June 15, 2022

Title: TOTO TWO

Constructor: Zhouqin Burnikel

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

TOKYO TOWER (17A: Second-tallest structure in Japan)

TOMAYTO TOMAHTO (26A: "Same difference")

TOE TOUCHES (59A: Cheerleading jumps)

Theme synopsis: The word TOTO is split into TWO pieces in each theme answer. 

Things I learned:

• DATES (25A: Red ___ (fruits in Chinese soups)) Red DATES are also known as jujube or Chinese DATES. The fruits are not actually DATES, but are in the buckthorn family. 
• TEMPEH (10D: Protein in sayer lodeh) Sayur lodeh is a dish in Indonesian cuisine, consisting of TEMPEH and vegetables in coconut milk.
• ERNEST (45D: Author ___ J. Gaines) The works of ERNEST J. Gaines (1933-2019) include The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1971), A Gathering of Old Men (1983), and A Lesson Before Dying (1983). All three of those books were adapted into TV movies. ERNEST J. Gaines was born into a sharecropper family on a plantation in southern Louisiana. Many of his writings portrayed rural southern Louisiana culture.
• TEA (59D: Chazuke ingredient) Chazuke is a dish that originated in Japan. It is made by pouring green TEA over cooked rice. Chazuke is served with a variety of toppings.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• TOKYO TOWER (17A: Second-tallest structure in Japan) TOKYO TOWER is a communications and observations tower that is 1,092 feet tall. Its lattice structure is reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower. To comply with air safety regulations, the TOKYO TOWER is painted white and international orange. TOKYO TOWER, built in 1958, was the tallest structure in Japan until the construction of Tokyo Skytree, a communication tower built in 2012.
• RAMS (21A: 2022 Super Bowl champions) I laughed when I read this clue! Just two days ago I wrote that I would not ever know the answer to a clue pertaining to a team that won the Super Bowl in a particular year.  However, it just so happens that the team featured in Monday's puzzle as winning the 2000 Super Bowl also won the Super Bowl this year, and I noted that in my write up. As a result, this clue has made a liar out of me! In 2000 when the RAMS won the Super Bowl they were the St. Louis RAMS. Having relocated (again) in 2016, it was the Los Angeles RAMS that won the Super Bowl in 2022. 
• TOMAYTO TOMAHTO (26A: "Same difference") "TOMAYTO TOMAHTO" always makes me think of the song, "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," and the marvelous 1989 movie, When Harry Met Sally.
• DAN (43A: Rank in kendo) Kendo is a Japanese martial art that uses bamboo swords. Like many martial arts, kendo uses the DAN ranking system.
• EGOT (2D: Showbiz "grand slam") EGOT is the acronym used for those that have won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards. Just this week, Jennifer Hudson became the 17th EGOT winner when A Strange Loop won the Tony Award for Best Musical. Jennifer Hudson was one of the producers of A Strange Loop.
• JANET (24D: "Miss You Much" singer Jackson) "Miss You Much" is a 1989 song from the album, JANET Jackson's Rhythm Nation. It became JANET Jackson's second number one hit.
• DORA (25D: Animated explorer Marquez) I'm not sure whether or not I previously knew the last name of the title character of the animated TV series, DORA the Explorer. Now I do.
• OREOS (31D: A scientific study in 2022 classified their creme texture as "mushy") In April of this year, when I read about the study MIT scientists did involving OREOS, I knew it was just a matter of time before I saw this study referenced in a crossword clue. The scientists used a 3-D printer to creat an "Oreometer" to grip and twist the cookies. Science is fun!
• OPRY (35D: Black ___ (country music organization)) Black OPRY was founded in 2021 by Holly G. as a means of raising awareness to Black country music artists. 
• USA (60D: Abby Roque's Olympic team) Abby Roque is an ice hockey player. At the 2022 Winter Olympics she was a member of Team USA's women's hockey team. She is the first indigenous person to be a member of the USA women's hockey team.

Geography review:

• OAHU (15A: ___ Water Protectors (Hawaiian activist group)) Just last month I wrote about Red Hill, an underground fuel storage facility on the island of OAHU in Hawaii. The pentagon is permanently closing the Red Hill facility due to water contamination resulting from fuel leaks. OAHU Water Protectors are a group that has worked to hold the Navy accountable for the water contamination caused by Red Hill's fuel leaks.
• NAPLES (22A: Third-largest city in Italy) NAPLES is located on the western coast of southern Italy, along the Gulf of NAPLES. As the clue informs us, NAPLES is Italy's third-largest city, behind Rome and Milan. I needed the help of crossing answers to get this answer; I'm not sure I would be able to rattle off the third-largest city of any country without a little help. (I did just look up the third-largest city in the United States. Constructors, feel free to use that as a clue for Chicago in the future; I'm ready with that knowledge!)

Sometimes if a puzzle's title is unfamiliar to me, I'll google the title before I solve the puzzle. I'm glad I did so today, as a search for TOTO TWO revealed that TOTO is the world's largest toilet manufacturer, and one of their products is a TWO piece toilet. (Today I learned...) No toilets in today's puzzle, just the word TOTO in TWO pieces. Interestingly, in TOMAYTO TOMAHTO, each word has a TOTO in TWO pieces, resulting in a reconstruction of TOTO in the center of the answer. Enjoyable fill today: PROTOCOL, OOMPH, , and MELON BALLS. Thank you, Zhouqin, for this puzzle that was a great way to begin my Wednesday. 

One more thing: Yesterday I received my first report of a SALLY'S TAKE sticker in the wild. (Thank you, Zaineb!) If you'd like your own SALLY'S TAKE sticker,

there are several ways to get one: 1) See me in person sometime. I will be at the STL Crossword Puzzle Tournament on June 18. 2) Support this blog by making a donation. You can click on the Donate button at the bottom of this page, or donate via Venmo or by mailing a check. I'll be extremely grateful for your support, and I'll also mail you some stickers (if you give me your address). 3) Just ask! If you send me your address, I will happily send you a sticker.