October 30, 2022

Title: INNER SELF

Constructor: Zhouqin Burnikel

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

DIESEL FUEL (16A: Gas for an 18-wheeler)

MUSSEL FARMING (26A: Aquaculture process)

EDSEL FORD (65A: Auto exec born in Detroit in 1893)

Theme synopsis: Inside each theme answer, the word SELF is found.

Things I learned:

• EEL (68A: Jangeo-gui fish) Gui is a grilled dish in Korean cuisine, and jango-gui is grilled EEL. Although I was not familiar with this particular dish, it was easy to infer that a fish in a crossword with a three-letter name is often an EEL.
• SWEETS (5D: Daifuku and others) Daifuku, which translates to "great luck," is a confection made of mochi (glutinous rice cake) with a SWEET filling (often made of sweetened red bean paste). The SWEETS originated from Japan.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• FASTS (1A: Observes Sawm) Sawm is the Islam practice of fasting. During the holy month of Ramadan, Sawm is observed from dawn to dusk.
• EVE (19A: "Who's That Girl?" rapper) "Who's That Girl?" is a 2001 song by EVE. The song is off of her second album, Scorpion.
• YALE (25A: First U.S. university to award a Ph.D.) YALE University began as Collegiate School in 1701, making it the third-oldest college in the United States. In 1718, the school's name changed to YALE College, and then in 1887 it became YALE University. The first earned (as opposed to honorary) PhD degrees in the United States were awarded by YALE to Eugene Schuyler, Arthur Williams Wright, and James Morris Whiton in 1861. 
• MUSSEL FARMING (26A: Aquaculture process) Aquaculture refers to the FARMING of fish or shellfish. MUSSELs are filter feeders that attach themselves to a substrate and are often found clumped together. In MUSSEL FARMING, ropes are suspended in water for the MUSSELs to attach to. This Guardian article gives an overview of the possible beneficial effects of MUSSEL FARMING.
• AMISH (38A: Anabaptist group founded by Jakob Amman) Anabaptism is a Protestant Christian movement that arose in the 16th century. As a result of a schism among some anabaptists in Switzerland, the Swiss Brethren split. Those that followed Jakob Amman later became known as AMISH.
• GOSPEL (42A: Mahalia Jackson's music) Ah, this clue took me back to my childhood, which is when I was first introduced to the powerful contralto voice of Mahalia Jackson (1911-1972). The GOSPEL singer first gained national recognition with her 1947 version of "Move On Up a Little Higher." She was influential in the "Golden Age of Gospel" (1945-1965). Mahalia Jackson sang at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy and at the funeral of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. 
• EDSEL FORD (65A: Auto exec born in Detroit in 1893) EDSEL FORD (1893-1943) was the president of the FORD Motor company from 1919 to 1943. He was the son of the company's founder, Henry FORD. The EDSEL Brand, famous for being a marketing disaster, was named after EDSEL FORD. 
• TALL (48D: Like the Sitka spruce) The Sitka spruce is a type of evergreen tree that grows to over 300 feet in height. As TALL trees go, the Sitka spruce ranks fifth, and is only shorter than the giant sequoia, California redwood, kauri, and western red cedar. The Sitka spruce takes its name from the Alaskan city of Sitka. My husband, son, and I saw Sitka spruce when we visited Olympic National Park in Washington earlier this month. They are indeed TALL, and are quite impressive.

Geography review:

• DESERT (45A: Gobi or Taklamakan) The Gobi DESERT and the Taklamakan DESERT are both located in Northern China, with the Gobi also extending into Mongolia. The two deserts are adjacent, with the Taklamakan DESERT to the west of the Gobi. The area of both DESERTs has been expanding due to a process known as desertification. Although DESERTs grow and shrink naturally over time, the recent increase of desertification is likely attributed to human factors, a result of deforestation, overgrazing, and climate change.
• DAM (53D: Xiluodu or Hoover) The Xiluodo DAM is located on the Jinsha River in China, where it provides hydroelectric power as well as flood control. Construction on the Xiluodo DAM began in 2005, and it opened in 2013. The Hoover DAM is located on the Colorado River on the Nevada-Arizona border. It provides hydroelectric power, as well as controlling floods and providing a source of water for irrigation. Construction on the Hoover DAM began in 1931, and it opened in 1936. The Wikipedia page for the Hoover DAM has information about the construction process, and some of the engineering challenges faced. The DAM is built of concrete, and "engineers calculated that if the dam were to be built in a single, continuous pour, the concrete would take 125 years to cool." Sadly, over 112 people died during the construction of the Hoover DAM.
• OSLO (58D: Capital of Norway) The city of OSLO is built on the shores of the OSLOfjord, one of Norway's numerous fjords. The result is that OSLO is a horseshoe shape.

Time to take a look inward today with this classic USA Today theme type. In addition to the answers I've already highlighted, standouts were PROTEIN BAR, SLEEP MASKS, TOLD YA, and FEEL ME. Thank you, Zhouqin, for this puzzle that was an enjoyable way to begin my Sunday morning.