May 31, 2022

Title: WAP

Constructor: Brooke Husic

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

WAR AND PEACE (19A: Tolstoy work that inspired "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812")

WHAT A PITY (35A: "Gosh, that's too bad")

WARM APPLE PIE (52A: Dessert often served a la mode)

Theme synopsis: Each theme answer has the initials WAP.

And now a word from our constructor:

Brooke: i'm so happy to have this theme out in the world and i hope you enjoy solving it as much as i enjoyed creating it!

Things I learned:

• RYAN (53D: Actress Destiny) In the TV series, Star, RYAN Destiny played one of three young singers (along with Jude Demorest and Brittany O'Grady) navigating the music business trying to become successful. RYAN Destiny also had a recurring role on the TV series, Grown-ish.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• WAR AND PEACE (19A: Tolstoy work that inspired "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812")   Leo Tolstoy's novel mixed with history and philosophy, WAR AND PEACE, was first published in its entirety in 1869 (prior to that it was published serially). The first published edition of WAR AND PEACE had 1,225 pages. The musical, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy, is an adaptation of a 70-page segment of WAR AND PEACE. The musical was performed off-Broadway in 2012 and on Broadway in 2016. (Here's a fun piece of trivia: Phillipa Soo - who we saw in the puzzle two days ago - played the role of Natasha in the 2012 production.) I have not seen Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 (nor have I read WAR AND PEACE...), but I know some of the music. I particularly like the "Prologue," which counsels "...it's a complicated Russian novel / Everyone's got nine different names / So look it up in your program / We'd appreciate it, thanks a lot..."
• WHAT A PITY (35A: "Gosh, that's too bad") When I saw the title of today's puzzle, I first chuckled with glee, and then, guessing it might be an initialism theme, began to think of WAP phrases. "WHAT A PITY" was the first phrase I thought of, and I was delighted, therefore, to encounter it in the puzzle.
• CAT (42A: Meowing pet) "Meowing pet" definitely describes my CAT, Willow!

  

  Willow making her presence known

   In fact, she just came into my office meowing as I was typing this! Willow meows at random times, but also predictably in the morning when I first get up and she wants me to pick her up, when we arrive home after having been away (even for a few moments), every night when we are eating supper, and when she has brought us a present (she gathers socks and towels from around the house and leaves them in the hallway for us).
• LAV (45A: Golden Lion winner Diaz) The Golden Lion is the highest honor awarded at the Venice Film Festival. LAV Diaz's movie, The Woman Who Left, won the Golden Lion in 2016. Filipino filmmaker, LAV Diaz is considered a key member of the slow cinema movement, a film-making genre characterized by long takes. I learned about LAV Diaz from the January 4, 2022 puzzle. 
• YUZU (59A: Yellow or green citrus fruit) YUZU is a citrus fruit cultivated mainly in East Asia. Whether it is yellow or green depends on its ripeness. YUZU is rarely eaten as a fruit, but its rinds and juice are used in ways similar to lemons.
• THEE (61A: "WAP" rapper Megan ___ Stallion) and CARDI (4D: "WAP" rapper ___ B) A lovely pair of bonus theme answers! I was delighted to see Megan THEE Stallion and CARDI B in the puzzle that uses the title of their 2020 song, "WAP," as its title and theme.
• YOUR MAJESTY (2D: Term of address for a queen) Several years ago (okay, its probably been more like 8 or 10 years...), my daughter got ahold of my phone, and instructed it to address me as "YOUR MAJESTY." Through multiple phone upgrades since then, the effect of this instruction has mostly worn off, but I'll still occasionally get a "YOUR MAJESTY," which makes me laugh every time. (My daughter also once programmed a shortcut into my phone that changed the word "the" to "APRIL FOOLS DAY" each time I typed it.)
• SITARS (7D: Instruments made with gourds) SITARS are plucked string instruments used in Hindustani classical music. Calabash gourds - also known as bottle gourds or birdhouse gourds - have been used to make the resonating chambers of SITARS since the early 1700s.
• HIGH PONY (10D: Swishy updo) and AFRO PUFF (36D: Updo that might be secured with a shoelace) Fun to encounter this nice pair of updo clues. 
• YOU RANG (11D: "I was summoned...?") I really like this answer! "YOU RANG?" sounds so formal and stilted, and reminds me of the response of a servant in a English country house murder mystery. Perhaps even, "YOU RANG, YOUR MAJESTY?"
• GAY BAR (26D: Oakland's White Horse Inn, for one) The White Horse Inn in Oakland, California officially opened in 1933 following the passage of the 21st Amendment ending prohibition. However, there are rumors that it operated as a speakeasy during prohibition, and it claims to be the oldest continuously operating GAY BAR in the United States. Cafe LaFitte in New Orleans, Louisiana, has also been open since 1933, and makes the same claim.
• WANNA (35D: "I ___ Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)") "I WANNA Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" is a 1987 song by Whitney Houston. It is also apparently now my earworm for the day.
• I AM (38D: "I'm perfect the way ___") The puzzle is doing a bit of self-affirmation today: "I'm perfect the way I AM." Yes, you are, puzzle! (And you are, too, reader, if you are in need of this affirmation today!)
• TESLA (51D: Automaker sued by California's DFEH in 2022) California's Department of Fair Employment & Housing (DFEH) filed a lawsuit against TESLA earlier this year, claiming TESLA has violated the Fair Employment and Housing Act and the California Equal Pay Act. One of the suit's allegations is that TESLA operated a "racially segregated workplace." TESLA has asked a judge to pause the lawsuit. 

Geography review:

• ERIE (6D: Lake spelled by removing one letter from "eerie") and AERIE (13A: Nest spelled by changing one letter of "eerie") This is a fun pair of clues - a nice opportunity presented by having both ERIE and AERIE in the grid. Today ERIE is making its fourth (and final) appearance this month.
• OHIO (32D: Louisville's river) The OHIO River flows from western Pennsylvania to the southern tip of Illinois, where it flows into the Mississippi River. The OHIO River forms part of the borders of five states: OHIO, Indiana and Illinois lie north of the river, and West Virginia and Kentucky lie south of the river. Louisville, on the northern edge of Kentucky, is located along the OHIO River.

This is a fun initialism theme and a nice NOD to CARDI B and Megan THEE Stallion's hit song. All three theme answers are fabulous, and I am now hungry for WARM APPLE PIE. Thank you, Brooke, for this puzzle that was a delightful way to start my Tuesday.