What Today’s Puzzle Taught Me
RATTAIL (13D: Padawan braid, essentially): A RATTAIL hairstyle features a longer portion of hair at the back of the head, often braided or curled. In the Star Wars universe, Padawans wear a RATTAIL braid to signify their rank, which is cut upon becoming a Jedi Knight.
AIM (25D: Early chat app with the “Running Man” mascot): AIM, short for AOL Instant Messenger, used the “Running Man” mascot – a yellow stick figure – until its discontinuation in 2017.
Random Thoughts & Interesting Facts
OPERA (14A: “The Phantom of the ___”) and COMPOSER (7D: Person writing the music for a musical): Andrew Lloyd Webber composed The Phantom of the OPERA, which holds the record for the longest-running show on Broadway, with 13,981 performances and seven Tony Awards.
ASIA (16A: Thailand’s continent): Thailand is situated in Southeast ASIA, appearing frequently in crosswords this month and poised to maintain its lead over ERIE in puzzle appearances.
MEATY (17A: Like Bolognese sauce): Bolognese sauce is known for its MEATY texture, originating from Bologna, Italy.
SUNSET STRIP (18A: Hollywood area home to The Comedy Store and Whisky a Go Go): The SUNSET STRIP in California hosts iconic landmarks like The Comedy Store and Whisky a Go Go, famous for hosting legendary performers.
I, TOO (32A: “___, am America” Langston Hughes line): This Langston Hughes poem featured yesterday’s puzzle, now ending today’s with the line “I, TOO, am America.”
ROSS (42A: “black-ish” actress Tracee Ellis): Tracee Ellis ROSS starred in the TV series black-ish alongside Anthony Anderson.
BRUSSELS (46A: Capital of Belgium): BRUSSELS serves as the capital of Belgium in Northwestern Europe.
ADA (52A: Poet Limon): ADA Limón, the current U.S. Poet Laureate, composed a poem titled “In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa,” to be etched onto the Europa Clipper spacecraft.
SAMOA (57A: Polynesian island nation): SAMOA, located in the Pacific Ocean, is the home to Apia, its capital city.
YEARBOOKS (6D: They’re often signed with “HAGS”): “HAGS” is a common yearbook sign-off meaning “Have a great summer.”
BTS (26D: “Dynamite” band): K-pop sensation BTS released the song “Dynamite” in 2020, their first fully English track.
ARI (39D: “BMO” singer Lennox): ARI Lennox’s single “BMO” features on her album “Shea Butter Baby” from 2019.
YOLO (55D: Acronym justifying some stunts): YOLO, or “you only live once,” often rationalizes risky behavior.
Crossword Puzzle Theme Summary
SUNSET STRIP (18A: Hollywood area home to The Comedy Store and Whisky a Go Go) HULA SKIRT (35A: Luau dancing garment) MERRY-GO-ROUND (54A: Carnival ride also known as a carousel) Each theme answer’s final word, or TIP, corresponds to a type of STEAK: STRIP STEAK, SKIRT STEAK, and ROUND STEAK.
