words ... literally, BREAKING "NEWS." Hats off to Pranav.
Let's see what else our NEW constructor has in store for us.
Across:1. Mischief-makers: IMPS. An imp is a small evil spirit, or a mischievous child.
5. Cauliflower unit: HEAD. I like to buy cauliflower HEADs of different colors at the local farmers market, cut them up, rub them with olive oil and black pepper, and roast them in the oven on high heat until fork tender. Delicious as a side dish, or as the basis for cauliflower tacos.
9. "I __ Feeling": Black Eyed Peas hit: GOTTA. "I Gotta Feeling" is a song by the Black Eyed Peas from their fifth studio album The E.N.D. (2009). Bet you'll recognize the refrain.
14. Biblical ark maker: NOAH.
15. Ivy that was the first U.S. school to issue a Ph.D.: YALE. The eight members of the Ivy League are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, and Yale University.
16. Barcelona bills: EUROS. Barcelona is in Spain, which is part of the European Union, and uses banknotes or "bills" in Euros, in these denominations: €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200, and €500. Single Euros exist only as coins.
17. Killer whale: ORCA.
18. "Journeys" that involve emotional manipulation: GUILT TRIPS. Cute clue!
20. [Theme clue]
22. Shoe front: TOE.
23. Watch display: TIME.
24. Letters between names: AKA. Also Known As. On Thursdays, we sometimes hear about a smart lady called RightBrain AKA Mrs. RustyBrain.
27. Vegas venue: CASINO. Have you seen any shows in Las Vegas?
30. Sparks happiness in: ELATES.
32. Groovy: FAB.
33. [Theme clue]
36. Historic chapters: ERAS.
38. Sombrero, e.g.: HAT.
39. Sticky strip: TAPE.
40. [Theme clue]
45. "Park it!": SIT.
46. Split: CLEAVE. Cleave is a great verb, with two opposing meanings:
1. to adhere firmly and closely or loyally and unwaveringly -- as in "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." (Genesis 2:24)
2. to divide by or as if by a cutting blow : split ; to separate into distinct parts and especially into groups having divergent views.
Keep CLEAVE in mind for clues like "cling together"!
47. Military gesture: SALUTE.
49. Overhead trains: ELS. Elevated trains, often called "Els" or "L trains," are rapid transit systems with tracks built above street level on elevated structures. DH and I were fascinated to see these in Chicago.
47. Military gesture: SALUTE.
49. Overhead trains: ELS. Elevated trains, often called "Els" or "L trains," are rapid transit systems with tracks built above street level on elevated structures. DH and I were fascinated to see these in Chicago.
 |
| Chicago "L train" |
50. Shade trees with oval leaves: ELMS. Oval leaves? Sure, I guess -- compared to maple leaves. Anyway, crossword "shade trees" are usually ELMS.
53. Dipping bread: SOP. This reviewer is familiar with the verb (to dip in liquid), but -- breaking news! -- has just learned the noun, a piece of food dipped in a liquid.
54. [Theme clue]
59. Magic or ventriloquism performance, say: VARIETY ACT. A variety act is a short, specialized performance -- such as juggling, magic, comedy, ventriloquism, or acrobatics -- featured within a larger, mixed-entertainment show.
62. Misses the mark: ERRS.
63. Radiates: EMITS.
64. Tiny unit of matter: ATOM.
65. Marvel-ous mutants?: X-MEN. The X-Men are a superhero team in comic books published by Marvel Comics.
 |
| X-Men |
66. Land near 41-Down: TIBET. "Land" as in "country."
67. State bird of Hawaii: NENE.
 |
| It was nice of this Nene on the Big Island to come close for a portrait. |
68. Sun-kissed shades: TANS.
Down:
1. Aware of, as a secret: IN ON.
2. "Encore!": MORE. Literally, "again" in French. Audiences in English speaking countries yell "Encore!" to mean "More!" French audiences shout "Bis!" (meaning "twice" or "repeat") or "Une autre!" (another one).
3. Treaty: PACT.
4. Mine passages: SHAFTS.
5. Personal cleanliness: HYGIENE. Easier to say than to spell! Hi, Jinx!
6. Waters, in French: EAUX. Literally, "waters" in French. The singular is "eau."
7. Sought-after party guests: A-LIST.
8. New __, India: DELHI. Delhi is a metropolitan region encompassing Old Delhi and surrounding areas. New Delhi is a specific, modern district within Delhi that serves as the capital of India.
