January 10, 2023

Title: BREAKING BAD

Constructor: Sara Cantor

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

BANANA BREAD (18A: Sweet loaf sometimes made with walnuts)

BOBBLEHEAD (29A: Collectible that jiggles) 

BEACH READ 47A: Book enjoyed on a summer vacation)

BACHELOR PAD (55A: Single dude's lair)

Theme synopsis: The word BAD is broken by each of the theme answers.

Things I learned:

• LEE (14A: "Squid Game" actress Yoo-mi) Squid Game is a South Korean TV series about a group of players who risk their lives playing deadly children's games for the chance to win a large cash prize. Squid Game was released on Netflix in 2021. LEE Yoo-mi portrayed Ji-yeong, a young woman recently released from prison after killing her abusive step-father, a role for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award.
• RUTH (36D: "Lost Boy" singer ___ B.) RUTH B.'s debut single, "Lost Boy," was released in 2015. The song has an interesting origin story. RUTH B. posted a six-second clip on Vine of herself singing a line inspired by the TV series, Once Upon a Time. The clip went viral, and encouraged by comments, RUTH B. expanded the line into the song, "Lost Boy." After "Lost Boy" went viral on YouTube, the Canadian singer was contacted by multiple record companies.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• BANANA BREAD (18A: Sweet loaf sometimes made with walnuts) Yum! It's a toss-up whether my favorite way to use ripe BANANAs is to freeze them for use in smoothies, or bake them into BANANA BREAD. I know some people have a favorite recipe for BANANA BREAD. If you have one that is a tried-and-true favorite, I'd be delighted if you'd share it with me. I don't have a favorite recipe for BANANA BREAD; instead, I tend to collect BANANA BREAD recipes. I counted nine BANANA BREAD recipes in my recipe app! What will it be today ... Peanut Butter BANANA BREAD, Chai BANANA BREAD, BANANA BREAD with Chocolate and Walnuts...?
• BOBBLEHEAD (29A: Collectible that jiggles) If you were wondering what your day was missing, I'm sure the answer is interesting BOBBLEHEAD facts. Not to worry. I am here for you! Did you miss National BOBBLEHEAD Day? It was celebrated just a few days ago, on January 7. There's a National BOBBLEHEAD Hall of Fame and Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where over 6,500 BOBBLEHEADs are on display. The World Record for the largest BOBBLEHEAD was awarded for a 15-foot tall figure of a St. Bernard. SIDEBAR (39D: "Not to derail the conversation, but..."): I appreciated the parallel of the BOBBLEHEAD clue to the clue for COINS (20A: Money that jingle).
• OLE (33A: "Big ___ Freak" (Megan Thee Stallion song)) "Big OLE Freak" is a 2019 song by Megan Thee Stallion. It was Megan Thee Stallion's first song to chart on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. 
• GENRE (54A: Sandbox or simulation, for video games) A sandbox video game is one in which gamers play without a predetermined goal, or set their own goals. The popular video game, Minecraft, can be played as a sandbox game. Simulation video games, as the name of the GENRE suggests, are designed to simulate real world activities. 
• MARIA (61A: ___ Ressa, journalist who co-founded Rappler) Rappler is a Filipino online news site. I have previously written about its co-founder and CEO, MARIA Ressa, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021. 
• STAPLES (7D: Cassava and plantains, for example) STAPLES are foods eaten often, and in quantities that make them a dominant part of a diet for a group of people. Cassava, the edible starchy root of the cassava shrub, is a STAPLE food and carbohydrate source in many countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Plantains, also known as cooking bananas, are a STAPLE food in West and Central Africa. 

Geography review:

• MTN (23A: Kilimanjaro is one (Abbr.)) Kilimanjaro, located in Tanzania, is the highest mountain (MTN) in Africa. Here's a fun thing that happened on Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2014: A group of cricketers played a match at the top of the mountain to set a world record for the highest-ever (elevation-wise) cricket match. The game was played at an elevation of 18,799 feet.

A fun, straightforward theme today with a great set of theme answers. In addition to the theme, I enjoyed the answers PLACEBO, TEA TREE, BEAN BAG, RAT RACE, and LET IT BE. Those four corners with 7-letter Downs were great. Thank you, Sara, for this puzzle that was a fabulous way to begin my Tuesday.