June 1, 2023

 Title: ACROSSES AND DOWNS (FREESTYLE)

Constructor: Nate Cardin

Editor: Erik Agard

Freestyle: This is a themeless puzzle

Things I learned:

• VELVET RAGE (24A: Anger from "growing up gay in a straight man's world," per a 2005 book) The VELVET RAGE: Overcoming the Pain of Growing Up Gay in a Straight Man's World is the name of a 2005 book by clinical psychologist Alan Downs. In this 2011 The Guardian article about the book, Alan Downs describes VELVET RAGE as "the deep and abiding anger that results from growing up in an environment when I learn that who I am as a gay person is unacceptable, perhaps even unlovable."
• PETE (65A: Megan Thee Stallion's surname) Megan Thee Stallion is the professional name of Megan Jovon Ruth PETE. 
• AMPUTEE (40D: Many an Amplitude Magazine subscriber) According to the magazine's website, "Today's AMPUTEEs are living more dynamic lives than ever before. Amplitude Magazine tells their story." This is a great and thoughtful way to clue the word AMPUTEE.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• FLOATING HOLIDAY (16A: Flexible paid time off) A FLOATING HOLIDAY is a benefit offered by some companies that allows an employee to take a substitute day off for a public holiday. FLOATING HOLIDAYs are offered in addition to vacation days and sick leave.
• ETTA (39A: "Tell Mama" singer ___ James) "Tell Mama" is the title track from ETTA James' 1967 album. 
• HBO (41A: "We're Here" channel) We're Here is an HBO reality TV show co-hosted by Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O'Hara, and Shangela. On We're Here, the drag queens travel to small towns across the United States, and recruit residents to participate in one-night-only drag shows.
• SALT FAT ACID HEAT (58A: Samin Nosrat cookbook that highlights "the four elements of good cooking) SALT FAT ACID HEAT: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking is a 2017 cookbook by Samin Nosrat, which was a New York Times bestseller and won the James Beard Award. A four-part Netflix series of the same name, starring Samin Nosrat, premiered in 2018. In the cookbook and on the show, Samin Nosrat proposes that SALT, FAT, ACID, and HEAT are the four elements of successful cooking.
• ORG (6D: www.translifeline.___) Trans Lifeline is a grassroots non-profit organization "offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis - for the trans community, by the trans community." The organization's vision is a "world where trans people have the connection, economic security, and care everyone needs and deserves - free of prisons and police." Wouldn't that be fabulous?
• ROOT BEER (8D: Ingredient in some floats) When our kids lived at home, our family tradition was to celebrate each first and last day of school with pizza and ROOT BEER floats. 
• UNDO (10D: Ctrl+Z command) I know I mention this every time we see the UNDO / Ctrl+Z combination in the puzzle, but this is truly my favorite computer command. It has saved me from major anguish so many times. ("Noooooo! That's not what I wanted to do..." Ctrl+Z "Phew!")
• KEYS (12D: "Ring of ___" (song from "Fun Home") Fun Home is a 2006 graphic novel by Alison Bechdel. In the memoir, Bechdel looks at her childhood and youth, and her relationship with her DAD. "Ring of KEYS" is a song from the stage musical adaptation of Fun Home. I've seen the musical, and "Ring of KEYS" is my favorite song.
• MOVIE (29D: "Moonlight" or "Tangerine," for example) Moonlight is a 2016 MOVIE based on an unpublished semi-autobiographical play by Tarrell Alvin McCraney. The film looks at the themes of sexuality and masculinity while telling the story of its main character through childhood, adolescence, and young adult life. Tangerine is a 2015 MOVIE about a transgender sex worker (played by Kitana Kiki Rodriquez) who discovers her boyfriend, who is also her pimp, has been cheating on her.
• ILANA (30D: "Broad City" star Glazer)  ILANA Glazer played a fictionalized version of herself in the TV sitcom, Broad City. The show was developed from a web series of the same name and is based on the real-life friendship and New York City adventures of ILANA Glazer and co-star Abbi Jacobson.

Geography review:

• FARGO (14A: Largest city in North Dakota) FARGO is the largest city in North Dakota. FARGO is the only city in North Dakota with a population over 100,000 (its population is just under 126,000). For comparison, I looked at how this compares to other states that have a similar land area as North Dakota. Oklahoma has three cities with a population over 100,000, Missouri has five, and Washington has six.
• TETONS (21A: Grand ___ (Wyoming mountain range)) The TETON Range, known familiarly as the Grand TETONS after the highest mountain in the range), is part of the Rocky Mountains. Located in Wyoming, the Grand TETONS are the main feature of Grand TETON National Park.

This delightful FREESTYLE puzzle is a great way to start off the month of June. (This is my reminder to myself to change the calendar in our front entryway...) I enjoyed the title today. Why, yes, this puzzle does have ACROSSES AND DOWNS... PINKY SWEAR is a fun entry, and its clue was perfect (44A: Promise times infinity). Thank you, Nate, for this puzzle that was a fantastic way to start my Thursday.