Explore daily insights on the USA TODAY crossword puzzle by Sally Hoelscher. Uncover expert takes and answers in our crossword blog.
ESSAY (8D: Many a Saidiya Hartman work) Saidiya Hartman is a literary scholar, cultural historian, and a professor at Columbia University. Her work focuses on African American history and culture and on telling the stories of those whose lives have been sparsely documented and systematically excluded from historical archives. Her most recent book is titled Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Riotous Black Girls, Troublesome Women, and Queer Radicals (2019). In addition to her books, Saidiya Hartman has written ESSAYs (as this clue informs us) that have been published in a number of publications.
POET (55D: Writer such as Alice Oswald) Alice Oswald is an award-winning British POET. She was the Oxford Professor of Poetry from 2019-2023. You can read some of Alice Oswald’s poems at the Poetry Foundation website.
BEBE (18A: “Cheers” actor Neuwirth) BEBE Neuwirth’s breakthrough role was Dr. Lilith Sternin on the sitcom Cheers (1982-1993). The role started as a one-time guest appearance in the show’s fourth season, turned into a recurring character in the fifth season, and became a permanent character in season 10. BEBE Neuwirth won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on Cheers. She reprised the role of Dr. Lilith Sternin in the Cheers spin-off Frasier.
ALLAHU AKBAR (19A: Arabic for “God is greater”) The phrase “ALLAHU AKBAR” is used by Muslims in prayers and as a declaration of faith.
NIA (22A: Actress Long or Vardalos) NIA Long played the role of Beulah “Lisa” Wilkes on the TV series The Fresh Prince of Bel Air (1991-1995). In the upcoming biographical musical drama, Michael, NIA Long portrays Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine. NIA Vardalos starred as Fotoula “Toula” Portokalos in My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016), and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (2023). She also wrote the movies, and directed the most recent one.
STATUS (23A: ___ quo) STATUS quo is a Latin phrase that refers to the current state of affairs. I was on the debate team in high school, and STATUS quo always reminds me of that experience. I’m pretty sure that’s where I first encountered the phrase.
APRONS (32A: Garments that might say “Kiss the Cook”) This is a fun clue. I have two APRONS, both of which were gifts, and neither of which say “Kiss the Cook.” One of them has a crown on it and says, “Her Ladyship.” The other apron has pictures of cats and cat-related words all over it. (I know it’s surprising that I have a cat-themed APRON!)
BIEL (38A: “The Illusionist” star Jessica) The Illusionist is a 2006 movie loosely based on a short story by Steven Millhauser, “Eisenheim the Illusionist.” The movie is set in the 1800s in Vienna, Austria-Hungary and tells the story of Eisenheim the Illusionist, who falls in love with Duchess Sophie von Teschen. Jessica BIEL portrays the Duchess, and Edward Norton plays the role of Eisenheim.
FEED ME (52A: Demand from the carnivorous plant in “Little Shop of Horrors”) Little Shop of Horrors is a rock musical that has been adapted into a movie of the same name. The musical is set in a florist shop and the story concerns a plant that feeds on human blood and flesh. This is a great clue for “FEED ME!”
PUPU PLATTER (54A: Hawaiian appetizer tray) A PUPU PLATTER consists of an assortment of meat and seafood appetizers, such as an egg roll, spare ribs, chicken wings, fried shrimp, crab rangoon, etc. In Hawaiian, “pū-pū” denotes a relish, appetizer, or canapé.
AULD (62A: “___ Lang Syne”) “AULD Lang Syne” was written by Scottish POET Robert Burns in 1788, who based it on an older Scottish folk song. This answer feels timely, as the song is often song on New Year’s Eve to bid farewell to the old year.
TOMB (7D: Target for Lara Croft) Lara Croft is the protagonist of the video game franchise TOMB Raider. Angelina Jolie played Lara Croft in the movies based on the video game, Lara Croft: TOMB Raider (2001) and LARA Croft: TOMB Raider – The Cradle of Life (2003). This is a fabulous way to clue the word TOMB.
REBIRTH (11D: Event for a phoenix) A phoenix is a mythical bird of ancient Greek folklore that combusts into flames when it dies. The phoenix then experiences a REBIRTH from the ashes.
IN PEN (29D: Confident way to solve a crossword) This clue made me chuckle! I admit that I used to solve crosswords IN PEN. Nowadays I solve most of my crosswords digitally. When I do solve crosswords on paper, I use a mechanical pencil and make sure it has an eraser. Perhaps I’ve gotten humbler as I’ve grown older.
BAHAMAS (38D: Nassau’s country) The BAHAMAS is a country comprised of more than 700 islands. It is located in the Atlantic Ocean, north of Cuba and southeast of the U.S. state of Florida. Around 30 of the country’s islands are inhabited. Located on the island of New Providence, Nassau is the capital and largest city of The Bahamas.
TETLEY (49D: English tea company) The TETLEY tea company was founded by brothers Joseph and Edward TETLEY in Yorkshire, England in 1837.
UGLI (56D: Hybrid citrus fruit) UGLI fruit, also known as the Jamaican tangelo, is a natural hybrid of a tangerine and a grapefruit. The hybrid arose spontaneously in Jamaica and was discovered in the early 1900s. UGLI is a trade name for the fruit, used by Cabel Hall Citrus Limited.
EDM (59D: Deep house is a genre of it) EDM, or electronic dance music, is a broad label for percussive electronic music. House music is a genre of EDM that is characterized by a four-on-the-floor beat (a repetitive bass line accenting each beat). Deep house is a subgenre of house music that includes elements of jazz-funk and soul music.
A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
TEETH (30A: They’re shown off by some smiles)
STREET (41A: “Sesame ___”)
IN OR OUT (39D: “I’m gonna close the door, so make up your mind”)
ALLAHU AKBAR (19A: Arabic for “God is greater”)
ANJOU PEAR (36A: Fruit with a short neck)
PUPU PLATTER (54A: Hawaiian appetizer tray)
RIGHT YOU ARE: The RIGHTmost letter of the first word of each theme answer is U (sounds like YOU). The RIGHTmost letter of the second word of each theme answer is R (sounds like ARE). RIGHT U R: ALLAHU AKBAR, ANJOU PEAR, and PUPU PLATTER.
I enjoy themes that require a reinterpretation of some of the words in the title. Today the words YOU and ARE in the title are representing the letters U and R. Thank you, Will, for this delightful puzzle.
