June 25, 2023

Title: DOWNFALL

Constructors: Steve Marron & Zhouqin Burnikel

Editors: Jared Goudsmit & Amanda Rafkin

Theme Answers:

LET'S ADMIT IT (3D: "We need to face facts")

DEVIL'S ADVOCATE (8D: Role played to provoke a debate)

NSA DIRECTOR (25D: Intelligence org. head within the DoD)

SALSA DANCE (29D: Performance set to a Celia Cruz song, perhaps)

Theme synopsis: The word SAD - a synonym of DOWN - is found going DOWN (or FALLing) in each vertical theme answer.

Things I learned:

• ACHED (4A: Really felt a Wing Chun class) Wing Chun is a martial art developed in southern China. It is characterized by close-quarters hand-to-hand combat and rapid punches. Martial artist and actor Bruce Lee's training included Wing Chun.
• WAY (12D: "This is the ___" (Mandalorian motto)) The Mandalorian is a live-action Star Wars TV series starring Pedro Pascal as the title character. This much I knew, but since I haven't watched the show, I was thankful that this answer was fairly inferable. Here's a "This is the WAY," clip, and an article about the mantra's meaning. 

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• CAMERA (54A: "Say kimchi!" device) I have previously written about Korean photographers asking people to "Say kimchi!" in order to encourage them to smile.
• ACAI (64A: Berry rich in micronutrients) Micronutrients are essential dietary requirements, such as vitamins and minerals, that are needed in amounts of less than 100 milligrams a day. ACAI berries contain vitamins A and C, as well as iron, calcium, and potassium.
• EYES (68A: Features that may be triangular on a jack-o'-lantern) and ROT (69A: Go bad, like a jack-o'-lantern two days after carving, seemingly) I enjoyed this pair of consecutive jack-o'-lantern clues.
• CHA (5D: Yum ___ (meal with tea and dim sum)) Yum CHA is the Cantonese equivalent of going out for brunch, involving dim sum and tea. People often go to yum CHA for celebrations or family get-togethers.
• TRAMP (27D: "Lady and the ___") This mention of the Disney animated movie, Lady and the TRAMP, made me wonder when the movie was first released. The answer to that question is 1955. A live-action / CGI hybrid remake was released in 2019.
• NSA DIRECTOR (25D: Intelligence org. head within the DoD) According to a Department of Defense (DoD) directive, the head of the National Security Administration (NSA) must be a commissioned officer of the military. The current NSA DIRECTOR is General Paul M. Nakasone, who concurrently serves as commander of U.S. Cyber Command. 
• SALSA DANCE (29D: Performance set to a Celia Cruz song, perhaps) Celia Cruz (1925-2003), nicknamed the "Queen of SALSA," was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016. 
• DOCTER (31D: "Inside Out" director Pete) Pete DOCTER is the chief creative officer of Pixar. In addition to directing Inside Out (2015), he also directed Monsters, Inc. (2001), Up (2009), and Soul (2020). I feel as if I am often writing the sentence, "I haven't seen this movie (or TV show)," so I am delighted to report that I have seen (and thoroughly enjoyed!) three of the four movies Pete DOCTER has directed. Can you guess which one I haven't seen?
• MEI (37D: "Turning Red" protagonist) Turning Red is a 2022 animated movie about MEI, a 13-year-old Chinese Canadian girl who transforms into a giant red panda when she feels strong emotions. Rosalie Chiang voices the character of MEI.
• OVAL (46D: Cricket ground shape) and BAT (59D: Piece of cricket equipment) Although I often say, "(Almost) everything I know about sports I learned from crossword puzzles," cricket is an exception. Everything I know about cricket I learned from the Lord Peter Wimsey novels by Dorothy L. Sayers, the BBC game show Only Connect, and crossword puzzles. Fun Fact: I once collaborated on a cricket-themed crossword puzzle.

Geography review:

• CHILE (15A: Country west of Argentina) Argentina and CHILE are located on the southern portion of South America. Argentina is located on the east, with coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. West of Argentina is CHILE, with coastline along the Pacific Ocean. The capital of Argentina is Buenos Aires, and the capital of CHILE is Santiago.
• IOWA (16A: State with the world's largest truck stop) This clue made me laugh! Why, yes, IOWA is the home of the world's largest truck stop. Since 1964, IOWA 80 has been located along Interstate 80 in eastern IOWA (about 35 miles east of my house). A large sign visible from the interstate lets folks know IOWA 80 is the "World's Largest Truckstop." IOWA 80 has parking for 900 trucks. The truck stop has a restaurant and food court, of course, and it also has a dentist, a chiropractor, a barber shop, a movie theatre, as well as laundry facilities and showers. A trucking museum is also located on the site.
• NAPA VALLEY(18A: California region with over 400 wineries) When my daughter and I visited NAPA VALLEY a few years ago, we visited five wineries. It's clear I need to make a few more trips to NAPA VALLEY in order to fully experience it.

Well, after MAKING UP yesterday, today we have experienced a DOWNFALL; no wonder we are SAD. In actuality, although this puzzle is full of SAD, there's nothing to be SAD about here. Thank you, Steve and Zhouqin, for this puzzle that was a great way to start my Sunday. BACK IN A BIT (tomorrow!).