October 26, 2023

Title: LOOSE LIPS 

Constructor: Chandi Deitmer

Editor: Anna Gundlach

Theme Answers:

LICK YOUR CHOPS (20A: Eagerly anticipate a meal)

LINT TRAPS (38A: They're emptied before using dryers)

LICORICE DROPS (59A: Anise-flavored candies)

Theme synopsis: The word LIPS has been split (LOOSEned) by each theme answer.

Things I learned:

• LEE (25A: Actor Paul Sun-Hyung ___) Paul Sun-Hyung LEE portrays Appa, the family patriarch in the TV show Kim's Convenience (2016-2021). (I learned about Kim's Convenience from the March 18, 2021 puzzle.) He also plays the role of Captain Carson Teva in the Star Wars franchise shows, The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka.
• ROSA (34A: Name of the oldest known living sea otter) ROSA the sea otter lives at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California. ROSA was found stranded on a beach in September 1999, when she was about four weeks old, meaning she is currently over 24 years old. Although ROSA was released back into the wild for a couple of years, she had become too comfortable with humans and kept interacting with them. ROSA was brought back to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and has served as a surrogate mother for 15 abandoned sea otters. You can learn more about ROSA, and watch videos of her, on the Monterey Bay Aquarium website.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• ALTO (17A: Tracy Chapman's vocal range) I have previously written about Grammy-Award winning singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman.
• STEEL (19A: "Stainless" metal) and ALLOYS (57A: Mixture of metals) Stainless STEEL is an ALLOY of iron, chromium, and other elements. It is the chromium in stainless STEEL that makes it resistant to corrosion.
• ONE (27A: Number of K's in this puzzle's completed grid) Nice. I'm always up for a self-referential clue.
• TOWELS (30A: Drying cloths at a hammam) A hammam is a type of steam bath. These public bathhouses are also known as Turkish baths, and are associated with the Islamic world. At a hammam, bathers progress through increasingly hotter rooms. The steam bath is followed by a cleansing and massage.
• RAMEN (41A: Shio or tonkotsu soup) Shio and tonkotsu are types of RAMEN. Shio is made from a clear, yellowish broth made from chicken, fish, or vegetables. Tonkotsu soup is a broth made by boiling pork bones until a creamy, rich broth is attained. 
• TORO (69A: Fatty tuna) TORO refers to the fattiest portion of a tuna, found on the belly. TORO is used in sushi.
• PELE (70A: Co-winner of FIFA's Player of the Century) PELÉ (1940-2022) was a Brazilian soccer player. One of the greatest soccer players of all time, PELÉ averaged a goal per game throughout his career. In 2000, FIFA held public polls to determine the Player of the Century. The honor was awarded jointly to PELÉ and Diego Maradona.
• SASS (71A: Lip) It's not surprising to end up with some SASS when you have LOOSE LIPS. 
• BABY CORN (4D: Mini stir-fry vegetable) BABY CORN is exactly what it sounds like. CORN is harvested early, while the stalks are small. The cob is edible, unlike that of mature CORN, and BABY CORN is eaten whole. 
• MEEPLES (9D: Human-shaped board game figures) MEEPLE is a portmanteau of the words "my" and "people." The term was introduced in 2000 by the board game Carcassonne. I think MEEPLES is fun to say!
• CAT (22D: Nyan ___ (2011 meme with a Pop-Tart-shaped animal)) Nyan CAT is an animated CAT with a cherry Pop-Tart for a torso. The original GIF animation showed Nyan CAT flying through space, leaving a rainbow trail. Nyan CAT was based on a CAT named Marty,

  

  Willow

  the pet of GIF creator, Christopher Torres. The silliest things go viral, don't they? Here's a photo of Willow, who would like you to know she definitely does not have a Pop-Tart body.
• AMY ADAMS (40D: "Dear Evan Hansen" actress) and MUSICAL (43D: "Dear Evan Hansen" genre) I have previously written about Dear Evan Hansen, which won a Tony Award in 2017 for Best MUSICAL. AMY ADAMS played the role of Cynthia Murphy in the 2021 movie adaptation of Dear Evan Hansen.
• CARA (61D: "Only Murders in the Building" actress Delevingne) Have you watched Only Murders in the Building? I know I have gone on about this TV show before; I'm a huge fan. The show, which stars Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin Short, recently finished its third season. CARA Delevingne plays the role of Alice Banks in the second season of the show. Alice is an interesting character - okay, all of the characters on this show are interesting! I'm not going to say anymore, to avoid spoilers. (Trying not to have LOOSE LIPS...)

Geography review:

• STL (11D: Missouri Botanical Garden's city, for short) The Missouri Botanical Garden is the second-largest botanical garden in North America; only the New York Botanical Garden is bigger. The Missouri Botanical Garden, also referred to as Shaw's Garden for its founder Henry Shaw, occupies 79 acres in St. Louis (STL, for short). The garden includes a geodesic dome conservatory called the Climatron, a Japanese strolling garden, a children's garden and play area, and a fountain area, as well as Henry Shaw's original 1850 estate home.

No sinking ships caused by today's LOOSE LIPS, simply a fun puzzle. In addition to the answers I've already highlighted, I also enjoyed HEY SIRI, AM I LATE, and RELLENO. We've seen Chandi Deitmer's name as constructor before, but this is her first solo USA Today construction. Congrats on that! Thank you, Chandi, for this puzzle that was a delightful way to start my Thursday.