March 11, 2023

Title: CUT THE CORD 

Constructor: Hannah Slovut

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Theme Answers:

CURSE WORD (15A: It might be replaced by symbols)

COMMENT CARD (35A: "I wish!")

CORNBREAD (56A: Side dish with origins in Native cuisine)

Theme synopsis: The word CORD is CUT by each theme answer.

Things I learned:

• LUCAS (55A: Disability rights activist Carrie Ann) Carrie Ann LUCAS (1971-2019) was a lawyer and disability rights activist in the United States. She lived with a degenerative neuromuscular disease that eventually led to her using a power wheelchair and breathing through a ventilator. Carrie Ann LUCAS advocated for the rights of parents with disabilities, and was the mother of four daughters with developmental and physical disabilities. I read several articles about Carrie Ann LUCAS that were written following her death in 2019. There are two articles, written by friends of Carrie Ann LUCAS, and part of the Disability Visibility Project, that I highly recommend you read: "Creating a Disabled Family: The Life of Carrie Ann LUCAS" and "Carrie Ann LUCAS Was a BAMF."
• CBS (3D: "Ghosts" network) Ghosts is a TV sitcom that premiered on CBS in October 2021. The American show is adapted from a British series of the same name. The show is about a couple that inherited a country house from a distant relative, and discover it is inhabited by ghosts. 

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• CURSE WORD (15A: It might be replaced by symbols) #*$&@$%, this is a fun clue/answer pair!
• DEW (47A: Mountain ___ Code Red) Mountain DEW Code Red was introduced in 2001, and yet I have managed to avoid tasting this cherry variant of Mountain DEW. Have you had it? I am amazed at how many varieties of Mountain DEW there are, many of which are exclusive to certain restaurants or stores. 
• FELINE (49A: Like a snow leopard) and CATNAPS (24D: Short rests) The snow leopard is a FELINE native to central and south Asian mountain ranges. Snow leopards have whitish-gray fur with black spots. Snow leopards are considered a vulnerable species, threatened by poaching and habitat destruction. Willow is also a FELINE, and like her distant relatives the snow leopards, she takes many CATNAPS. I like how cats sometimes curl into a ball while they sleep.

  

  Willow in a CATNAP ball

  Where does this cat begin and end?
• BOB (53A: Title cartoon character who owns a burger restaurant) This title character is BOB of the animated sitcom, BOB's Burgers. The show first aired in 2011 and is still in production, having been renewed for a 14th and 15th season. The BOB's Burgers Movie was released last year. BOB is voiced by H. Jon Benjamin. As you might guess from the show's name, BOB and his family run a burger restaurant. Although I don't watch BOB's Burgers on a regular basis, I have seen a few episodes of the show at the insistence of my son who is a fan.
• SHE (54A: "___ Used to Be Mine" ("Waitress" song) Sara Bareilles wrote "SHE Used to Be Mine" for the musical, Waitress (which was adapted from the 2007 movie of the same name). 
• DERN (62A: "Jurassic Park" actress Laura) Laura DERN first played the role of Dr. Ellie Sattler in the 1993 movie Jurassic Park. She reprised the role in Jurassic Park III (2001) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022). 
• SARONG (2D: Wrapped garment) A SARONG is a loose garment that consists of a long strip of fabric wrapped around the body. It is often wrapped around the waist, and is worn by both women and men in areas of Asia, Africa, and some Pacific islands. 
• LEGOLAND (9D: Theme park based on a toy) LEGOLAND is a chain of theme parks. The oldest LEGOLAND opened in 1968 in Billund, Denmark, near the original Lego factory. The newest LEGOLAND opened in 2022 in South Korea. There are three LEGOLANDs in the United States, in California, Florida, and New York.
• TYCOON (23D: "RollerCoaster ___" (amusement park game)) Maybe it was because of the LEGOLAND clue, but it took me a bit to realize this clue referred to a video game. For some reason I was imagining some sort of game played among visitors to an amusement park, perhaps vying for the most roller coaster rides?! Anyway, RollerCoaster TYCOON is a series of video games simulating building and managing an amusement park. The first RollerCoaster TYCOON game was released in 1999.
• CLOWN CAR (35D: Circus vehicle that's often packed) This is a fun clue and answer.
• MASCOT (42D: Goldy Gopher or T.C. Bear) Goldy Gopher is the University of Minnesota's MASCOT. T.C. Bear is the MASCOT for the Minnesota Twins.
• INHALE (45D: Take a breath) Did you INHALE while you filled in this answer?

Geography review:

• OHIO (13A: Buckeye state) The OHIO buckeye is a species of tree in the soapberry family, making it related to horse chestnut, maple, and lychee trees. OHIO buckeye trees are native to North America, where they grow primarily in the Midwest and Great Plains regions of the United States. Their prevalence in OHIO led to the state's nickname of "The Buckeye State." OHIO residents are also known as "Buckeyes."
• LOS (25A: ___ Angeles) LOS Angeles, located in southern California, is the largest city in the state. LOS Angeles is the second-largest city in the United States, following New York City.

Can I fill out a COMMENT CARD for this puzzle? It would say I enjoyed this take on a classic USA Today theme type. Lots of enjoyable fill and clueing today such as NO DICE (21D: Not happening), MISERY (44D: Emotion that "loves company"), and EYE ROLL (10D: "Oh boy, here we go again" reaction). It's been over a year since we've seen a puzzle from constructor Hannah Slovut, and I was delighted to see her name on today's puzzle. Thank you, Hannah, for this puzzle that was a superb way to start my Saturday.