Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here with an entertaining puzzle by our prolific blogmistress, Zhouqin Burnikel.
Theme: 
Today we have four names of DANCEs hidden in longer words. The letters that spell out the dance names are clumped at the beginnings and ends so one might say they have been broken in two -- giving us the reveal BREAK DANCE. The circles help to identify the letters used to spell the dance names, keeping this puzzle at a Monday level.
Perhaps it is easier to show the grid than to try to explain it. 
The themed clues and answers are:
16 Across. Brass player's recital piece: HORN SONATA. The HORA is the high-energy circle dance often performed at Jewish wedding receptions.
(L) HORA (R) Beethoven ~ Horn Sonata in F major, Op. 17 ~ (1800)
22 Across. Port on the Strait of Gibraltar: TANGIER MOROCCO. The TANGO is a partner dance which originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata in South America.
(L) TANGO (R) Tangier, Morocco tourist video (6:04 min.)
36 Across. Anise-flavored Italian liqueur: SAMBUCA. The SAMBA is a lively dance of Afro-Brazilian origin. 
(L) SAMBA (R) SAMBUCA
46. Classic Chaney horror film: HOUSE OF DRACULA. HULA is a dance form developed in the Hawaiian Islands.
(L) HULA (R) 1945 movie trailer
57. Debut sport at the Paris Olympics, or what 16-, 22-, 36-, and 46-Across do to their circled letters: BREAK DANCE.
Breaking (or BREAK DANCing) was voted into the 2024 Games but did not make the cut for the 2028 Games. The competition consists of one-on-one battles. Contestants will be judged by varied criteria that is a mix of artistic expression and athletic power and grace. A huge obstacle is that contestants will not know the music ahead of time, requiring improvisation based on the DJ's tracks.
Next, let's boogie on over to the other clues.... 
Across:
1. Wrap party party: ACTOR. I loved this for a 1A clue! A wrap party is for everyone involved in making a movie or TV show to celebrate the end of filming. The meaning of the second "party" is "a person participating in an action or an affair".
6. C and D in D.C.: STS. STreetS Tricky! Tricky!
9. Muscat's country: OMAN. Muscat is the capital of OMAN. Its population is about 1.7 million people, making it OMAN's largest city.
6. C and D in D.C.: STS. STreetS Tricky! Tricky!
9. Muscat's country: OMAN. Muscat is the capital of OMAN. Its population is about 1.7 million people, making it OMAN's largest city.
13. "Say Anything ... " director Cameron: CROWE. This was a 1989 teen romcom staring John Cusack and crossword personality Ione Skye.
It has the iconic scene where John Cusack stands under his girlfriend's window, holding a boombox over his head playing In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel; however, that is not my favorite scene. Instead I am giving you this one: Lloyd Dobler's girlfriend is the class valedictorian. Her dad asks Lloyd about his future career plans. (1:23 min.)
14. At the summit of: ATOP.
15. Bring back to health: CURE. verb
18. "¿Cómo __ usted?": ESTA.
19. Gulp down: EAT.
20. Concave navel: INNIE. Omphalophobia is the fear of bellybuttons. Some people fear the knot will come undone but (#NewsFlash) there is no knot.
21. Barely known celebs: D-LIST.
25. Worker without lungs: ANT. I had the T so I first filled in "boT".
14. At the summit of: ATOP.
 |
| Snoopy prefers to sleep ATOP his doghouse. |
15. Bring back to health: CURE. verb
18. "¿Cómo __ usted?": ESTA.
19. Gulp down: EAT.
20. Concave navel: INNIE. Omphalophobia is the fear of bellybuttons. Some people fear the knot will come undone but (#NewsFlash) there is no knot.
21. Barely known celebs: D-LIST.
25. Worker without lungs: ANT. I had the T so I first filled in "boT".
Ants take in oxygen through tiny holes all over the body called spiracles. They emit carbon dioxide through these same holes.
26. Pumpkin __: PATCH.
27. Emails covertly: BCCS.
30. Networking device: MODEM. Nice. A MODEM is a connecting to the network device.
33. FaceTime platform: IOS. IOS is the proprietary operating system for iPhones and iPads.
35. Thai language kin: LAO.
38. Digit covered by a sock: TOE.
39. Address in a hyperlink: URL. Uniform Resource Locator
40. Flannel pattern: PLAID.
41. NASCAR great Petty: KYLE. kylepetty.com says he is a "racer, TV personality, musician, philanthropist, author, and speaker".
