July 5, 2022

Title: WHO'S IN

Constructor: Ada Nicole

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Theme Answers:

PRESHOW HOST (17A: Entertainer before an event)

BREWHOUSE (25A: Building where beer is made)

KNOW-HOW (36A: Expertise)

BLOWHOLES (50A: Features of whales and dolphins)

NEW HORIZONS (60A: Fresh possibilities, metaphorically)

Theme synopsis: The word WHO is found IN each theme answer.

Things I learned:

• ELI (16A: Trans activist Erlick) ELI Erlick is a writer, activist, and public speaker. At the age of 16, she co-founded Trans Student Educational Resources, "a youth-led organization dedicated to transforming the educational environment for trans and gender non-conforming students through advocacy and empowerment." Last summer, ELI Erlick was one of several activists that put up a statue of LGBTQ icon, Marsha P. Johnson, in Christopher Park in New York City. ELI Erlick is currently a PhD student at the University of California, Santa Cruz, studying Feminist Studies and History of Consciousness.
• IDA (58A: Bassist Nielsen) Bassist, composer, and vocalist, IDA Nielsen, began working with Prince in 2010, and did so until Prince's death in 2016. Since then she has been refocusing on her solo career. Her latest album is titled 02022020.  
• ETHEL (52D: "Riverdale" character played by Shannon Purser) Riverdale is a TV series based on the characters of the Archie comic books. This I knew. I learned from this clue that on the show, Shannon Purser plays the role of recurring character, ETHEL Muggs. 

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• HAW (11A: "Yee-___!") and PLAN (22A: "I don't ___ on it" ("I probably won't")) and BETTER (27A: "___ safe than sorry!") and NOTED (56A: "Duly ___" ("I hear you loud and clear")) and HELLUVA (11D: "You did a ___ job! ("Nice work!") We have quite the conversation going on in this puzzle. I thoroughly enjoyed this quintet of fill-in-the-blank conversational clues. With a little rearranging, and one minor addition, we can make a bit of a story: 

"I don't PLAN on it. BETTER safe than sorry!" 

"Duly NOTED."

"Changed my mind. Yee-HAW!"

"You did a HELLUVA job!"

• SOLVES (29A: Completes, like a crossword) I will never tire of self-referential crossword clues.
• TEA (43A: Drink sipped by Kermit in a meme) If you've spent any time at all on social media, you've likely seen the Kermit sipping TEA meme, featuring a photo of the lovable green Muppet sipping TEA. The photo is often accompanied with the hashtag, #ButThatsNoneofMyBusiness. If you've ever wondered why Kermit sips Lipton Tea, it's because the photo used in the meme is from a 2014 Lipton Tea commercial.
• BLOWHOLES (50A: Features of whales and dolphins) Whales and dolphins are aquatic mammals. BLOWHOLES are the holes at the top of their heads through which they breathe air when they reach the surface of the water. Air is forcefully expelled from the BLOWHOLES when the animals surface, causing a spray of water vapor to form.
• BOB (32D: ___ the Drag Queen) BOB the Drag Queen is best known for - Spoiler Alert! - winning RuPaul's Drag Race in the eighth season. Since 2020, BOB the Drag Queen has co-hosted the reality TV show, We're Here, with Eureka O'Hara, and Shangela. On We're Here, the drag queens travel to small towns across the United States, and recruit residents to participate in one-night-only drag shows. I first learned about BOB the Drag Queen when I heard him interviewed on the NPR quiz show, Ask Me Another. 
• ENCANTO (44D: "We Don't Talk About Bruno" film) In the 2021 animated musical Disney film, ENCANTO, Mirabel Madrigal is a young girl in a magical family. Everyone except Mirabel has received magical gifts from a miracle. The catchy song, "We Don't Talk About Bruno" is sung about Mirabel's ostracized Uncle Bruno. This clue made me smile, because ever since I saw the movie ENCANTO, "We Don't Talk About Bruno" has popped into my head at random times as an earworm. When it does, I share the love with my husband by singing it. He loves that...
• SEO (53D: Marketing process hidden in "mouse over") SEO stands for search engine optimization, a marketing technique used to improve traffic to a website.

Geography review:

• CUBAN (31A: Havana resident) The port city of Havana is Cuba's capital and largest City.

With a little KNOW-HOW, one SOLVES this puzzle and discovers WHO'S IN. A theme-rich puzzle with five theme answers, but we are still treated to plenty of delightful fill. I liked all of the 7-letter Down answers in the corners and the center: PECKISH, HOGWASH, HELLUVA, ALIASES, WITNESS, ONE ACTS, CARRIED, SIBLING, UNLACES, SCORE ON, TENDONS, and ENCANTO. Thank you, Ada, for this puzzle that was a delightful way to start my Tuesday.