May 15, 2023

Title: ACT UP

Constructor: Jimmy Peniston

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

CARROT CAKE (3D: Dessert with cream cheese frosting)

LAST CALL (9D: "If you want one, let me know now!")

CAT CARRIER (32D: Calico's crate)

GIFT CARD (40D: Rectangular present)

Theme synopsis: The word ACT is found going UP in each of the theme answers.

Things I learned:

• IVAN (58D: "Creed II" antagonist ___ Drago) IVAN Drago (portrayed by Dolph Lundgren) made his first film appearance in the 1985 movie Rocky IV, as a rival of Rocky Balboa. In the 2018 movie, Creed II, IVAN Drago is the main antagonist, acting as trainer for his son, Viktor (portrayed by Florian Munteanu). This is one of those names I probably heard when Rocky IV and Creed II came out, but since I didn't see the movies, it didn't stick with me.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• NORA (15A: Romance writer Roberts) NORA Roberts has written over 225 romance novels. NORA Roberts is a pen name, shortened from her birth name of Eleanor Marie Robertson. She also writes under the pseudonyms J.D. Robb, Jill March, and Sarah Hardesty. 
• TWO-SPIRIT (18A: Queer indigenous identity) TWO-SPIRIT, or 2S, is a term used in some indigenous cultures to describe a person with both a feminine and masculine SPIRIT living in the same body.
• ORCAS (34A: "Wolves of the sea") ORCAS are the apex predators of the ocean; that is, they are at the top of the food chain. Because of their cooperative hunting methods, working as a group to overcome prey, ORCAS are sometimes referred to as the "wolves of the sea." 
• BLOWS AWAY (60A: Absolutely amazes) and AWED (67A: Absolutely amazed) The lower left corner of this grid is amazing, isn't it?
• LIVE (1D: Beyonce's "Homecoming: The ___ Album") Homecoming: The LIVE Album was released in 2019, and is Beyoncé's fifth LIVE album. It was recorded at the 2018 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The album won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Album. Beyoncé is currently on tour. Her Renaissance World Tour began five days ago in Sweden. Shoutout to my daughter, her fiancé and six of their friends, who will be seeing Beyoncé in concert when she is in Chicago.
• CARROT CAKE (3D: Dessert with cream cheese frosting) Yum! You might think CARROTs are the most important part of CARROT CAKE, but in my opinion, the cream cheese frosting is crucial.  Without it you basically have a CARROT muffin. Bonus points if the cream cheese frosting has been used to make CARROT shapes on the top of the CAKE.
• POSE (27D: FX drama about ballroom culture) POSE is a TV series that centers on the Black and Latino LGBTQ and gender-nonconforming drag ball culture of the 1980s and 1990s. 
• SPILL (30D: Accident prevented by a sippy cup) This clue made me smile. It brings back memories of the time when sippy cups were prevalent in our house. It's been a few (20 plus!) years since we've had sippy cups around. Let's be honest, though, travel mugs and water bottles are essentially sippy cups for adults.
• CAT CARRIER (32D: Calico's crate) Do you think Willow is pleased there is a CAT

  

  Willow

  reference in today's puzzle, or miffed about that reference being the dreaded CAT CARRIER? 
• GIFT CARD (40D: Rectangular present) This is a fun clue! 
• TNT (49D: Yellow explosive) I filled in this answer right away, but thought to myself, "I didn't know TNT was yellow." Well, here's a fascinating piece of trivia: When Trinitrotoluene (TNT) was originally prepared in 1863, it was used as a yellow dye. In fact, because it's somewhat difficult to detonate, its potential as an explosive was not recognized for almost thirty years. TNT is poisonous, and handling it without protection can cause the skin to turn a bright yellow-orange color. 

Geography review:

• USA (25D: Country with the most Olympic medals in softball) Softball has only been a sport at five Olympics thus far. USA has medaled each of those five years, winning three gold medals (1996, 2000, and 2004) and two silver medals (2008 and 2020). Softball will not be a sport at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. 
• SEA (45D: Malaysia's region (Abbr.)) Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia (SEA). The abbreviation of SEA for Southeast Asia is new to me (but definitely valid!), and it took me a minute to figure out even after I had the answer filled in. The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur.

ACT UP (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power) is a grassroots group, formed in 1987, working to end the AIDS crisis. ACT UP advocates for sustained investment in research, equitable access to prevention and care, and dismantling of the stigma, discrimination, and poverty systems that have driven the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Today, ACT UP is also a theme for this puzzle featuring four great theme answers. Jimmy Peniston is making his USA Today debut today - congrats and welcome! Jimmy is currently a roster member at Lil AVC X, and I was delighted to see their byline today. Thank you, Jimmy, for this puzzle that was a wonderful way to start my Monday.