September 26, 2023

Title: Inner Nerd

Constructor: Brooke Husic

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Guest Blogger: Shannon Rapp

Theme Answers:

DINNERDATE (16A Candlelit meal, perhaps) 

PARTNERDANCE (36A Salsa or tango, for example)

DESIGNERDRESS (57A Met gala outfit, often)

Theme synopsis: All three theme entries contain an "inner" NERD, and each is clued as an example of a thing they represent.

And Now a Word from our Constructor:

Brooke: my favorite clues in this puzzle are 33a, 34a, 45a, 24d, and 26d; i'm so happy the USAT runs clues like these!

Things I learned:

• ERIN (15A: "Solo: A Star Wars Story" actress Kellyman). Erin Kellyman has also appeared in the Disney+ series "Willow" and "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier"
• ORG (45A: www.picturingblackhistory.___). The site is a collaboration with Getty Images and Ohio State University that "seeks to uncover untold stories and rarely seen images of the Black experience"
• ANT (7D: Insect with a species that's all female). Mycocepurus smithii is a species of fungus-growing ant in which some colonies contain only female clones of the queen who reproduce entirely asexually. [I know Brooke knows I love my super nerdy animal facts in puzzles, so thank you! This one is right up my alley!]

Random thoughts and interesting things: 

• I really like that we have both MARE and SIRE, and funnily clued as 9A: Horse's mom and 51D: Horse's dad. Very cute! 
• Starry (21A SPRITE: Starry competitor) is the current brand name of the lemon-lime soda offered by PepsiCo, replacing Sierra Mist in 2023. 
• ROVER (27A: Vehicle that explores a planet). I love these cute little robots! 
• NEWS (34A: "Good ___" (Megan Thee Stallion album with periodical-inspired cover art)) I put this on while writing this review. Highly recommend!
• Really appreciate the good vibes of BLOSSOM (43D: Come into your own) and GOFREE (24D: Words to a butterfly released from a net). Happy solving. :) 

Geography Review:

• LHASA (6D: Tibet's capital). Lhasa means "place of the gods" in the Tibetan language.

Brooke (and Amanda), thanks so much for a fun, interesting, and educational puzzle. Don't forget that Brooke also publishes harder puzzles with The New Yorker and on her own blog.

Readers, please consider supporting Sally's Take if you are able. (See the yellow Donate button to the side or below). If you are interested in talking puzzles with me more, or want to make a puzzle with me, please contact me on twitter.