January 5, 2022

Title: 3-DIMENSIONAL

Constructor: Zhouqin Burnikel

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

HIGH SCHOOL CRUSH (16A; Person you might hope to see at a class reunion)

DEEP BREATHING (38A: Mindful exercise)

WIDE SARGASSO SEA (61A: "Jane Eyre" prequel)

Theme synopsis: A 3-DIMENSIONAL object is one that has height, depth, and width, or as represented in the first words of the theme answers, one that is HIGH, DEEP, and WIDE.

Things I learned:

• RED (54A: Tteokbokki color) Tteokbokki, also known as simmered rice cake, is a dish in Korean cuisine. Cylinder-shaped rice cakes are paired with other ingredients (such as fish cakes, boiled eggs, and scallions), and seasoned with a spicy RED chili paste.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• PASS (5A: "I'd rather not") and NAH (22A: "I'd rather not") and OKAY (68A: "I'm down with that") This was a nice little story arc running through the puzzle. This may have been my favorite part of this puzzle.
• DEC (24A: Human Rights Day mo.) Human Rights Day is celebrated annually on DEC. 10, a date chosen because on DEC. 10, 1948 the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• DOSE (47A: Two tablets, for example) I enjoyed seeing this pharmacy-related clue and answer, even though it's been many years since I've actively practiced pharmacy.
• THEO (56A: Nickname akin to Teddy) Teddy and THEO, along with Ted and Teo, are nicknames for Theodore.
• ABBA (59A: "I Still Have Faith in You" band) "I Still Have Faith in You" was released as a single in September 2021. It is from ABBA's first studio album in 40 years, Voyage. 
• WIDE SARGASSO SEA (61A: "Jane Eyre" prequel) I have written about WIDE SARGASSO SEA previously, including on February 5, 2021 when it was a theme answer as it is today. The book, written by Jean Rhys, was published in 1966 as a prequel and feminist response to Jane Eyre.  
• ENEMY (66A: Titania, to She-Hulk) Titania is a Marvel Comics character that was introduced as a supervillain, but now sometimes acts a an antihero. (Antiheroes sometimes do heroic things, but generally lack characteristics conventionally attributed to heroes, such as idealism, courage, and morality.) Titania is a rival and ENEMY of She-Hulk. Interestingly, I learned that Titania is also the name of another, completely different, comic book character, a DC Comics character who first appeared in The Sandman comic created by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess.
• ARIA (67A: Denyce Graves solo) Opera singer Denyce Graves made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1995. She has performed at opera houses and concert halls around the world. In September 2020 she sang at the U.S. Capitol while Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was her friend and a devoted opera fan, was lying in state.
• CHURRO (25D: Pastry rolled in cinnamon sugar) A CHURRO is a pastry made of fried dough that originated in Spain and Portugal. The crunchy pastry has ridges as a result of the dough being extruded through a star-shaped nozzle. CHURROs are often coated with cinnamon sugar, and sometimes served with a chocolate dipping sauce. Yum!
• AIKIDO (27D: Martial art created in the 1920s) AIKIDO originated in Japan, where it was developed by Morihel Ueshiba in the late 1920s. AIKIDO places an emphasis on defending against and harmlessly redirecting attacks.
• BUDDHA (39D: The Enlightened One) The title of BUDDHA means "Enlightened One" or "Awakened One."

Geography review:

• OHIO (12A: Simone Biles' birth state) The gymnast Simone Biles was born in Columbus, OHIO, the state's capital.
• CST (45A: Duluth time zone) Duluth, Minnesota is located at the westernmost point of the Great Lakes, on the shores of Lake Superior. The entire state of Minnesota is on Central Standard Time (CST).
• CHI (37D: Ho ___ Minh City) Ho CHI Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam.
• NEBRASKA (40D: Omaha Tribe's state) The city of Omaha, NEBRASKA was named after the Omaha Tribe. About 3,000 of the Omaha Tribe's 5,000 current member live on the Omaha Reservation in northeastern Nebraska and western Iowa.

If you like your puzzles three-dimensional (at least in theme), today's puzzle is for you. A (3-DIMENSIONAL) solid set of theme answers here. In addition to the theme and those answers I've highlighted above, I enjoyed SIGN HERE and UPTICK. This puzzle was a great way to begin my Wednesday.