March 30, 2021

Title: Dually Noted

Constructor: Paolo Pasco

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

DOWNWARD DOG (17A: Pose also called Adho Mukha Svanasana)

RETURN RECEIPT (38A: Slip provided as proof of delivery)

MIRACLE MILE (61A: L.A. Neighborhood home to Museum Row)

Theme synopsis: Each theme answer is composed of two words that begin with the same letter. The repeated letters - moving down the puzzle - are the first three NOTES of a C major musical scale. We have DO DO RE RE MI MI. 

Things I learned:

• DOTTY (5A: Animal Crossing rabbit) Remember the video game series Animal Crossing? Last June I learned that the hedgehogs in the game were named Sable Able and Mable Able. In October of last year, I learned that turnips are sold at the Stalk Market in Animal Crossing. Today I learned that DOTTY is a black and white rabbit with turquoise ears who is a villager in the games. Her round eyes go red when she is surprised or shocked. 
• NHL (16A: Manon Rheaume's sports org. circa 1992) Manon Rhéaume is a retired hockey player. She played in preseason games for NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992 and 1993, making her the first woman to play in the NHL. Manon Rhéaume, who played the position of goaltender, also played for several different teams in the International Hockey League, and for Canada's national women's ice hockey team.
• BASSIST (20A: Meshell Ndegeocello is one) Meshell Ndegeocello is a singer, songwriter, rapper, and BASSIST. In February of this year, Meshell Ndegeocello performed a Tiny Desk (Home) Concert for NPR. 
• SHE-RA (27A: Animated show with the ship Catradora) SHE-RA and the Princesses of Power is an animated TV series telling the story of Adora, a teenager who can transform into SHE-RA, the leader of a group of magical princesses rebelling against the evil Lord Hordak. In this clue, the word ship is not referring to a boat, but a relationship between Adora and her best-friend-turned-enemy-turned-ally-and-love, Catra. 
• HAN (60A: Culture worker Karen) Karen HAN is a writer whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, VICE, New York Magazine, and Slate.
• NEWSOM (3D: "Sapokanikan" artist Joanna) Joanna NEWSOM is a singer-songwriter and musician. "Sapokanikan" is a song from her 2015 album, Divers.
• INDIE POP (10D: Genre for mxmtoon and Superorganism) The INDIE POP artist and YouTuber, mxmtoon, is known for singing and playing the ukulele. The London-based INDIE POP band, Superorganism consists of members from England, USA, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. They released a self-titled album in 2018. 
• NETS (Sepak takraw court dividers) Sepak takraw is also known as kick volleyball. The sport originated in Southeast Asia. Players are only allowed to use their feet, knee, and head to touch the ball.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• DOWNWARD DOG (17A: Pose also called Adho Mukha Svanasana) DOWNWARD DOG has been referred to as the "quintessential yoga pose." In DOWNWARD DOG, named for its resemblance to a stretching dog, one's hands and feet are on the floor, with head down and butt and hips in the air.
• MAYOR (24A: Title held by Leodore Lionheart in Zootopia) In the 2016 animated movie, Zootopia, the role of MAYOR Leodore Lionheart was voiced by J.K. Simmons.
• KEN (42A: Name found in "shuriken") and IKE (64A: Name found in "shuriken") This was a fun pair of clues. (When I reached the second clue, I thought, "Wait, I already filled that in...") A shuriken is a weapon also known as a throwing star. It is used as a concealed weapon, and its name conceals many other names. Interestingly, the first answer I filled in was "Uri," which is also a name found in "shuriken."
• ALLISON (58A: "Mom" star Janney) In the TV sitcom, Mom, ALLISON Janney plays the role of Bonnie Plunkett, recovering addict and mother of Christy Plunkett, played by Anna Farris.
• PET (67A: Perry the Platypus, to Phineas and Ferb) and OWNER (48D: Phineas and Ferb, to Perry the Platypus) Another fun pair of clues. Perry the Platypus is the Flynn-Fletcher family PET on the animated TV series, Phineas and Ferb. Unbeknownst to his OWNERs, Perry leads a double life as Agent P, a member of an animal espionage organization referred to as O.W.C.A. (Organization Without a Cool Acronym).
• AROACE (2D: Like someone who doesn't experience romantic or sexual attraction, for short) AROACE is a term for someone who identifies as aromatic (ARO) and asexual (ACE).
• BEE (37D: Scripps National mascot) The Scripps National Spelling BEE is held annually in the United States. 

Geography review:

• IDAHO (15A: State home to some Bannock people) The Bannock are indigenous people who lived in the Great Basin area of the United States. Many of them live on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in southeastern IDAHO.
• MIRACLE MILE (61A: L.A. Neighborhood home to Museum Row) MIRACLE MILE is a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California. The neighborhood contains a section of Wilshire Boulevard known as Museum Row, which is home to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Petersen Automotive Museum, A+D Museum, Craft Contemporary, and the George C. Page Museum. 
• PACER (52D: Indiana NBAer) The Indiana PACERs play their home games in Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

A fun musical theme today which may result in The Sound of Music song, "DO-RE-MI" being my earworm for the day. (Or maybe "DO-DO-RE-RE-MI-MI...") After discovering DOWNWARD DOG, I wondered if the theme would be phrases with both words beginning with DO-, but it turned out to be even better than that. A mini-theme of animated animals today with DOTTY the rabbit, MAYOR Leodore Lionheart, and Perry the Platypus. I enjoyed the answers EGO BOOST, RICE CAKE, and SHOOING. Another puzzle where I learned quite a bit, making it on the challenging side, but ultimately solvable. This puzzle was a delightful way to begin my Tuesday.