June 3, 2022

Title: BIG BREAK

Constructor: Rafael Musa

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Theme Answers:

BIOENGINEERING (19A: Field developing prosthetics)

BISEXUAL FLAG (35A: Pink, purple and blue pride symbol)

BILLIE JEAN KING (52A: Former tennis player with 39 Grand Slam titles)

Theme synopsis: The word BIG is broken by each theme answer.

Things I learned:

• MARTA (16A: She holds the record for most goals scored at FIFA World Cup tournaments) MARTA is a professional soccer player. She plays for the National Women's Soccer League's (NWSL) Orlando Pride. She also plays for the Brazil National Team. MARTA has been named FIFA World Player of the Year an impressive six times. Her record for most goals scored at FIFA World Cup tournaments (both women's and men's) is 17. 
• CLAIRE (1D: Food writer Saffitz) I did not know CLAIRE Saffitz, but I think I will be happy I know about her now. Her cookbook, published in 2020, is titled Dessert Person. (I am definitely a dessert person!) She also has a YouTube channel - CLAIRE Saffitz x Dessert Person - which has over 990,000 subscribers. CLAIRE Saffitz was previously a contributing editor for Bon Appétit.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• BIOENGINEERING (19A: Field developing prosthetics) What a great theme answer! BIOENGINEERING combines the principles of biology with engineering tools to create useful products. As the clue tells us, BIOENGINEERING is used in developing prosthetics. It is also used in designing diagnostic equipment and many other areas. This answer reminded me of an amazing story I just read about a BIOENGINEERING company that used a 3-D printer to create an ear transplant for a woman made out of her own cells. (I apologize if this link is pay-walled. I usually try not to link to pay-walled articles, but did want to share this story.)
• OLUO (41A: Author Ijeoma) Self-described "writer, speaker, and internet yeller" Ijeoma OLUO is the author of So You Want to Talk About Race. 
• BILLIE JEAN KING (52A: Former tennis player with 39 Grand Slam titles) Often when I encounter a sports clue, such as the clue for MARTA, I will move on and wait to get the answer from crossing letters. I started to do that when I read this clue, and then it clicked, "Oh hey, I know this!" and I went back and confidently entered BILLIE JEAN KING (with a small sigh of relief when it fit perfectly). BILLIE JEAN KING was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time. We also saw BILLIE JEAN KING as a theme answer in the February 15, 2022 puzzle. 
• TED (64A: "Thank you for coming to my ___ Talk") TED Talks originated at the TED Conference in 1984. Many TED Talks are now available online, with the tagline, "ideas worth spreading." The phrase, "Thank you for coming to my TED Talk," has gained a life of its own, and is often used after someone has been talking about something passionately or at length. I really like this phrase, and it was fun to see this clue.
• DAFT (29D: ___ Punk ("Get Lucky" duo) The electronic music duo, DAFT Punk, was formed in Paris in 1993 and consisted of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. When they performed they assumed robot personas to preserve their identities. The song, "Get Lucky" was the lead single from their 2013 album, Random Access Memories. 

Geography review:

• FALLS (4A: Iguaza ___ (South American landmark)) The Iguaza FALLS are a series of waterfalls spanning the Argentina-Brazil border in South America. The Iguaza FALLS - part of the Iguaza River - are the largest waterfall system in the world. For comparison, the Iguaza FALLS are shorter than Victoria FALLS and taller than Niagara FALLS, but is the widest of the three. Iguaza FALLS is over twice as wide as Niagara Falls.
• FIJI (4D: Country where "bula" means "hello") FIJI is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. About 110 of FIJI's 330 islands are permanently inhabited. The capital of FIJI is Suva, and the country's three official languages are Fijian, English, and FIJI Hindi. "Bula" means "hello" in Fijian. I liked that this clue referencing "hello" crosses I'M OUT (14A: "Catch ya later!")
• MAGNOLIA (9D: Mississippi's state flower) One of Mississippi's nicknames is "The MAGNOLIA State." Mississippi's state tree is the Southern MAGNOLIA. Mississippi's new state flag, adopted in November 2020 to replace the previous flag which featured the Confederate battle flag, features the MAGNOLIA.

We got a BIG BREAK and received a delightful puzzle today! All of the theme answers are great. It seems particularly fitting to see BISEXUAL FLAG during June, but I would honestly welcome it anytime of the year. Some of the lovely fill today: BOUTIQUE, I'LL BITE, DRAG KING, and I DID IT. Thanks, Rafael, for a puzzle that was a delightful way to begin my Friday.