June 2, 2021

Title: KEEP IT BETWEEN US

Constructor: Sara Cantor

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

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

Theme Answers:

SWIMSUIT SEASON (19A: Time of the year to bust out your speedo)

QUIT SMOKING (24A: Kick a cigarette habit)

FRUIT SALADS (43A: Healthy desserts)

IT'S NOT YOU IT'S ME (49A: Classic breakup line)

Theme synopsis: In each theme answer, the word IT is between the letters U-S.

Things I learned:

• OIL (22A: "___ of Every Pearl's Un-Insides" (SOPHIE album)) Released in 2018, OIL of Every Pearl's Un-Insides was the debut studio album of Scottish musician and record producer, SOPHIE. The album featured the previously released single, "It's Okay to Cry." According to one article I found, the album's title may be a riff on "I Love Every Person's Insides."A remix album, OIL of Every Pearl's Un-Insides Non-Stop Remix Album, was released in 2019. SOPHIE died in January of this year as the result of an accidental fall. 
• YURI (46A: Manga genre that depicts intimate relationships between women) Manga are graphic novels originating from Japan. As the clue states, works in the YURI genre of manga depict intimate relationships between women. This can include romantic love, spiritual love, friendships, and rivalry.
• MATT (56A: Trans activist and author Kailey) MATT Kailey was a writer and managing editor for the magazine, Out Front Colorado. He wrote several books, including Just Add Hormones: An Insider's Guide to the Transsexual Experience, which documented his gender transition.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• MAL (6A: Prefix hidden in "drama llama") This clue made me laugh, because I just used the phrase "drama llama" yesterday. 
• RAVEN (13A: Actress ___-Symone) RAVEN-Symoné has been acting since she was four years old, and released her debut album, Here's to New Dreams, at the age of seven. From 2003 to 2007, she played the title character in the TV series, That's So Raven. Her latest project is hosting an HGTV show titled, What Not to Design.
• PATE (14A: Banh mi spread) Banh mi is the Vietnamese word for bread. A banh mi sandwich often contains pork and vegetables, with PATE, chili sauce, and mayo.
• I'M OLD (16A: Exclamation upon realizing that people born in 2000 can legally drink now, maybe) What a delightful clue! And also, "Wow, really?!" I have often said it is not my own age that makes me feel, "I'M OLD," but the ages of those around me.
• COLE (18A: "This Will Be" singer Natalie) "This Will Be" was Natalie COLE's debut single, released in 1975. The song reached number one on Billboard's R&B/ Hot Soul Singles chart.
• SWIMSUIT SEASON (19A: Time of the year to bust out your speedo) Another great clue - I filled in the correct answer immediately.
• ILANA (58A: Glazer of "Broad City") Broad City is a TV show developed from a web series of the same name. ILANA Glazer and Abbi Jacobson created and starred in the show, which is based on their real-life friendship and adventures in New York City.
• MAXI (6D: ___ challenge ("RuPaul's Drag Race" hurdle) Each episode of the reality TV show, RuPaul's Drag Race, features a MAXI challenge that tests skills in a variety of drag performance areas. Some episodes of the show also feature mini challenges, small assignments offering a prize to the winner which is a benefit in the MAXI challenge. Snatch Game, a parody of the TV show, Match Game, is an example of a MAXI challenge. During the Snatch Game, contestants impersonate celebrities or fictional characters.
• OSCAR (9D: Grouchy "Sesame Street" character) Whether or not you're
  
  feeling grouchy today, here's a video of OSCAR singing his signature song, "I Love Trash." Caroll Spinney, who originally voiced OSCAR, also provided the original voice of Big Bird. 
• EGG (21D: Shakshouka ingredient) Shakshouka - EGGs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and spices - is a dish in Middle Eastern cuisine that is traditionally served in a cast iron pan. 
• KERRI (28D: Gymnast Strug) KERRI Strug represented the United States in gymnastics at the 1996 Summer Olympics. She was part of the women's gymnastic team referred to as the "Magnificent Seven," that won the first women's gymnastics team gold medal for the United States. 
• YALE (51D: Jodie Foster's alma mater) Actress, director, and producer Jodie Foster majored in African-American literature at YALE, graduating in 1985. She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from YALE in 1997.
• MAMA (54D: "Suga ___" (Beyonce song)) "Suga MAMA" is a song from Beyoncé's 2006 studio album, B'Day.  
• ENBY (55D: Identity for some gender-fluid people) ENBY, or non-binary, refers to gender identities that are not exclusively masculine or feminine.

Geography review:

• PAULO (14D: Sao ___, Brazil) Sao PAULO, Brazil is the largest city in South America.

What a fun puzzle! When I read the title, I thought perhaps the theme answers would begin with the letter U and end with an S. IT was great fun to discover instead that the word IT was between the letters U-S. I appreciated seeing the letter string U-I-T-S always spanned two words in the answer. Some nice finds here. As I've mentioned a couple of times above, I enjoyed the cluing today. Some non-theme answers I liked include TACTICS, ENDMOST, and ICE CRYSTAL. This puzzle was a delightful start to my Wednesday. Really, there's no need to KEEP IT BETWEEN US - tell your friends to solve this puzzle!