August 21, 2023

Title: STEAMROLLS

Constructor: Rebecca Goldstein

Editor: Anna Gundlach

Theme Answers:

WE HAVE THE MEATS (20A: Arby's slogan designed to target millennials)

G'DAY MATES (36A: Howdy, y'all!" in Australia)

EXPANSION TEAMS (54A: Las Vegas Golden Knights in 2017 and Seattle Kraken in 2021)

Theme synopsis: The letters in the word STEAM ROLLS (is anagrammed) to form the last words of the theme answers: MEATS, MATES, TEAMS.

Things I learned:

• CASA (60A: ___ Battlo (Gaudi building in Barcelona)) CASA Battló, a building designed by Antoni Gaudí, is located in Barcelona, Spain. The house was originally built in 1877. In 1904, Josep Batlló, who then owned the house, hired architect and designer Antoni Gaudí to do a redesign. Since 1995, CASA Battló has been owned by the Bernat family, who have restored the house and opened it to the public for events. Seven of Antoni Gaudí's works, including CASA Battló, are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. I encourage you to look at some photos of CASA Battló at the sites linked above, and at this site, which provides a look at the exterior and interior of the house. It's pretty impressive.
• DONNA (63A: "___ Martin graduates!" ("90210" chant)) DONNA Martin (portrayed by Tori Spelling) is a character from the TV series Beverly Hills, 90210, a show that followed the lives of students attending the West Beverly Hills High School. In one episode, the students protest to get the school board to allow DONNA Martin to graduate, after she was suspended for drinking alcohol at the school prom. 
• TACOS (53D: "Dragons Love ___" (bestselling kids' book)) Dragons Love TACOS was written by Adam Rubin and illustrated by Daniel Salmieri. I haven't read this book, but after reading the home page on Adam Rubin's website (with the perfect domain name of adamrubinhasawebsite.com) I want to read everything he's written. (He even links to one star reviews of his books!)

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• GASH (5A: Big cut) and SLIT (7D: Small cut) This looks like the set up for a joke: A big cut and a small cut crossed each other in a crossword...
• ADIEU (18A: Farewell, in French) and G'DAY MATES (36A: Howdy, y'all!" in Australia) and CHEERIO (3D: "Bye bye," in Britain) This is fun. In the course of one puzzle I left France ("ADIEU!"), arrived in Australia ("G'DAY MATES!"), and then bid a British farewell to my new friends ("Cheerio!").
• RITA (19A: EGOT winner Moreno) EGOT is an acronym for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards, and is used as a designation for people, like Rita Moreno, who have won all four of these honors. Rita Moreno won Emmy Awards in 1977 for The Muppet Show, and 1978 for The Rockford Files, a Grammy in 1972 for a recording of The Electric Company, an Oscar in 1962 for Westside Story, and a Tony in 1975 for The Ritz.
• WE HAVE THE MEATS (20A: Arby's slogan designed to target millennials) "WE HAVE THE MEATS" has been the slogan for Arby's since 2014. They paired the change in slogan (which was previously "Slicing Up Freshness") with a website overhaul in an attempt not to "grow old with" their customer base. The voice of the Arby's slogan is Ving Rhames. 
• ETA (24A: "One more thing," on Reddit) ETA doesn't only mean "estimated time of arrival." ETA can also be used to mean "edited to add."
• POR (40A: "___ que no los dos?") "Por que no LOS dos?" "Why not both?" This phrase, featured in memes, became popular following a 2011 Old El Paso commercial.
• DEE (48A: "Do the Right Thing" actress Ruby) Do the Right Thing is a 1989 movie directed by Spike Lee. The movie is set in Brooklyn, and focuses on the racial tension between the Black residents of a neighborhood, and the Italian-American owner of a local pizzeria. Ruby DEE (1922-2014) played the role of Mother Sister.
• EXPANSION TEAMS (54A: Las Vegas Golden Knights in 2017 and Seattle Kraken in 2021) By the time I reached this clue, I had figured out the theme, so I was able to fill in TEAMS at the end of the answer. I needed the help of a few crossing answers to discover the word EXPANSION. The Vegas Golden Knights and the Seattle Kraken are the two most recent EXPANSION TEAMS in the National Hockey League (NHL). 
• EDNA (62A: Name hidden in "assumed name") Nice hidden word find.
• RODS (65A: Cones' counterparts) RODS and cones are photoreceptor cells in the eye.
• OGRE (33D: Emoji with horns and a red face) 👹
• AOC (38D: Rep. of New York's 14th district) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) represents New York's 14th congressional district (which includes portions of the Bronx, Queens, and Riders Island in New York City) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
• NINA (57D: "Project Runway" judge Garcia) Nina Garcia is the editor-in-chief at ELLE. She has also been a judge on the TV show, Project Runway, and is the only judge that has been with the show since it began in 2004.

Geography review:

• OAHU (13A: Honolulu's island) OAHU is the third largest of Hawaii's island's, and is home to the state's capital, Honolulu.
• TAMPA (29D: Florida city on Tocobaga land) The Tocobaga were an indigenous people that lived in the area that is now TAMPA, Florida, prior to the 1700s. The Tocobaga were decimated by diseases introduced by European explorers, and disappeared from historical records in the early 18th century.

I am a fan of anagram themes, and this is a great one, with interesting theme answers and a creative title. LET'S SEE, in addition to the previously highlighted answers, I'm going to give a HAT TIP to EDAMAME, GRAVY BOAT, and STREETCAR. Thank you, Rebecca, for this puzzle that was the perfect way to start my Monday.