March 31, 2021

Title: LOOK INSIDE

Constructor: Zhouqin Burnikel

Editors: Erik Agard & Amanda Rafkin

Theme Answers:

GOOSE EGGS (17A: Big ol' zeros)

ADVERSE EFFECTS (28A: Undesired consequences)

FALSE EYELASHES (46A: Extensions you can bat)

LOOSE ENDS (63A: Things to tie up)

Theme synopsis: Take a LOOK at each theme answer, and INSIDE each one you will find the word SEE bridging the two words in the answer.

Things I learned:

• LENA (54D: IOSL leader Maggie ___ Walker) The Independent Order of St. Luke (IOSL) began as a burial society and evolved into a fraternal organization that identified the needs and improved the lives of Black Americans. Maggie LENA Walker joined the IOSL when she was fourteen years old, and served the order in many roles, including its top leadership position, Right Worthy Grand Secretary. In the early 1900s, Maggie LENA Walker chartered the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank, making her the first Black woman to charter a bank in the United States.
• NOOK (56D: Animal Crossing raccoon Tom) Just yesterday I learned about DOTTY the Rabbit from the Animal Crossing video games. Now I also know that Tom NOOK is a raccoon who manages the town shop in the games. Tom NOOK is also a real estate broker, and gives the player a no-interest loan to buy a house.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• LEOS (26A: Some August births) Hey, I am one of those LEOS! Since it's not August, today is obviously not my birthday. It is, however, my daughter's birthday. Happy birthday, Leah!
• FUSIONS (38A: Culinary mash-ups) In culinary terms, FUSIONS combine elements of culinary traditions that originate from different countries. Sushi pizza is an example of culinary FUSION.
• HULU (52A: Streaming service whose name means "gourd" in Chinese) That's a fun fact! I also liked the mini-theme set of this clue/answer along with UNE (5D: French for "a"), FRAU (25D: Mrs. in German), and CARNE (31D: Spanish for meat). A nice set of language clues.
• PANEL (65A: "RuPaul's Drag Race" group) RuPaul's Drag Race is a TV competition series documenting RuPaul's search for "America's next drag superstar." Each week contestants face challenges and are evaluated by a PANEL of judges.
• LUGE (1D: Fastest sliding sport in the Winter Olympics) A LUGE is a small sled holding one or two people. Riders lie face up and sled feet first. The top speed recorded on a LUGE was 96 mph on a track in Canada prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics.
• EGOT (3D: Multi-award designation for Rita Moreno) EGOT is an acronym for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards, and is used as a designation for people, like Rita Moreno, who have won all four of these honors. Rita Moreno won Emmy Awards in 1977 for The Muppet Show, and 1978 for The Rockford Files, a Grammy in 1972 for a recording of The Electric Company, an Oscar in 1962 for Westside Story, and a Tony in 1975 for The Ritz. 
• SAGE (49D: Herb in saltimbocca) Saltimbocca is a dish in Italian cuisine that consists of veal wrapped with prosciutto and sage, and marinated in wine, oil, or saltwater.
• HIPS (52D: Rose ___ (herbal tea ingredients) Rose HIPS are fruits of the rose plant that form after successful pollination of the flowers. Rose HIPS are used in herbal teas, and also in making jams, jellies, marmalade, and wine.

Geography review:

• IBIZA (9A: Mediterranean island known for its nightlife) IBIZA is an island in the Mediterranean Sea off the eastern coast of Spain and the home of the world's largest nightclub. Privilege IBIZA, has a capacity of 10,000 people.
• MOTTO (19A: "L'etoile du Nord," for Minnesota) "L'etoile du Nord" is a French phrase meaning "The Star of the North."
• ATL (35A: Georgia airport code) ATL is the airport code for the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The airport is named for former Atlanta mayors, William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson.
• ERIE (18D: People with a namesake Great Lake) The ERIE are an indigenous people who historically lived on the south side of the Great Lake now bearing their name.
• SLAV (33D: Czech or Moravian) The SLAVic people are the largest ethnographic-linguistic group in Europe. The group includes those who speak any of the SLAVic languages.
• UTAH (53D: State home to Arches National Park) Arches National Park in UTAH is home to over
  
  2,000 natural sandstone arches. This photo shows Pine Tree Arch. The small blue speck in the photo is me, providing perspective for the size of the arch. 

My favorite theme answer today was FALSE EYELASHES. I SEE what you did there! I also chuckled that the puzzle's theme started out with nothing in the form of GOOSE EGGS, but by the end of the puzzle, all the LOOSE ENDS had been tied up. No ADVERSE EFFECTS from today's theme - enjoyable all around, and a delightful way to begin my Wednesday.