October 10, 2023

Title: BREAKING WAVE 

Constructor: Zhouqin Burnikel

Editor: Jared Goudsmit

Theme Answers:

WAFFLE WEAVE (16A: Fabric pattern that resembles a honeycomb)

WARP DRIVE (40A: Sci-fi tech for super fast travel)

WHAT A SAVE (62A: "Great goalkeeping!")

Theme synopsis: The word WAVE is broken by each theme answer.

Things I learned:

• MANGA (43A: Junji Ito's art) Junji Ito is a writer and MANGA artist specializing in horror MANGA. One of the MANGA series created by Junji Ito is titled Tomie. The title character of the series is a beautiful and mysterious woman (who happens to be immortal) that has the power to drive her admirers mad.
• HUGO (65A: Award for Rovina Cai) The HUGO Awards are presented annually at the World Science Fiction Convention for the best science fiction or fantasy works of the previous year. The Award is named after HUGO Gernsback, who published the first science fiction magazine, Amazing Stories. In 2021 and 2022, the winner of the HUGO Award for Best Professional Artist was awarded to Rovina Cai, a freelance illustrator from Melbourne, Australia.
• COST (69A: "___ of Living" (Pulitzer-winning play)) COST of Living is a play by Martyna Majok that won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play examines relationships between disabled and able persons, and has a cast of four, two disabled persons and two caregivers. COST of Living was performed on Broadway in the fall of 2022.
• BEAN (23D: Rajma morsel) Rajma is a dish that originated from the Indian subcontinent. It consists of red kidney BEANs in a spiced thick gravy, and is usually served with rice.
• MAYO (59D: Tamago sando condiment) Tamago sando is also known as Japanese egg sandwich. It features egg salad (hard boiled eggs combined with MAYO) served on Japanese milk bread.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• TACO (6A: Chalupa alternative) Both chalupas and TACOs are shells filled with meat or beans and other ingredients. The difference between a chalupa and a TACO is the shell. A chalupa shell is thicker than a TACO shell, and is fried before filling and serving.
• LANTERN (26A: Star ___ (handmade Tet Trung Thu item) Tết Trung Thu, also known as the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, is a Vietnamese festival. Celebrations include hanging lanterns, gift-giving, and making and sharing mooncake. This year, Tết Trung Thu was celebrated on September 29.  A star LANTERN, made from bamboo, colored paper, and jute, is a traditional toy associated with Tết Trung Thu. 
• NIXON (38A: "Sex and the City" actress Cynthia) Cynthia NIXON portrayed Miranda Hobbes in the TV series Sex and the City. She reprised the role for the current TV series, And Just Like That...
• EYES (66A: Body parts that goggles protect) This clue is timely, as in the last few weeks, two of my family members have experienced EYE injuries. (Both of them are okay!) Recently, my sister and my husband have had scratched corneas, both resulting from injuries sustained while doing gardening and yard work - not typically activities you would wear goggles while doing! Fortunately, the cornea has a tremendous ability to heal itself. Still, it's a good idea to protect your EYES.
• STEW (67A: Nikujaga, goulash, etc.) Nikujaga is a STEW of meat, potatoes, and onion in soy sauce and mirin that originated in Japan. Goulash is a STEW of meat and vegetables seasoned with paprika that originated in Hungary.
• PLAY (2D: "Fleabag" started as one) Fleabag is a one-woman PLAY by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. It has been adapted to a BBC TV series of the same name.
• TODD (25D: "Tar" director Field) In the 2022 movie, Tár, Cate Blanchett portrays Lydia Tár, a (fictional) world-renowned conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic who is accused of misconduct. The movie was directed by TODD Field.
• ODE (39D: "___ to Herb Kent" (Jamila Woods poem)) I have previously written about singer, songwriter, and poet Jamila Woods. You can read her "ODE to Herb Kent" on the Poetry Foundation website.

Geography review:

• RIO (15A: Copacabana Beach's city) Copacabana Beach is located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in RIO de Janeiro, Brazil. The beach is approximately 2.5 miles long, and is bordered by the Copacabana Promenade, a wide sidewalk tiled with an undulating wave pattern. 
• TEL (5D: ___ Aviv) TEL Aviv is a city on the Mediterranean coast of Israel.

This is a classic USA Today theme type, and the title let me know exactly what to expect. This is not a bad thing! I like the long Down answers: FREE REFILL, NEXT PLEASE, and PASS IT ON. Thank you, Zhouqin, for this puzzle that was an enjoyable way to start my Tuesday.