September 16, 2021

Title: BE UPFRONT

Constructor: Claire Rimkus

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

BURNT ENDS (17A: Kansas City barbecue specialty)

BALD EAGLE (31A: North American bird of prey)

BREAK EVEN (46A: Neither gain or lose)

BUNNY EARS (61A: Behind-the-head gesture in a photo) 

Theme synopsis: The first word in each theme answer begins with a B, and the second word begins with an E. Therefore we have the letters BE UPFRONT.

And now a word from our constructor: 

Claire: I realized this morning that I've used the theme entry BUNNYEARS previously, in my first ever USA Today puzzle on 12/31/19 -- fittingly for the date, each entry had NYE hidden within it. It's fun to think about how much I've grown as a constructor since that puzzle, all thanks to the wonderful editors and collaborators with whom I've worked!
A reminder: the fabulous Rachel Fabi continues to raise money for Texas abortion funds at Just Gridding, with bonus puzzles being posted as each milestone is met.

Things I learned:

• MARIA (20A: Sports analyst Taylor) MARIA Taylor is a sportscaster for NBC Sports. She is also a co-founder of Winning Edge, a Leadership Academy and nonprofit organization supporting women and minorities in the sports and entertainment industry. MARIA Taylor previously worked for ESPN. 
• ADOBE (32D: Great Mosque of Djenne building material) The Great Mosque of Djenné is located in West Africa in Djenné, Mali. The mosque is the largest ADOBE structure in the world, and was built in the early 1900s on the site of a previous mosque built in the thirteenth century. The Great Mosque of Djenné is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and one of the architectural wonders of Africa. Each year in April, a one-day event called the Crépissage, or Plastering, is held in which people come together to add mud to the building to reinforce its structure and ensure it will hold up during Mali's rainy season. 
• BOYEGA (36D: "Small Axe" actor John) I learned about Small Axe, an anthology film series created by Steve McQueen, from the December 31, 2020 puzzle. John BOYEGA won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Leroy Logan in the third episode of Small Axe. 

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• ALOO (13A: Starch in Indian cuisine) ALOO is a South Asian word for potatoes. When you see the word ALOO in the name of a dish, such as ALOO gobi (potatoes and cauliflower), you can expect to eat potatoes.
• BURNT ENDS (17A: Kansas City barbecue specialty) Although the name might not sound appetizing, BURNT ENDS, when cooked correctly, are delicious. Made from a certain cut of brisket, and cooked for a long period of time to tenderize the meat, BURNT ENDS are considered a barbecue delicacy, and are a traditional part of Kansas City barbecue. 
• PRAY (23A: Respond to the Adhan) Adhan is the Islamic call to prayer.
• PRIME (28A: Like 2 and 5 but not 25) and LINES (51D: Figures defined by y = mx + b) Today we have some math with our word puzzle. I'm a fan! As a refresher, a PRIME number has no factors other than one and itself. Since 25 is a product of 5 x 5, it is not a PRIME number. The equation y = mx + b can be used to define LINES, where m = the slope of the line.
• BUNNY EARS (61A: Behind-the-head gesture in a photo) Such a fun clue/answer pair! Instantly recognizable, after all, who hasn't put BUNNY EARS behind a friend in a group photo. (Oh wait, I would never do that...)
• RICE (66A: Arroz junto ingredient) Arroz junto is a dish in Puerto Rican cuisine consisting of RICE, beans, and meat, cooked together in one pot. 
• LET'S (68A: "___ eat!" ("Dig in!") Are you hungry yet? We have RICE, BURNT ENDS, CAKE, Indian cuisine, a PEACH, ELOTE, Brownie BATTER...LET'S eat!
• BOARD GAMES (10D: Wingspan and Clue, for two) and TILE (18D: Scrabble piece) I adore all kinds of BOARD GAMES, but Clue and Scrabble are two of my all-time favorites, so it was fun to see them both represented. My favorite edition of Clue is Clue: Master Detective, a version released in 1988 with more rooms, more suspects and more weapons. I have yet to play Wingspan - in which players try to attract birds to their wildlife preserves - but I have heard good things about it. 
• REES (27D: Dee who directed "Pariah") Pariah is a 2011 movie about a 17-year-old Black girl coming to terms with her identity as a lesbian. The movie won an NAACP Award for Outstanding Independent Motion Picture. We previously saw director Dee REES in the puzzle in June of this year as a clue for the word DEE. 
• ELOTE (34D: Esquites, but on a cob) ELOTE, the term used in Central America and Mexico for an ear of corn, is derived from the Nahuatl word for "tender cob." ELOTE is sold as street food in some regions of Mexico. Esquites, also known as ELOTE en vaso, or "corn in a cup" is sold as a snack in some Mexican shops and market stalls. The term esquites comes from the Nahuatl word meaning "toasted corn."
• NOT (62D: "True peace is ___ merely the absence of tension" (MLK)) This clue is an excellent example of taking a simple three-letter word and elevating it through the use of an interesting clue. 

Geography review:

• NORWAY (42A: Neighbor of Sweden) NORWAY is also a neighbor of Finland and Russia. The capital of NORWAY is the crossword-frequent-flier Oslo. 

Let me BE UPFRONT and say this is an enjoyable theme with fun theme answers. Although BUNNY EARS was my hands down (hands up?) favorite, I liked all of the theme answers. This puzzle has math, BOARD GAMES, animals (ORCA, PONY, MULE, LIONS, COYOTES, and MOO-cows, oh my!) and, of course food! All combining to make this an enjoyable way to begin my Thursday. And now, I REPEAT...LET'S eat!