March 3, 2023

Title:  TKTKTK

Constructor: Matthew Stock

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Theme Answers:

TEA KETTLE (18A: Whistling stovetop item)

TOPEKA, KANSAS (38A: State capital where Gwendolyn Brooks was born)

TABLE KNIFE (61A: Part of a place setting)

Theme synopsis: In each theme answer, the first word begins with a T and the second word begins with a K, giving us TKTKTK.

Things I learned:

• IMANI (13A: "South to America" author Perry) IMANI Perry is a professor of African American Studies at Princeton University, and a columnist for The Atlantic. Her book, South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation won the 2022 National Book Award for Nonfiction. In this NPR interview, IMANI Perry talks about South to America and her 2019 book, Breathe: A Letter to My Sons.
• SPEEDO (7D: Brand repped by swimmer Erica Sullivan) Erica Sullivan is a swimmer who represented Team USA at the 2020 Summer Olympics (held in 2021), winning a silver medal in the 1500-meter freestyle. She currently swims for the University of Texas at Austin. Although I was not familiar with Erica Sullivan, and did not know that she is a SPEEDO rep, the hint of a swimwear brand enabled me to get this answer.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• ALE (16A: ___ or Nothing (punny name for a brewery)) I'm always up for a good (bad?) pun!
• RAT (20A: Splinter from "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," e.g.) Splinter is a mutant RAT featured in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stories. Splinter is the Turtles' martial arts instructor and their adoptive father.
• IBIS (44A: Wading bird with a downcurved bill) The long, down curved bill of an IBIS helps it probe the mud in search of food, such as crustaceans.
• FINE LINE (57A: 2019 Harry Styles album) FINE LINE is a 2019 album by Harry Styles. The album debuted at the number one spot on the Billboard 200 chart. FINE LINE includes the singles "Lights Up," "Adore You," and "Watermelon Sugar."
• CATTAIL (10D: Tall, reedy plant) The CATTAIL plant is also known by the names bulrush, reedmace, raupo, and cumbungi. Prevalent in wetland areas and mud flats, CATTAILs have wind-dispersed seeds (like dandelions), and their seeds can survive being buried for long periods of time. (I explained to Willow that this clue referred to a plant, not to her tail!)
• ALLENDE (11D: "Violeta" author Isabel) Chilean-American author, Isabel ALLENDE, has published 25 books that have been translated into more than 42 languages. Her most recent book, Violeta, was published in 2022. Violeta is a fictional autobiography of the title character. The book is  written in the form of a letter and tells of the things Violeta has witnessed, including "the fight for women's rights, the rise and fall of tyrants, and ultimately, not one but two pandemics."
• KITTEN (41D: Member of a litter) I went searching for a picture of Willow as a KITTEN

  

  Willow as a KITTEN

  to share with you, and I found this one from October 2011, taken a few weeks after we brought her home from the shelter. This photo reminded me that her habit of sitting on my shoulder is not new!
• EMERALD (48D: Green "big four" gemstone) The "big four" gemstones refer to the most sought-after gems: diamonds, sapphires, EMERALDs, and rubies.

Geography review:

• TOPEKA, KANSAS (38A: State capital where Gwendolyn Brooks was born) I have previously written about Pulitzer-Prize winning poet, Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000). Gwendolyn Brooks was born in TOPEKA, KANSAS, but she grew up in Chicago, as her family moved there when she was six weeks old. Although Gwendolyn Brooks' time in TOPEKA, KANSAS was short, the city has named a park after her, and held a celebration of her work in 2017 to honor what would have been the poet's 100th birthday.

The letters TKTKTK are used as placeholders in graphic design, a way of indicating that text is to come later. Today the letters serve as a fun theme. I also liked NO SIREE, ACRYLICS, MAI TAI, and I'M BACK. Thank you, Matthew, for this puzzle that was a fabulous way to start my Friday.