April 5, 2021

Title: FINAL FOUR

Constructors: Brooke Husic & Claire Rimkus

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

CUT CORNERS (16A: Do a sloppy job, perhaps)

REVOLVING DOOR (26A: Energy-efficient entrance)

PERFECT SQUARE (48A: 4, 9, or 49)

WET SEASONS (63A: Periods when 31-Down is abundant)

Theme synopsis: The FINAL word of each of the FOUR theme answers can follow the word FOUR. We have FOUR CORNERS, FOUR DOOR, FOUR SQUARE, and FOUR SEASONS.

And now a word from our constructors:

Brooke & Claire: We hope you enjoy solving this puzzle as much as we enjoyed making it together!

Things I learned:

• JUGS (24A: Instruments for Gus Cannon) Gus Cannon was a blues musician. He helped popularize JUG bands in the 1920s and 1930s. His band was named Cannon's JUG Stompers. A JUG band plays a mix of conventional and homemade instruments. Other homemade instruments may include spoons, a washboard, and a comb and tissue paper harmonica. Gus Cannon also played the banjo, trombone, fiddle, piano, and guitar.
• AYANNA (35A: "Sex, Race and Robots" author Howard) AYANNA Howard is the dean of the College of Engineering at The Ohio State University, a position she assumed on March 1 of this year. An accomplished roboticist, entrepreneur, and educator, Dr. AYANNA Howard has worked at NASA and Microsoft Corp., and in 2013 she founded the educational robotics firm, Zyrobotics. Her book, Sex, Race, and Robots: How to Be Human in the Age of AI, discusses racial and sexual biases in artificial intelligence. 
• BON (47A: Folk band ___ Iver) The indie folk band, BON Iver took their name from a wintertime greeting on the TV series, Northern Exposure. The band was founded in 2007 by singer-songwriter, Justin Vernon, and released their debut album that year, For Emma, Forever Ago. 
• TARAJI (7D: "Around the Way Girl" memoirist Henson) TARAJI Henson played the role of Katherine Johnson in the 2016 movie, Hidden Figures. Her autobiography, Around the Way Girl, was also released in 2016, and became a New York Times bestseller. 

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• HOPI (15A: ___-Tewa (Arizona people)) The HOPI-Tewa are a group of Pueblo Indigenous Americans who speak the Tewa language, and reside on the HOPI reservation in Arizona. 
• EPCOT (19A: Where to ride Frozen Ever After) Frozen Ever After is a ride at the EPCOT theme park that features scenes inspired by the animated movies Frozen and Frozen II. A Frozen Ever After ride is scheduled to open at Hong Kong Disneyland this year.
• STATIC (22A: Hair-raising phenomenon) This was a fun clue!
• ONEIDA (41A: Graham Greene's nation) Graham Greene's acting credits include Dancing with Wolves, The Adventures of Dudley the Dragon, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, and Goliath. He is an ONEIDA, and was born on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, Canada.
• LEA (58A: Actress Salonga) LEA Salonga has appeared in a number of Broadway stage productions, including Miss Saigon, for which she won a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, on Outer Critics Circle Award, and a Theatre World Award. She also supplied the singing voices for Disney princesses Jasmine and Mulan. LEA Salonga was born in Manila, Philippines.
• UNA (25D: "___ mujer fantastica" (2017 Daniela Vega film)) UNA mujer fantástica (A Fantastic Woman) won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Daniela Vega plays the role of Marina Vidal, a young transgender woman dealing with grief after the death of her lover, and struggling to be respected by those around her.
• APPS (55D: Clue, Flo and Glow) Clue, Flo, and Glow are women's health APPS that assist with tracking and predicting menstruation and ovulation.

Geography review:

• COTE (17D: ___ d'Ivoire) COTE d'Ivoire, or the Ivory Coast, is an African country, and one of several countries which have two capitals. The political capital is Yamoussoukro, while the economic capital and largest city is Abidjan.
• ESSEX (54D: Connecticut town with a steam train) The ESSEX Steam Train is a popular attraction in ESSEX, Connecticut. It is operated by the Valley Railroad Company, which has been in existence since 1868.

It is fun that yesterday's puzzle was titled FOUR BY FOUR, and today we have the FINAL FOUR. I think there's also some sports event happening that makes this puzzle timely... I'm kidding - the FINAL FOUR is one of the sports things I'm aware of, but back to this puzzle's FINAL FOUR. This is a lovely set of theme answers. I was on the lookout for FOUR SQUARE, and PERFECT SQUARE is my favorite theme answer. Clues that made me smile include the previously mentioned clue for STATIC, as well as PET CARRIER (3D: Transport for Whiskers). I appreciated learning about Gus Cannon and AYANNA Howard today. This puzzle was an enjoyable way to begin my Monday.