October 4, 2020

Title: BTS

Constructor: Zhouqin Burnikel

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

BAR TABS (16A: Bills for drinks)

BETA TESTS (28A: Checks for bugs)

BIG TIPS (36A: Good things to give delivery drivers)

BOOK TOURS (43A: Authors' promotions)

BUS TUBS (59A: Restaurant containers)

Theme synopsis: Each theme answer is a plural phrase with the first word beginning with B, and the second word beginning with T. Therefore, the theme answers are BT phrases, or BTS.

Things I learned:

• BTS is a South Korean boy band, and the best-selling artist in South Korean history. In 2018, their album Love Yourself: Tear reached the top of the Billboard chart, making BTS the first Korean act to top the Billboard charts. Since then, BTS has had three other albums top the charts. The seven members of BTS have received the Order of Cultural Merit from the President of South Korea for their contributions in spreading Korean culture and language.
• TESS (45A: Novelist Gerritsen) TESS Gerritsen is an author and a retired physician. Her medical thrillers with the central characters of homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles inspired the TV series Rizzoli & Isles. Fun Fact: TESS Gerritsen is the composer of "Incendio," a musical piece for violin and piano. The waltz was featured in the plot of one of her novels, Playing with Fire. 
• SOBA (2D: Noodle often served with mentsuyu) Mentsuyu is a condiment made from dashi (a type of stock or broth used in Japanese cuisine), soy sauce, Kirin, and sugar. Mentsuyu is used as a dipping sauce.
• PAULA (47D: Actress Patton) PAULA Patton's film debut was the 2005 movie, Hitch. Since then she has appeared in multiple movies including Déjà Vu, Warcraft, and The Perfect Match. She has also appeared on TV, including a guest spot on Sesame Street in 2013. 

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• MANET (19A: Painter referenced by the Mickalene Thomas work "Le Dejeuner Sur L'herbe: Les Trois Femmes Noires") MANET's 1863 painting, Le Dejeuner Sur L'herbe, depicts a female nude and a scantily dressed female bather on a picnic with two fully-clothed men. The painting sparked controversy when it was first exhibited, and is now in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. Mickalene Thomas's painting, Le déjuener sur l'herbs: Les Trois Femmes Noires is a reference to and critique of MANET's painting. Thomas's painting portrays three Black women wearing richly-colored, patterned clothing, and Afro-styled hair. The women's poses are similar to the subjects of MANET's painting, but they are looking at the viewer. Thomas created her painting in 2010 as a commission from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. The painting is currently on display in the lobby of P.S.1, a MoMA extension in Queens.
• FLO (38A: Saleswoman played by Stephanie Courtney) FLO is a character in ads for the Progressive Corporation. FLO has appeared in more than 100 ads since 2008.
• ORA (41A: Singer Rita whose surname means "time" in Albanian) ORA is also the title of Rita ORA's 2012 debut album.
• ROSETTA (56A: The ___ Stone) The ROSETTA Stone is a stone slab inscribed with three versions of a decree issued on behalf of King Ptolemy V Epiphanes in 196 BC. The ROSETTA Stone has been key in deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics. When I was in fifth grade I did a report on the ROSETTA Stone. It is one of the few things I actually remember learning that has stuck with me (as opposed to those things I know, but don't remember when I learned them).
• ELECTORAL (20D: The ___ College) Oh, look! Another opportunity to remind you to exercise your right to vote in the November 3 election if you are eligible to do so. 
• SHOW (31D: "That was quite a ___/Very entertaining" (Rihanna)) These lyrics are from Rihanna's 2008 song, "Take a Bow." The song is about Rihanna's disinterest in taking back an ex-boyfriend who cheated on her. Since 2019, the lyric has been used in a series of parodies on Twitter.

Geography review:

• ARI (53A: The Grand Canyon State, on scoreboards) The Grand Canyon, carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and over a mile deep. Although I have visited the Grand Canyon twice, my husband and kids have not been there. We had a family trip planned to the Grand Canyon for this past April. Well, we know how that story turned out. Someday...
• OMAN (2D: Neighbor of Yemen) OMAN is located on the Southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. In addition to Yemen, OMAN borders Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The capital of OMAN is Muscat.
• PESO (12D: Dominican Republic currency) The Dominican Republic is located on the island of Hispaniola which it shares with Haiti.

When I opened up the puzzle app this morning I said, "BTS? What is BTS." My husband said, "Isn't that the name of that South Korean boy band?" He was, of course, correct, and now you know my husband is more hip than I am. (We're talking degrees here; neither of us are exactly members of the IN GROUP! We're okay with that.) And yes, I realize the use of the word "hip" is not exactly hip. My unfamiliarity with BTS did not affect my enjoyment of the puzzle. The lower right corner gave me a slight challenge as I had misread the clue for 53-Down as [Sister band of Bentley] instead of "brand." I guess I had bands on the mind! This puzzle was an enjoyable solve to start my Sunday morning.