April 26, 2022

Title: STORM SYSTEM

Constructor: Stella Zawistowski

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Theme Answers:

SEATTLE SLEW (18A: 1977 Triple Crown Winner)

PERFECT STRANGER (38A: Someone you don't know at all)

BRAIN TEASER (59A: Mind-bending puzzle)

Theme synopsis: The first word of each theme answer can precede the word STORM, giving us the SEATTLE STORM, a PERFECT STORM, and BRAINSTORM.

Things I learned:

• TRIPE (28A: Menudo ingredient) Menudo is a soup in Mexican cuisine made with TRIPE in a broth with a red chili pepper base. TRIPE is the stomach lining from cattle, pigs, or sheep. It takes a long time to cook, making the preparation of menudo a lengthy undertaking.
• PIANO (36A: Isata Kanneh-Mason's instrument) In 2021, Isata Kanneh-Mason received the Leonard Bernstein Award which honors outstanding students for their creativity and musicianship. She is one of seven Kanneh-Mason siblings, all of whom play the PIANO, cello, or violin. Their mother, Dr. Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, wrote a memoir, House of Music: Raising the Kanneh-Masons which was published in 2020. It was a delight to learn about this musical family this morning.
• EVA (43A: Model-actress Marcille) In 2004, EVA Marcille was the winner of the third season of the reality TV series, America's Next Top Model. This win launched her modeling career. She has also done some acting, including playing the role of Madam DeVille in the BET+ TV series, All the Queen's Men.
• EAT (60D: Enjoy some khao soi) Khao soi is a dish of homemade rice noodles in clear broth topped with minced pork and tomato sauce. The dish originated from Northern Thailand, Northern Laos, and Shan State in Myanmar. 

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• RAITA (14A: Indian yogurt dish) RAITA is a dish of seasoned yogurt with raw or cooked vegetables, often cucumber and onion. 
• SEATTLE SLEW (18A: 1977 Triple Crown Winner) The Thoroughbred racehorse SEATTLE SLEW was the first horse to win the Triple Crown while being undefeated in any previous race. The only other horse to do so thus far, was Justify, the 2018 Triple Crown winner, who is descended from SEATTLE SLEW. In 1981, SEATTLE SLEW was inducted in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. This is one of those answers I surprised myself by knowing! I could not have told you about SEATTLE SLEW before solving the puzzle, but when I had the SEA- filled in, I immediately thought, "Oh, SEATTLE SLEW!" Where did that bit of information come from? 
• LANTERNS (20A: Shangyuan Festival lights) The Shangyuan Festival, also known as the LANTERN festival is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the Chinese New Year, and marks the last day of Chinese New Year celebrations. 
• HE-MAN (42A: She-Ra's twin brother) HE-MAN and She-Ra are characters in Mattel's Masters of the Universe franchise. The superheroes have appeared separately and together in various TV series, video games, comic strips, books, and movies.
• EVER (47A: "___ After" (1998 film)) The 1998 movie EVER After is an interpretation of Cinderella set in Renaissance-era France. It starred Drew Barrymore, Dougray Scott, and Anjelica Huston.
• ELI (49A: Actor Goree) ELI Goree plays the role of Muhammad Ali in the 2020 movie, One Night in Miami (which I have previously written about). In the third and fourth seasons of the TV show, Riverdale, he played the recurring role of Munroe "Mad Dog" Moore.
• SPOT ME (24D: Weightlifter's request) and LBS (51D: Abbr. on a barbell plate) A nice related pair of clues. Also, from following Stella Zawistowski on Twitter, I know she is a weightlifter. It's always fun to see a constructor's particular interests pop up in a puzzle. 
• RATHER (29D: "Would you ___ fight 100 duck-sized horses or one horse-sized duck?") This interestingly silly hypothetical question has been asked many times of many people. It is a particularly popular question in the online forum Reddit during AMA (ask me anything) sessions. The question was even posed to Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch during his nomination hearing.    If you want to delve further into this question, here's a Wired article, and a column from Digital Trends. This clue definitely made me laugh!
• STEVE (33D: Director McQueen) STEVE McQueen is a British film director (not to be confused with The Magnificent Seven actor). His directing credits include the 2013 movie, 12 Years a Slave.

Geography review:

• USA (Country that borders Mex.) Mexico is bordered by the United States of America to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the south. Mexico has coastline on the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. The abbreviation of Mex. in the clue lets us know we're looking for the abbreviation USA.
• TEN (15D: Number of provinces in Canada) I know we just had a Geography Quiz yesterday, but this clue simply begs for one! Can you name the TEN provinces of Canada? I tested myself and only came up with seven. The answer will be at the bottom of this blog post.
• INSET (30D: Map of Alaska, often) This is a fun clue for INSET. It immediately conjured up a map of the USA with Alaska and Hawaii as INSET maps, often (confusingly) in the lower left corner.

This was a fun STORM SYSTEM to encounter this morning. SEATTLE SLEW tipped me off to the theme mechanic early on, as I recognized SEATTLE STORM as the name of a WNBA team. I guarantee I learned that sports information from a crossword! I enjoyed uncovering all of the theme answers and the newly-formed phrases - a great set. Lots to like in addition to the theme: CASHES IN, OPERATIC, FACETIME, and VINYL. I also chuckled at the clue for AFLAC (63A: Company whose mascot quacks). This puzzle was a grand way to begin my Tuesday.

Geography Quiz Answer: The TEN provinces of Canada are Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. Canada also has three territories (these areas do not have inherent authority; their powers are delegated to them by Canada's parliament): Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut.