January 12, 2023

Title: OUTER SHELLS

Constructor: Brooke Husic

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

SHAY MITCHELL (14A: Voice of Alexandra Trese in "Trese")

SHAKE WELL (35A: Salad dressing bottle instruction)

SHOW AND TELL (52A: Classroom activity often depicted in "Calvin and Hobbes")

Theme synopsis: All of the theme answers begin with the letters SH- and end with the letters -ELL, giving them OUTER SHELLS.

And now a word from our constructor: 

Brooke: A Strange Loop closes on Broadway in a few days, and I very much recommend watching it if it becomes available on video in the future! I also can't wait to hear Halle Bailey sing "Part Of Your World."

Things I learned:

• SHAY MITCHELL (14A: Voice of Alexandra Trese in "Trese") Trese is an animated TV series based on the Filipino comic of the same name by Budjette Tan and Kaji Baldisimo. The show premiered on Netflix in June 2021. Trese is dubbed in English, Filipino, and Japanese. SHAY MITCHELL voices the title character of Alexandra Trese - a healer-warrior protecting the world from supernatural beings - in the English version. The Filipino version is voiced by Liza Soberano, and the Japanese version by Ryoko Shiraishi. SHAY MITCHELL also played the role of Emily Fields in the TV series, Pretty Little Liars (2010-2017). 
• FUNK (23A: Ohio Players genre) The Ohio Players are a FUNK band that formed in Dayton, Ohio in 1959. (The band's original name was the Ohio Untouchables.) The band has had a number of different members during the years, and had several hits in the 1970s, including the songs "Fire," "Honey," and "Contradiction." I definitely had to rely on crossing answers for this answer. (I was alive in the 1970s, but a little young to be listening to the Ohio Players!) When I first read the clue, I had the K in place from QUICK READ, so I confidently filled in "rock." Then I discover the U and N from USES and MAN, so I changed the answer to "punk." Well, third times a charm! I got there in the end.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• SHOW AND TELL (52A: Classroom activity often depicted in "Calvin and Hobbes") Ah, the delightful Calvin and Hobbes, Bill Waterson's comic strip about six-year-old Calvin and his tiger companion, Hobbes. If you've read any Calvin and Hobbes, you've probably encountered a few strips about SHOW AND TELL, as it's a recurring theme. (And if you haven't read Calvin and Hobbes, please take immediate steps to address that omission!) Here's a Pinterest board that has collected a number of Calvin and Hobbes comics that feature SHOW AND TELL.
• QUICK READ (5D: Book finished in a short time) If you're a speed-reader, is every book a QUICK READ? 
• ACADEMY AWARD (17D: Halle Berry won one in 2002) Halle Berry won an ACADEMY AWARD in 2002 for her portrayal of Leticia Musgrove in Monster's Ball. She is the only woman of color to have won an ACADEMY AWARD in this category. 
• TET NGUYEN DAN (19D: Vietnamese Lunar New Year) TẾT NGUYÊN ĐÁN, often referred to as TẾT, is the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, the celebration of the arrival of spring based on the Vietnamese calendar. This year TẾT is on January 22.
• LEE (56D: "A Strange Loop" actress L Morgan ___) and ENDS (21A: Comes to a close) A Strange Loop is a musical about a Black, queer writer (named Usher) writing a musical about a Black, queer writer writing a musical about a Black, queer writer. L Morgan LEE played the role of Thought 1. Last year, A Strange Loop won the Tony Award for Best Musical. As Brooke mentioned in her notes, the Broadway run of A Strange Loop ENDS soon, this Sunday, January 15.

Geography review:

• UAE (12A: Abu Dhabi's country) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country on the Arabian Peninsula. Abu Dhabi is one of the seven emirates that comprise the UAE. The emirate of Abu Dhabi is named after the city of Abu Dhabi, which is the capital of the UAE and of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
• ORE (31A: State next to Ida.) Oregon (ORE.) is one of six U.S. states next to Idaho (Ida.), and I think this is an opportunity for a Geography Quiz. Can you name the five other states and the one Canadian province that border Idaho? Answer to the Geography Quiz is at the bottom of this blog post. (I tested myself and got the states but missed the Canadian province - I guessed the province just to the east of the correct province.)
• ERIE (60A: Great Lake near Buffalo) Buffalo, New York is one of five cities on the U.S. shores of Lake ERIE. The others are Cleveland, Ohio; ERIE, Pennsylvania; Toledo, Ohio; and Monroe, Michigan. There are two cities on the Canadian shores of Lake ERIE: Leamington, Ontario and Port Colborne, Ontario. Today I learned two fun facts about Leamington, Ontario. 1. As the city includes the southernmost point of mainland Canada (Point Pelee National Park), Leamington has adopted the nickname "The Sun Parlour of Canada." 2. Leamington's other nickname is the "Tomato Capital of Canada," because it is the location of a tomato processing factory opened in 1908. (Until 2014, the plant was owned by the H. J. Heinz Company; the current owner is Highbury-Canco.)

An enjoyable theme today presented in a fun and interesting grid. As the theme answers are all placed on the right side of the grid, we get a delightful column of 12-letter Downs on the left side of the puzzle. Although one of those answers is NOT A GOOD IDEA, I think this layout is quite a nice idea! I also liked the long Down answer of HEBREW LETTERS. Thank you, Brooke, for this puzzle that was a great way to start my Thursday.

Answer to the Geography Quiz: Idaho is bordered by Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Washington, and the Canadian province of British Columbia.