April 5, 2022

Title: INDENTATION

Constructors: Erik Agard & Malaika Handa

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

TABLOID REPORTER (16A: Person who writes gossipy articles)

QUINTA BRUNSON (34A: Creator and star of "Abbott Elementary")

A SEAT AT THE TABLE (54A: 2016 Solange album)

Theme synopsis: Each theme answer is hiding a TAB key, and the TAB is indented more as the puzzle progresses.

Things I learned:

• ECLIPSE (19A: Programming tool whose logo features a crescent moon) ECLIPSE is an integrated development environment (IDE) used in computer programming. Not being a programmer, I do not know what an IDE is or does, and I was not familiar with ECLIPSE. Therefore, I was thankful for the crescent moon logo hint in the clue.
• ALEC (7D: Actor Mapa) The comedy special, ALEC Mapa, Baby Daddy, premiered on Showtime in 2015, and is based on ALEC Mapa's one-man show of the same name. The show tells the story of ALEC Mapa's experience of becoming a father through the process of foster adoption. In season one of the TV show, Doom Patrol, ALEC Mapa plays the role of Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• TAYLOR (24A: "All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (___'s Version)") You may recall from the last time I wrote about, "All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (TAYLOR's Version)," that this song broke the Guinness World Record for the longest song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. If you are a TAYLOR Swift fan and/or a Wordle fan, you might be interested in Taylordle, a daily game similar to Wordle, but based on TAYLOR Swift songs. 
• QUO (31A: "Stick to the Status ___") "Stick to the Status QUO" is a song from the 2006 movie, High School Musical. I think the answer is inferable even for solvers unfamiliar with the song, since "status QUO" is a fairly common phrase. Status QUO always reminds me of my high school debating days.
• QUINTA BRUNSON (34A: Creator and star of "Abbott Elementary") and SHE (55D: "___ Memes Well" (book by 34-Across)) I learned about the mockumentary, Abbott Elementary, and that QUINTA BRUNSON created the TV series, from the March 20, 2022 puzzle. I have also previously written about QUINTA BRUNSON's book, SHE Memes Well, which is a collection of essays about her life and career.
• ONE (39A: "Are You the ___?" (MTV reality show)) On the MTV reality show, Are You the ONE?, the producers secretly pair a group of men and women into couples using a matchmaking algorithm. While living together, the contestants try to identify the "perfect matches."
• DAWG (45A: Record label Top ___ Entertainment) Top DAWG Entertainment was founded in 2004 by Anthony "Top DAWG" Tiffith. Its artists include Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Ab Soul, and Schoolboy Q.
• A SEAT AT THE TABLE (54A: 2016 Solange album) Solange's third studio album, A SEAT AT THE TABLE, was released in 2016, and was Solange's first number-one album on the Billboard 200. The lead single from the album, "Cranes in the Sky," won a Grammy Award. 
• MAPO TOFU (8D: Sichuan bean curd dish) It's only been a few days since we saw MAPO in the puzzle clued as [___tofu]. That was a warm up for seeing the entire name of the dish, MAPO TOFU, in today's puzzle.
• CAREY (9D: Mariah...the Elusive Chanteuse) Mariah CAREY's 14th studio album, released in 2014, was titled Me. I am Mariah...The Elusive Chanteuse.
• BIG BIRD (23D: 8-foot-2-inch Muppet) Here's a fun fact: the BIG BIRD costume doesn't have any openings to allow the performer to see. The puppeteer wears a camera strapped to their chest which allows them to navigate. Also, have you been following the Twitter account BIG BIRD for Senate?
• TAME (32D: Like a housecat but not a wildcat) I think it's safe to say
  
  that Willow is glad she's a TAME housecat; she has a pretty pampered life. Side note: Auto correct changed "housecat" when I typed the clue, making it read [Like a housecoat but not a wildcat]. Ha!
• QUOI (34D: Je ne sais ___) "Je ne sais QUOI" is French for "I do not know what," and is used as a descriptor of indefinable qualities.
• HYENA (49D: Animal kept as a pet by Harley Quinn) Harley Quinn is a DC Comics character who often appears as a sidekick and love interest of Batman's enemy,  Joker. Harley Quinn has a pair of pet HYENAs named Bud and Lou.

Geography review:

• TIBET (58A: Home of many Sherpa people) TIBET is a region in East Asia. The Sherpa people are native to TIBET, specifically the mountainous regions of Nepal, part of the TIBET Autonomous Region, and the Himalayas.
• IRAN (59A: Site of the Islamic Revolution of 1979) The Islamic Revolution of 1979, also known as the IRANian Revolution, resulted in the overthrow of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. An Islamic republic was established in IRAN under the rule of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
• MALI (4D: Bamako's country) MALI is a landlocked country in West Africa, and Bamako is its capital.

I liked the visual today of the INDENTATION of TAB as the puzzle progresses. A fun theme with some stellar theme answers. Enjoyable answers included: LITTLE TOE, AMBLE, QUEEN BEES, and TAILGATE. This puzzle was an delightful way to begin my Tuesday.