May 15, 2022

Title: DOUBLE BILLS

Constructor: Zhouqin Burnikel

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

ELECTRIC HEATING (16A: House-warming option)

WATER BUFFALO (36A: Draft animal on a rice paddy)

HOTEL RESTAURANT (59A: Place to grab a bite during a stay)

Theme synopsis: Both words in each theme answer can precede the word BILLS. We have ELECTRIC BILLS, HEATING BILLS, WATER BILLS, BUFFALO BILLS, HOTEL BILLS, RESTAURANT BILLS.

Things I learned:

• ALTAR (31A: Place for a Guanyin statue) In Buddhism, Guanyin is the deity associated with compassion. She is also known as the goddess of mercy. Guanyin's name translates to "one who perceives the sounds of the world."
• EAT (34A: Enjoy some yakitori, for example) Yakitori is skewered chicken grilled over a charcoal fire.
• EELS (40A: Kimosui fish) Kimosui is also known as EEL liver soup.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• WATER BUFFALO (36A: Draft animal on a rice paddy) WATER BUFFALO are the world's largest bovines, and have been domesticated for over 5,000 years. Their splayed hooves allow them to move freely in mud without sinking too deeply. Anytime I hear about WATER BUFFALO (or fill it in as an answer in a crossword...) I am reminded of the VeggieTales song, "The WATER BUFFALO Song."  If you need a minute of utter goofiness in your day (and who doesn't?) I recommend listening to Larry the Cucumber sing, "Everybody's got a WATER BUFFALO..." (My favorite part of this song has always been when Archibald Asparagus interrupts.)
• TAPAS (42A: Chopitos and such) Chopitos are battered, fried cuttlefish (baby squid).
• DAHLIA (8D: Showy bloom that grows from a tuber) The DAHLIA is a perennial plant native to Mexico and Central America. It is the national flower of Mexico. I looked to see if I have previously blogged about the DAHLIA, and I haven't, though I did mention it briefly when it appeared in the May 14, 2021 puzzle. That puzzle was constructed by Brooke Husic and Erik Agard, and is titled CONTAINER GARDEN. I have a story about this particular puzzle providing some real life assistance. Recently, my husband and I were at the garden store buying pots to plant some herbs. On a whim, we decided to buy another pot and plant some flowers for our patio. As we're looking for plants, my husband says, "We need a thrill, and a spill...what's the other thing." I said, "Oh! There was a crossword puzzle about that." So, in the garden store, I looked up Brooke and Erik's puzzle to refresh my memory on the principles of container gardening: thrill, fill, spill. You see, puzzles (and my blog...) are much more than just entertainment; they are a valuable source of information! 
• PATROL (24D: TV title word after "Doom" or "PAW") Doom PATROL is a TV series based on a DC Comics superhero team. PAW PATROL is an animated children's TV series about a crew of search and rescue dogs.
• AL PASTOR (37D: Taco order with pineapple) Tacos AL PASTOR is made with pork marinated with pineapple, dried chilies, and spices, and then skewered on a spit and grilled.
• SOULS (52D: All ___ Day (Nov. 2)) All SOULS' Day is a day of prayer and remembrance for those that have died. It is the last of the three-day Christian celebration that includes All Hallow's Eve (Oct. 31), and All Saints' Day (Nov. 1).
• TUE (62D: Day of the week named after Tyr (Abbr.)) Týr is a god in Norse mythology associated with combat, law, and justice. In some interpretations, Týr is associated with the ancient Roman god, Mars.

Geography review:

• OAHU (64A: Red Hill's island) Red Hill is an underground fuel storage facility on the island of OAHU in Hawaii. The facility, which was built to support military operations in the Pacific, was constructed from 1940 to 1943. Following water contamination issues resulting from fuel leaks, the Pentagon recently announced plans to permanently close the Red Hill fuel facility.
• IRAN (58D: Azadi Tower country) The Azadi Tower in Tehran, IRAN was commissioned by the last Shah of IRAN, and built to mark the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire. The architect of the Azadi Tower, Hossein Amanat, won a competition to design the building. Originally named the Shahyad Tower ("Shah's Memorial"), the monument was renamed the Azadi Tower ("Freedom Tower") after the 1979 Revolution in IRAN.

I hope someone else is picking up the tab for this puzzle...that's a lot of BILLS. As I review the BILLS, I notice one of these things is not like the others: BUFFALO BILLS is the only non request for payment in the group...maybe they're responsible for paying. On a serious note, seeing BUFFALO in the puzzle reminds me of BUFFALO, New York. The news of yet another racially-motivated hate crime angers and frustrates me, and I think that's the right response. To quote the puzzle: "I HATE IT!" (25A: "This is horrible!") I will be looking for ways to channel those emotions into action. For now, other thoughts about the puzzle. Fun entries: PUNDIT and FRUGAL. I chuckled at the conflicting emotions on the bottom row of the puzzle, with GLEE and SNEER appearing side by side. Thank you Zhouqin, for a puzzle that was a great way to start my Sunday.