January 18, 2021

Title: THE END

Constructor: Zhouqin Burnikel

Editors: Erik Agard & Amanda Rafkin

Theme Answers:

THAT'S FINAL (16A: "End of discussion")

ALWAYS BE CLOSING (36A: Salesperson's mantra)

FREE AT LAST (60A: Spiritual cited aspiration ally in King's "I Have a Dream" speech)

Theme synopsis: THE END of each theme answer is a homophone for THE END: FINAL, CLOSING, and LAST.

Things I learned:

• HUGH (53D: Trumpeter Masekela) In addition to being a trumpeter, HUGH Masekela also played the flugelhorn and was a composer. A South African, he wrote the anti-apartheid songs, "Soweto Blues," and "Bring Him Back Home." He was honored with a Google Doodle on April 4, 2019, which would have been his 80th birthday. (Masekela died in January 2018 at the age of 78.)
• LEE (61D: Actress Sheryl ___ Ralph) Sheryl LEE Ralph's breakthrough role was playing Deena Jones in the Broadway musical Dreamgirls in 1981. Her 2012 memoir is titled Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original Dreamgirl.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• TOMB (6A: The Pyramid of Khufu, e.g.) The Pyramid of Khufu is also known as the Great Pyramid of Giza, and is the oldest and largest of the pyramids in the Giza pyramid complex near Cairo, Egypt. It is believed the pyramid was built as a TOMB for the pharaoh Khufu around 2560 BC. 
• PEA (10A: Mattar paneer veggie) Mattar paneer is a North Indian dish of PEAs and paneer (Indian cottage cheese) in a tomato based sauce.
• ALWAYS BE CLOSING (36A: Salesperson's mantra) ALWAYS BE CLOSING or ABC, is a motivational phrase referring to the idea that a salesperson's goal should be to make a sale.
• FREE AT LAST (60A: Spiritual cited aspiration ally in King's "I Have a Dream" speech) Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered at a civil rights rally in Washington D.C. on August 28th, 1963.
• SMITH (15D: Stage and screen legend Maggie) Ah, the great Dame Maggie SMITH! She's appeared in so many films, plays, and TV series it would take a long time to list them all. She's even voiced a character in a video game - Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery. Most recently many people recognize her as the Dowager Countess of Grantham on Downton Abbey. 
• GIRL (24D: "___ With a Pearl Earring") GIRL With a Pearl Earring is an oil painting by Johannes Vermeer. The 1999 Tracy Chevalier novel, GIRL With a Pearl Earring, is historical fiction about the circumstances of the painting's creation. 
• EGGS (30D: Tamagoyaki ingredients) Zhouqin Burnikel introduced me to tamagoyaki, a type of Japanese omelet, in the August 16, 2020 puzzle.
• MARC (56D: Jacobs of fashion) The first clothing line bearing the MARC Jacobs label was designed in 1986. From 1997 to 2014, Jacobs was the creative director at the Louis Vuitton.

Geography review:

• SALEM (20A: Oregon's "Cherry City") SALEM, Oregon's nickname of the "Cherry City" refers to the past importance of the cherry-growing industry in the area.
• O'HARE (32A: Airport near the Loop) The Loop is the central business district of Chicago. O'HARE International Airport is located northwest of the Loop.
• DOHA (2D: Banana Island Resort city) DOHA is the capital and most populous city of Qatar. Banana Island is a small island in Qatar, and the location of the luxury resort, Banana Island Resort DOHA. 
• OMAN (3D: Country that borders Saudi Arabia) OMAN is located at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. In addition to bordering Saudi Arabia, OMAN also borders the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
• MIAMI (8D: City near Key Biscayne) Key Biscayne is an island off the coast of Florida, near MIAMI, and in MIAMI-Dade County.
• BEL (9D: ___ Air ("Fresh Prince" neighborhood)) The Fresh Prince of BEL-Air was a TV series set in the Los Angeles, California neighborhood, BEL Air. 
• ASIA (57D:  Shaanxi's continent) Shaanxi is a province of China.

I am so used to solving Zhouqin Burnikel puzzles on Wednesdays and Sundays, that I did a double-take when I saw the byline on today's puzzle, and wondered if I was confused about what day it is! It is indeed Monday, and after solving the puzzle, I understand why we have been treated to back-to-back Zhouqin Burnikel puzzles. Appropriate to see FREE AT LAST as a theme answer on this holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. I encourage you to spend part of today reading some of King's writings. We have a long way to go and a lot of work to do to achieve King's dream and be able to say we are all FREE AT LAST. Today (and every day) is a good day to recommit to that work. The rest of the puzzle is enjoyable as well, with THAT'S FINAL and ALWAYS BE CLOSING rounding out a great set of theme answers. HOW'D IT GO and PLEASE RISE are wonderful non-theme bonuses. Solving this puzzle was a delightful way to begin my Monday.