April 19, 2023

Title: TWO FT TALL

Constructors: Emet Ozar & Matthew Stock

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

FLUFFERNUTTERS (15D: Sandwiches made with peanut butter and marshmallow creme)

CAFFE LATTE (19D: Espresso-and-steamed-milk drink)

MUFFULETTA (21D: New Orleans sandwich containing olive salad and salami)

Theme synopsis: Each TALL (vertical) theme answer contains TWO Fs and TWO Ts.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• ANA (17A: "American Auto" star Gasteyer) American Auto is a TV sitcom centered around the employees of a Detroit-based auto company. ANA Gasteyer portrays Katherine Hastings, the new CEO of the auto company. Having previously been in the pharmacology industry, she knows nothing about cars. I learned about SNL-alum ANA Gasteyer from the April 2, 2022 puzzle. 
• SPUN-OFF (23A: Like "Better Call Saul" from "Breaking Bad") I knew that the TV series Better Call Saul (2015-2022) was SPUN-OFF from Breaking Bad (2008-2013). The only thing that tripped me up here is that I originally missed the the past tense of the clue and entered "spin-off." That was quickly fixed when I came across the clue for MUFFULETTA.
• FDR (25A: New Deal president's initials) The New Deal was a series of programs and regulations enacted between 1933 and 1939, when Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) was president. These programs included the establishment of Social Security.
• BERET (37A: Raspberry hat in a Prince song) "Raspberry BERET" is a 1985 song from Prince & the Revolution's album, Around the World in a Day. Thanks for the earworm, puzzle.
• MANGA (41A: Works published by Tokyopop) Tokyopop is a U.S.-based distributor, licensor, and publisher of MANGA, graphic novels or comics originating from Japan. The company is credited with popularizing MANGA in the United States. Tokyopop also licenses and distributes Japanese anime. 
• TALL TALE (46A: Exaggerated story) This struck me as a possible theme bonus, since the theme answers are TALL (i.e. vertical answers).
• MORDOR (5D: Mount Doom's location in "The Lord of the Rings") In The Lord of the Rings, MORDOR is the realm of Sauron, the evil antagonist. Mount Doom is a volcano in MORDOR that responds to Sauron's commands. Mount Doom was where the One Ring was forged, and is the only place it can be destroyed. 
• FLUFFERNUTTERS (15D: Sandwiches made with peanut butter and marshmallow creme) FLUFFERNUTTERS are exactly as the clue describes them, sandwiches made with peanut butter and marshmallow creme. The sandwich, usually made using white bread, was created in the early 20th century, following the invention of marshmallow creme. Even though the sandwich has been around for some time, it wasn't until 2021 that Merriam-Webster added the word FLUFFERNUTTER to its dictionary.
• CAFFE LATTE (19D: Espresso-and-steamed-milk drink) I believe this CAFFE LATTE would pair well with Saturday's puzzle, LATTE ART FOR BEGINNERS. 
• MUFFULETTA (21D: New Orleans sandwich containing olive salad and salami) A MUFFULETTA consists of meat, cheese, and a marinated olive spread, sandwiched inside MUFFULETTA bread, a round loaf with Italian origins. It's been 29 years since I visited New Orleans, but I still remember enjoying a MUFFULETTA there; it was absolutely delicious.
• HERO (33D: "Zero to ___" (song from "Hercules")) If you want a break from the "Raspberry BERET" earworm, you could listen to "Zero to HERO." 
• TEA (35D: Rooibos or oolong) Rooibos is a red TEA made from the leaves of the rooibos plant. Rooibos is naturally caffeine-free. Oolong is a TEA made from semi-oxidized TEA leaves, and can be made from a variety of TEA plant cultivars. Oolong TEA is similar to black tea, but varies in its preparation; the latter is more oxidized.
• ARIKE (47D: WNBA star Ogunbowale) I just learned about WNBA All-Star from the February 14, 2023 puzzle. 
• AGNES (48D: "Framing ___" (2022 documentary)) Framing Agnes is a 2022 documentary that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2022. The movie takes a look at how stories of trans lives are told, and who tells them. The film features a cast of trans stars who reenact case studies from the UCLA Gender Clinic in the 1950s and 1960s.

Geography review:

• NORFOLK (14A: City in Virginia) NORFOLK is located in the southeastern corner of Virginia, adjacent to the cities of Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. NORFOLK is situated at the junction of the Elizabeth River and Chesapeake Bay, giving it many miles of riverfront and bayfront property.
• LONE (38A: Texas, the ___ Star State) Texas's nickname of "The LONE Star State" is a reminder that Texas was previously an independent republic after it broke away from Mexico in 1836 until it became a U.S. state in 1845.
• ARAB (1D: The A in UAE) The United ARAB Emirates (UAE) is a Western Asian country located on the Arabian Peninsula. The UAE is a federation of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm Al Quwain.
• SWAMP (3D: Wetland such as the Okefenokee) The Okefenokee SWAMP, which gets its name from a Choctaw phrase meaning "Land of the Trembling Earth," is a peat-filled wetland located on the Georgia-Florida border. The Okefenokee is the largest "blackwater" SWAMP in North America. The term blackwater refers to the water that resembles black tea, a result of slow-moving water and the decay of vegetation.

Today's puzzle was an unusual solve for me in that I was able to plonk in all three theme answers without the help of crossing answers. Even though I've never eaten FLUFFERNUTTERS, filling in this iconic sandwich was quite satisfying. Being able to then fill in CAFFE LATTE and MUFFULETTA also brought me joy. (The only minor snag is that, apparently, I didn't know how to spell MUFFULETTA; quickly corrected from crossing answers.) I don't know that one would want to pair FLUFFERNUTTERS, a MUFFULETTA, and a CAFFE LATTE together in the same meal, but they make a fabulous theme set. I enjoyed the answers TROLLEY CARS, STRATEGIC, and BREAK THE ICE. I was not at all BUMMED OUT by this puzzle. Thank you, Emet and Matthew, for this puzzle that was a delightful way to start my Wednesday.