June 24, 2021

Title: FLYING HIGH

Constructor: Enrique Henestroza Anguiano

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

SQUIRREL AWAY (4D: Store safely for later)

CARPET CLEANER (14D: Product for getting out muddy paw stains)

SOLO MUSICIAN (21D: One who goes it alone on albums)

Theme synopsis: In each vertical theme answer, the HIGHest (first) word can follow the word FLYING. We have a FLYING SQUIRREL, a FLYING CARPET, and FLYING SOLO.

Things I learned:

• OLE (15A: Argentina sports newspaper) OLÉ is published daily in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Its coverage includes football (the sport known as soccer in the United States), other Argentina-related sports news, and international sports news. Although I didn't know this answer, it was easy to figure out. Nice to see a new cluing angle for OLÉ.
• GRAND SLAM (20A: Tennis feat achieved twice by Aniek van Koot) In tennis, the GRAND SLAM tournaments are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Tennis players winning all four tournaments in the same year are said to have achieved a GRAND SLAM. Dutch tennis player Aniek van Koot achieved a GRAND SLAM in Wheelchair Women's Doubles in 2013 with Jiske Griffioen. In 2019 she again achieved a GRAND SLAM in Wheelchair Women's Doubles, this time with Diede de Groot. 
• ELL (45A: Country singer Lindsay) Lindsay ELL won the Canadian Country Music Association's Award for Interactive Artist of the Year in 2019 and 2020. Her most recent album, released in 2020, is titled Heart Theory. In 2019, Lindsay ELL released a duet with Brantley Gilbert, "What Happens in a Small Town."

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• ONE (28A: Aaliyah album "___ in a Million") Released in 1996, ONE in a Million was the second album for R&B and pop artist Aaliyah. Even if you aren't familiar with Aaliyah's music, the answer is inferable, as "ONE in a million" is a common phrase.
• OPAL (36A: Black Lives Matter co-founder Tometi) OPAL Tometi, Alicia Garza, and Patrisse Cullors initiated the use of the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on social media in July 2013 following the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the death of Trayvon Martin. 
• UNDO (43A: Ctrl+Z action) Shoutout to my absolute favorite computer command. I've already used it this morning. Someone should write an "Ode to Ctrl Z."
• ACT UP (54A: Group founded to combat AIDS) ACT UP (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power) is a grassroots group, formed in 1987, working to end the AIDS epidemic. ACT UP advocates for sustained investment in research, equitable access to prevention and care, and dismantling of the stigma, discrimination, and poverty systems that have driven the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
• TOK (65A: Kesha hit "TiK ___") "TiK TOK" was Kesha's debut single. It was released in 2009, seven years before the launch of the social media application Wikipedia tells me is not to be confused with this song. 
• GONNA (20D: "It's ___ Be Me" (*NSYNC song))  The music video for *NSYNC's 2000 song "It's GONNA Be Me" depicts the members of *NSYNC as action doll figures in a store attempting to be purchased.
• EAST L.A. (29D: Latino Walk of Fame neighborhood) The Latino Walk of Fame is on Whittier Boulevard in EAST L.A. Sadly, the Whittier Boulevard Merchants Association has struggled to find funding to complete the Latino Walk of Fame. The Walk is a series of sundial plaques, each costing about $10,000. The first plaque was placed in 1997. The plan was to install 280 plaques, but only about a dozen were installed. No new sundials have been placed since the one honoring José José in 2008. 
• TIDE (34D: Maker of pods that aren't edible) I always imagine the TIDE executives saying, "We didn't think it was necessary to specifically tell you not to eat these..."

Geography review:

• NILE (30A: River in Egypt) The NILE River crosses Egypt, as well as ten other countries in Africa (Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, and Republic of the Sudan).
• OMAN (8D: Persian Gulf country) The Sultanate of OMAN is on the Arabian Peninsula at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. The capital of OMAN is Muscat.

Some fun theme answers today leading to equally delightful new phrases. My favorite theme answer today is SQUIRREL AWAY, and FLYING SQUIRRELS are pretty amazing. I really enjoyed the clue for VERY FUNNY (52A: "Well, aren't you the comedian!") This puzzle was a great way to begin my Thursday.