June 1, 2021

Title: GAY OUTREACH

Constructor: Enrique Henestroza Anguiano

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

******This puzzle is part of the USA Today Pride Puzzle Series******

Theme Answers:

GET UNDERWAY (20A: Begin)

GREETED THE DAY (37A: Woke up)

GO ON DISPLAY (57A: Be placed in the public eye)

Theme synopsis: The word GAY is REACHing OUT and surrounding the theme answers.

Things I learned:

• OPERA (15A: Lucia Lucas performance) Lucia Lucas is a baritone OPERA singer. In May 2019, she played the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni at the Tulsa OPERA, becoming the first transgender baritone to sing a principal OPERA role on an American stage. Her Tulsa performance is the subject of the documentary The Sound of Identity, which is being released today and is available for streaming on several platforms. 
• WEST (67A: Drag queen and philanthropist Nina) Nina WEST is the stage persona of Andrew Levitt. WEST was a contestant on season 11 of RuPaul's Drag Race, placing sixth and winning Miss Congeniality. Nina WEST's motto is, "Go Big, Be Kind, Go West." In 2015, the Nina WEST Foundation was established to support nonprofits that provide services for the LGBTQ community. In 2019, Columbus, Ohio, Nina's home city, named a street The Nina WEST Way.
• SUBURBIA (11D: "WandaVision" setting (or is it?)) WandaVision is a TV miniseries featuring Marvel Comics characters Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany). The show is set in SUBURBIA, three weeks after the events of the 2019 movie, Avengers: Endgame. However, as the show progresses, things are not as they seem... I have heard about WandaVision, but have not watched it, so was thankful for crossing answers to uncover SUBURBIA.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• TEMPT (5A: Dangle a carrot in front of) I was TEMPTed to fill in "tease" and "taunt" (and in fact did so), before realizing that TEMPT was the correct answer.
• ISABEL (31A: Chilean novelist Allende) ISABEL Allende has published 24 books that have been translated into more than 42 languages. Her first book, The House of Spirits (La casa de los espiritus), published in 1982, began as a letter to her dying grandfather. Her most recent book, published in March of this year, is a memoir titled The Soul of a Woman. In addition to her writing, ISABEL Allende is known for her activism in supporting and empowering women and girls.
• TET (50A: Vietnamese holiday during which bau cua ca cop might be played) TET celebrates the arrival of spring based on the Vietnamese calendar. Bầu cua tôm cá is a Vietnamese game often played at TET. The three dice used for the gambling game feature pictures of a fish, a prawn, a crab, a rooster, a gourd, and a stag. Players bet on which pictures will appear.
• OSAKA (54A: Four-time Grand Slam champ Naomi) and GO ON DISPLAY (57A: Be placed in the public eye) Naomi OSAKA won her fourth Grand Slam title in February of this year. Her appearance in today's puzzle just above the theme answer GO ON DISPLAY is so timely and appropriate. You've likely seen the news by now of Naomi OSAKA's decision to withdraw from the French Open after being fined for refusing to make press conference appearances. I have major respect for Naomi OSAKA for standing up for herself, knowing what she needs to do, and having the courage to do it. 
• SAX SOLO (13D: Feature of a Charlie Parker jazz number) Charlie Parker was a jazz saxophonist, band leader, and composer. Among other things, he is known for his SAX SOLOs, and was admired for his innovative use of rhythm.
• YES (22D: Word that turns a proposal into an engagement) I liked this sweet answer a lot.
• SELA (33D: Actress Ward) SELA Ward's acting credits include the role of Teddy Read on the TV series, Sisters, the role of Jessica Savitch in the TV movie, Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story, and the role of Sharon Schieber in the movie, Gone Girl.
• TROOP (45D: Girl Scout units) My mind was playing tricks on me and read this clue as "Girl Scout cookie units," so I was thinking, "sleeves?" "boxes?" No surprise that my brain is thinking of cookies, but it was not helpful here!
• SKATER (48D: Adam Rippon, e.g.) Adam Rippon is a retired competitive figure SKATER. He represented the U.S. at the 2018 Winter Olympics, winning a bronze metal in the figure skating team event. He won season 26 of Dancing with the Stars, with professional dancer Jenna Johnson. His 2019 memoir is titled Beautiful on the Outside.  

Geography review:

• ALTA (63A: Utah ski resort) ALTA is a ski area in the Wasatch Mountains in Utah.

Happy Pride Month! Today's puzzle is here with some GAY OUTREACH to GET UNDERWAY with celebrating Pride with a series of USA Today Pride Puzzles. (It's GAME TIME!) I enjoyed the theme of this puzzle, as well as the fill and cluing. I appreciated learning about Lucia Lucas and Nina WEST. I was thrilled that I GREETED THE DAY by solving this puzzle, as it was a delightful way to begin my Tuesday, and the month of June.