42. Makes fuzzy: BLURS.
44. Prefix sometimes paired with "het": CIS-. I am not sure about this one. It possibly refers to people who are both CISgener and heterogenous.
52. Happen next: ENSUE.
53. Got out of 63-Across: AROSE. and 63 Across. Place to sleep: BED.
54. Aircraft carrier letters: USS.
56. Wild animal's den: LAIR. Sometimes the clue/answer is "Wild animal's lair: DEN".
59. Item used onstage: PROP.
60. "It's the least __ do!": I CAN.
61. "From the top!": AGAIN.
62. __ serif: SANS. SANS means "without". Its etymology is from Middle English's saun or sans, which can be traced back to Latin's sine.
64. Scholarship factor: MERIT.
Down:
1. Post-Pilates pain: ACHE.
2. Dubrovnik native: CROAT. Today I learned that the Republic of Dubrovnik was the world's first state to recognize the United States of America (in 1776).
3. Mexican sandwich: TORTA. Several internet sources say that, in Mexico, TORTA is a subcategory of sandwiches because it is made on a roll as opposed to sliced bread. TORTA also means "cake" in other Spanish-speaking countries.
4. Utterly dominate: OWN. I was ready to change the O to a P, if needed. We've had the gaming slang PWN in past puzzles.
5. Quit one's job: RESIGN.
6. Escalator part: STAIR. Here is a video of people encountering an escalator for the first time. (1:31 min.) I love their willingness to try out this curious contraption.
7. Symbol carved on a pole: TOTEM.
8. Infrared sauna spot: SPA.
9. Second-largest spotted cat in South America: OCELOT.
10. Nashville nickname: MUSIC CITY.
11. Drawing class offerer: ART SCHOOL.
12. "Excellent!": NEATO.
14. Hathaway of "Interstellar": ANNE. She starred with Matthew McConaughey and Jessica Chastain in this 2014 movie.
17. "I'll handle that!": ON IT.
21. Comedy counterpart: DRAMA. This made me think of the masks.
23. "That's What I Want" singer Lil __ X: NAS.
24. Oil cartel letters: OPEC.
27. __-ray disc: BLU.
28. Pasta dish with bacon, eggs, and cheese: CARBONARA.
29. Illegal cooperation: COLLUSION. Fun word! It means "secret agreement or cooperation especially for an illegal or deceitful purpose". Cue the trailer for The Parent Trap (1961).
30. UFC fighting style: MMA. Ultimate Fighting Championship and Mixed Martial Arts
31. __-Wan Kenobi: OBI. He is the Star Wars character to whom Princess Leia sends the hologram (1977).
32. Commercial flop: DUD. Def.: (noun) one that is ineffectual; failure.
34. "Didn't I warn you?": SEE.
36. Retail therapy session: SPREE. Retail therapy is not actual "therapy". It is shopping with the primary purpose of improving the buyer's mood and can lead to financial troubles that will only make matters worse.
37. In addition: ALSO.
41. Sunflower Showdown sch.: KSU. Kansas State University
26. Pumpkin __: PATCH.
 |
| Essay (569 words): The Great Pumpkin and Sincerity "...my Dad told us every year that the TV people changed the ending and this would be the year that the Great Pumpkin actually showed up." |
27. Emails covertly: BCCS.
30. Networking device: MODEM. Nice. A MODEM is a connecting to the network device.
33. FaceTime platform: IOS. IOS is the proprietary operating system for iPhones and iPads.
35. Thai language kin: LAO.
38. Digit covered by a sock: TOE.
39. Address in a hyperlink: URL. Uniform Resource Locator
40. Flannel pattern: PLAID.
41. NASCAR great Petty: KYLE. kylepetty.com says he is a "racer, TV personality, musician, philanthropist, author, and speaker".
42. Makes fuzzy: BLURS.
 |
| Sometimes BLURry is beautiful ... sometimes it is not. |
44. Prefix sometimes paired with "het": CIS-. I am not sure about this one. It possibly refers to people who are both CISgener and heterogenous.
52. Happen next: ENSUE.
53. Got out of 63-Across: AROSE. and 63 Across. Place to sleep: BED.
54. Aircraft carrier letters: USS.
 |
| My brother's grandson is stationed on this aircraft carrier. We're proud of him. |
56. Wild animal's den: LAIR. Sometimes the clue/answer is "Wild animal's lair: DEN".
59. Item used onstage: PROP.
 |
| Broadway's 8 Most Iconic PROPs |
60. "It's the least __ do!": I CAN.
