August 17, 2023

Title: TOP MARKS

Constructor: Jimmy Peniston

Editor: Kelsey Dixon

Theme Answers:

STRETCH THE TRUTH (1D: Exaggerate a bit)

ACCENT PILLOWS (8D: Decorative cushions on a couch or bed)

CHECK PLEASE (23D: "We're ready to pay!"

Theme synopsis: The TOP word of each vertical theme answer can precede the word MARKS. We have STRETCH MARKS, ACCENT MARKS, and CHECK MARKS.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• APPS (8A: Feeld, Grindr and HER) Feeld, Grindr, and HER are all location-based APPS for social networking and dating.
• CLUE (14A: Murder mystery boardgame) CLUE! I'm always delighted to see my favorite boardgame of all time in the grid. I enjoy a lot of boardgames, but there's nothing quite like, "Professor Plum with the candlestick in the library."
• TLC (26A: "Waterfalls" group)  "Waterfalls," released in 1995, is often considered the signature song for TLC. It was an international hit, topping the charts in many countries, including the U.S. where it spent seven weeks at the top of Billboard's Hot 100. 
• HAT HEAD (32A: Disheveled "hairstyle" caused by a beanie) This clue / answer made me laugh! Ah, the dreaded HAT HEAD... Fun fact: HAT HEAD National Park is a park in New South Wales, Australia. If you go there, you might see KOALAS (24D: Eucalyptus eaters).
• INCA (41A: Quechua speaker, once) INCA is making back-to-back appearances, as we just saw it yesterday. Quechua was the official language of the INCA Empire.
• KATE (43A: "Running Up That Hill" singer Bush) "Running Up That Hill" is a 1985 song by KATE Bush. The song was KATE Bush's first Top 40 hit in the U.S. In 2022, "Running Up That Hill" was featured in the fourth season of the TV series, Stranger Things. The renewed attention led to the song charting again.
• BEE (45A: Insect that communicates with a "waggle dance") A BEE uses movement known as a waggle dance to communicate with other BEEs. The dance relays information about the location of a flower patch. Isn't science fascinating?!
• AGNES (3D: "Framing ___" (2022 documentary)) Framing Agnes is a documentary that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. 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.
• I DO (5D: Words one hopes to hear at the altar) Ha! The "one hopes to hear" tickled me. Yes, if you make it to the altar at a wedding (or even if you're just attending a wedding), the hope is that you will hear the words "I DO."
• ARE (33D: Trans women ___ women) Highlighting to reinforce the message: Trans women ARE women.
• GIL (46D: "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" poet Scott-Heron) I wrote about jazz poet GIL Scott-Heron (1949-2011) when we saw his full name as a theme answer earlier this year.
• ROSIE (50D: "Yo soy Boricua, pa'que tu lo sepasi" co-director Perez) From 2020-2022, ROSIE Perez portrayed Megan Briscoe on the The Flight Attendant, a TV series based on Chris Bohjalian's novel of the same name. In the 2020 movie based on DC Comics superheroes, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), ROSIE Perez plays the role of Renee Montoya, a detective in the Gotham City Police Department. Yo soy Boricua, pa'que tu lo sepasi (I'm Puerto Rican, Just So You Know!) is a 2006 documentary about ROSIE Perez's activism for Puerto Rican rights. The film takes a look at Puerto Rican culture and history. It was co-directed by ROSIE Perez and Liz Garbus.
• TBS (63D: "Miracle Workers" channel) Miracle Workers is a TV series that premiered on TBS in 2019. It is an anthology comedy series based partly on the writings of Simon Rich. The first season was based on the 2012 novel What in God's Name. The second season, subtitled Dark Ages, was based on the short story, "Revolution." The third season is subtitled Oregon Trail, and the fourth season, which premiered last month, is subtitled, End Times.

Geography review:

• TEMPE (54D: Arizona college town) The main campus of Arizona State University is located in TEMPE, Arizona. TEMPE is a suburb of Arizona's capital city, Phoenix.

I give this puzzle TOP MARKS! (That was just too easy - thanks, Jimmy.) A classic USA Today theme type today that I caught onto as soon as I plonked in STRETCH THE TRUTH. (It's especially nice for this answer to be grid-spanning, isn't it?) In addition to the answers I've already highlighted, I enjoyed SPRING ROLL and STROLLERS. Thank you, Jimmy, for this puzzle that was a great way to start my Thursday.