9. Message on a hospital bouquet: GET WELL.
 |
| This can be a mood booster! |
10. For us: OURS.
11. Prefix with -ceratops: TRI. Triceratops means "three-horned face."
12. Tee or polo: TOP. TOP meaning "shirt."
13. Braying animal: ASS.
19. Marisa of "Spider-Man: No Way Home": TOMEI.
 |
| Marisa Tomei played Aunt May |
21. Pork cut: LOIN.
24. Words for raising spirits?: A TOAST.
25. Collectible doll with the same name as a Japanese mayonnaise brand: KEWPIE. This reviewer never heard of Kewpie mayo (sounds delish, actually), but knows Kewpie dolls. Our youngest grandchild looks just like a Kewpie doll, but his millenial parents don't know what that is.
 |
| Kewpie mayo and Kewpie doll |
26. Thing of value: ASSET.
27. "The Office" star Steve: CARELL. Steve Carell starred as Michael Scott in NBC's mockumentary comedy The Office for seven seasons, 2005–2011, and 2013. Great show.
 |
| Steve Carell in The Office |
28. Wanes: ABATES.
29. Spanish eight: OCHO.
31. PC key near Z: ALT. I'm glad they don't ask me about Mac keyboards.
32. Backyard border: FENCE.
34. Actor Penn: KAL. Kalpen Modi, known professionally as Kal Penn, is an American actor, author, and former White House staff member in the Barack Obama administration. He is known for his portrayals of Kumar Patel in the Harold & Kumar film series, Lawrence Kutner on the television program House, White House staffer Seth Wright on Designated Survivor, and Kevin, a psychologist and boyfriend to Robin in How I Met Your Mother.
 |
| Kal Penn |
35. School support gps.: PTAs. Parent Teacher Associations.
37. Kendrick Lamar's "All the Stars" collaborator: SZA. "All the Stars" is a song by rapper Kendrick Lamar and singer SZA, released in 2018 as the lead single to the soundtrack album of the film Black Panther. I'm not up to date with pop music, so this was NEWS to me.
41. Only mountain taller than K2: EVEREST. Mount Everest is the tallest mountain on earth in terms of altitude, 29,032 feet above sea level. K2, also known as Mount Godwin-Austen, at 28,251 feet above sea level, is the second tallest. K2 is considered more difficult and dangerous to climb.
42. Rent out again: RELET.
43. "Someone else did this!": WASN'T ME.
44. Tedious assignment: SLOG.
48. First in line: UP NEXT.
51. Like Chichén Itzá: MAYAN.
42. Rent out again: RELET.
43. "Someone else did this!": WASN'T ME.
44. Tedious assignment: SLOG.
48. First in line: UP NEXT.
51. Like Chichén Itzá: MAYAN.
 |
| Very cool pre-Columbian site in Yucatán State, Mexico. |
52. Use an ice rink or a roller rink: SKATE.
54. Chomp: BITE.
55. Cultural legend: ICON.
56. Humorist Bombeck: ERMA. Erma Bombeck (1927-1996) wrote a syndicated newspaper humor column from 1965 to 1996, describing Ameican suburban home life . It was pretty great, and very popular. She suffered from kidney disease most of her life, requiring daily dialysis, and disclosed it only three years before her death.
 |
| Erma Bombeck |
57. Small songbird: WREN.
58. Govt.-issued IDs: SSNs.
59. Doc who might implant a microchip: VET. Doc is short for doctor; VET is short for veterinarian.
60. Mate, in Marseille: AMI. French for "friend."
61. Tease playfully: RIB.
58. Govt.-issued IDs: SSNs.
59. Doc who might implant a microchip: VET. Doc is short for doctor; VET is short for veterinarian.
60. Mate, in Marseille: AMI. French for "friend."
61. Tease playfully: RIB.
Here's the grid:
Solvers,
Were you on the FENCE about this puzzle? Was it a struggle akin to climbing EVEREST?
Or was it the sort of grid that ELATES you, with a VARIETY of fill that allowed you to SKATE to the finish?
Let us IN ON your thoughts in the comments!
-- NaomiZ