61. "From the top!": AGAIN.
62. __ serif: SANS. SANS means "without". Its etymology is from Middle English's saun or sans, which can be traced back to Latin's sine.
64. Scholarship factor: MERIT.
Down:
1. Post-Pilates pain: ACHE.
2. Dubrovnik native: CROAT. Today I learned that the Republic of Dubrovnik was the world's first state to recognize the United States of America (in 1776).
3. Mexican sandwich: TORTA. Several internet sources say that, in Mexico, TORTA is a subcategory of sandwiches because it is made on a roll as opposed to sliced bread. TORTA also means "cake" in other Spanish-speaking countries.
4. Utterly dominate: OWN. I was ready to change the O to a P, if needed. We've had the gaming slang PWN in past puzzles.
5. Quit one's job: RESIGN.
 |
| Uh-huh...yep. |
6. Escalator part: STAIR. Here is a video of people encountering an escalator for the first time. (1:31 min.) I love their willingness to try out this curious contraption.
7. Symbol carved on a pole: TOTEM.
8. Infrared sauna spot: SPA.
9. Second-largest spotted cat in South America: OCELOT.
 |
| So gorgeous! |
10. Nashville nickname: MUSIC CITY.
11. Drawing class offerer: ART SCHOOL.
12. "Excellent!": NEATO.
14. Hathaway of "Interstellar": ANNE. She starred with Matthew McConaughey and Jessica Chastain in this 2014 movie.
17. "I'll handle that!": ON IT.
21. Comedy counterpart: DRAMA. This made me think of the masks.
23. "That's What I Want" singer Lil __ X: NAS.
24. Oil cartel letters: OPEC.
27. __-ray disc: BLU.
28. Pasta dish with bacon, eggs, and cheese: CARBONARA.
 |
| Yesterday we had "46A Like carbonara: BACONY." |
29. Illegal cooperation: COLLUSION. Fun word! It means "secret agreement or cooperation especially for an illegal or deceitful purpose". Cue the trailer for The Parent Trap (1961).
30. UFC fighting style: MMA. Ultimate Fighting Championship and Mixed Martial Arts
31. __-Wan Kenobi: OBI. He is the Star Wars character to whom Princess Leia sends the hologram (1977).
32. Commercial flop: DUD. Def.: (noun) one that is ineffectual; failure.
34. "Didn't I warn you?": SEE.
36. Retail therapy session: SPREE. Retail therapy is not actual "therapy". It is shopping with the primary purpose of improving the buyer's mood and can lead to financial troubles that will only make matters worse.
41. Sunflower Showdown sch.: KSU. Kansas State University
The sunflower is the state flower of Kansas.
43. Takes over by force: USURPS. Def.: (verb) to seize and hold (office, place, functions, powers, etc.) in possession by force or without right.
44. Whiskey barrel: CASK.
45. Winter river blockage: ICE DAM.
46. Assists: HELPS.
47. Absurdist comedy: FARCE. This video explains the differences between parody, FARCE, and satire. (6:43 min.)
48. Anticipate with fear: DREAD.
49. Multicolored horse: ROAN. Having been around, ridden, and owned ROAN horses, I always feel like the color of these horses is difficult to capture in a crossword clue.
50. Moon-related: LUNAR.
51. Computer character set: ASCII.
55. In the mail: SENT.
57. Tot's dinner garb: BIB.
58. 13.7 billion years, for our universe: AGE. This puzzle both started and ended with memorable clues.
43. Takes over by force: USURPS. Def.: (verb) to seize and hold (office, place, functions, powers, etc.) in possession by force or without right.
44. Whiskey barrel: CASK.
45. Winter river blockage: ICE DAM.
46. Assists: HELPS.
47. Absurdist comedy: FARCE. This video explains the differences between parody, FARCE, and satire. (6:43 min.)
48. Anticipate with fear: DREAD.
49. Multicolored horse: ROAN. Having been around, ridden, and owned ROAN horses, I always feel like the color of these horses is difficult to capture in a crossword clue.
50. Moon-related: LUNAR.
51. Computer character set: ASCII.
55. In the mail: SENT.
57. Tot's dinner garb: BIB.
 |
| Ick! |
58. 13.7 billion years, for our universe: AGE. This puzzle both started and ended with memorable clues.
That's all for today. What do you think? Was this puzzle a waltz in the park?
