September 6, 2022

Title: IN A PICKLE

Constructors: Matthew Stock & Brooke Husic

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

DINNER ROLL (16A: Round piece of bread)

DISCO BALL (34A: Reflective sphere)

DIANA KRALL (57A: "The Girl in the Other Room" jazz pianist)

Theme synopsis: Each of today's theme answers is found IN the word DILL.

And now a word from our constructors:

From Us: We're so happy to be back with our seventh USA Today collab! Matthew came up with the theme and Brooke started out the grid. We're so happy that we got to include fun answers like 10d, 11d, 17d, and our favorite clues are 10a, 28a, 41a+54d, 51a, 9d, 24d, and 38d.
The Qaumi Taranah is Pakistan's national anthem -- here are some places to donate to help the families and people affected by the current natural disaster.

Things I learned:

• NEOPET (41A: Shoyru or JubJub) and EATS (54D: Has a hot Tyrannian pepper omelette) A NEOPET is a virtual pet that users of the online site Neopets can take care of - buying them food, toys, and other accessories. Shoyru is a dragon-like NEOPET, and according to Neopets Wiki, it is the most common NEOPET. JubJub is a fluffy, round NEOPET with two feet but no arms. A hot Tyrannian pepper omelette is not something you or I could eat, but a NEOPET EATS it if its owner gives it to them, and then apparently sweats for hours. Neopets have been around since 1999, but neither of my kids discovered them, so although I was aware of what a NEOPET is, I needed the help of crossing answers to make the connection here. I like that the clue for EATS is inferable even for those of us without a NEOPET.
• HOT SAKE (11D: Atsukan or tobikirikan) Atsukan and tobikirikan are terms used to describe HOT SAKE. The terms refer to the sake's temperature. Atsukan is slightly hot (122℉) and tobikirikan is hot (131℉).
• BANGLES (38D: Accessories for Garba dancers) Garba is a form of dance that originated in Gujarat, India. The dance is traditionally performed during the Hindu festival Navarātrī. Garba dancers traditionally wear brightly-colored clothing and jewelry including sparkling BANGLES.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• SHE (10A: "___'s So Unusual" (Cyndi Lauper album)) Cyndi Lauper's debut album, SHE's So Unusual, was released when I was a freshman in college - 1983. The album included the songs "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," and "Time After Time." More of a DEEP CUT (53A: Song superfine are more likely to know), the album also included a 45-second track titled, "He's So Unusual."
• DUA (21A: Prayer to Allah) In Islam, DUA is a prayer asking for Allah's help or assistance.
• PUP (51A: Baby shark) The term PUP may refer to a number of young animals, including a baby shark, a baby armadillo, a baby bat, a baby seal, and, of course, a baby dog.
• GWEN (52A: Journalist Ifill) I wrote about GWEN Ifill last month.
• DIANA KRALL (57A: "The Girl in the Other Room" jazz pianist) I learned about Canadian singer and jazz pianist, DIANA KRALL, from the July 17, 2022 puzzle. The Girl in the Other Room was released in 2004. It was DIANA KRALL's seventh studio album, and the first to include original songs.
• UTES (65A: Uintah Band people) The Ute Indian Tribe is comprised of three bands of UTES, the Uintah Band, the Whiteriver Band, and the Uncompahgre Band. The Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray reservation is located in northeastern Utah.
• IBRAM (6D: Historian ___ X. Kendi) IBRAM X. Kendi is the author of the 2019 book, How to Be An Antiracist. In July 2020 he became the director for the Center for Antiracist Research at Boston University. You can read his Founder's Statement (and I recommend it) here.
• EUROVISION (17D: Music contest that Celine Dion won in 1988) The EUROVISION Song Contest, often simply referred to as EUROVISION, is an international competition in which participants representing European countries sing original songs. Countries then cast votes to determine the winner. EUROVISION has been held annually since 1956 (with the exception of 2020). In 1988, Celine Dion represented Switzerland in the EUROVISION contest, ultimately winning by a single vote, which gained her international recognition. The song she sang was "Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi."
• TITAN (24D: Cal State Fullerton mascot Tuffy the ___) Cal State Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California. The university's sports teams are known as the Titans, and the mascot is an elephant named Tuffy the TITAN. Tuffy the TITAN has its own Twitter account.

Geography review:

• STL (9D: City home to the Griot Museum, for short) The Griot Museum of Black History is located in St. Louis (STL, for short), Missouri. I have previously written about this wax museum.
• LITTLE ROCK (20D: State capital in Melba Pattillo Beals' "Warriors Don't Cry") Melba Pattillo Beals was one of the group of students known as the LITTLE ROCK Nine. In 1957, these nine were the first Black students to enroll at LITTLE ROCK High School in the Arkansas state capital. The governor of Arkansas initially prevented them from entering the school, and they were only allowed to attend after President Dwight D. Eisenhower intervened. Melba Pattillo Beals wrote about the experience in her memoir, Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate LITTLE ROCK's Central High.
• URDU (55D: Qaumi Taranah language) URDU and English are the two official languages in Pakistan. As Matthew and Brooke mentioned in their notes, "Quamī Tarānāh" is Pakistan's national anthem. Pakistan is currently experiencing catastrophic flooding, a result of record monsoon rains and melting glaciers. 

Hopefully the only PICKLE you find yourself IN today is this puzzle's theme! In addition to the theme and the answers I've already highlighted, I really liked SLOW JAM, FARCE, and MARTIANS. It's been almost 10 months since we've seen a Matthew Stock and Brooke Husic collaboration, so it was a delight to see their names together on today's puzzle. Thank you, Matthew and Brooke, for this puzzle that was a fabulous way to start my Tuesday.