November 24, 2023

Title: THANKSGIVING LEFTOVERS

Constructor: Hoang-Kim Vu

Editor: Jared Goudsmit 

Theme Answers:

SPILL THE BEANS (19A: Fail to keep a secret)

THE CRANBERRIES (25A: "Zombie" band)

PILLOW STUFFING (47A: Down, polyester, or memory foam, e.g.)

COUCH POTATOES (54A: People who might watch a lot of TV)

Theme synopsis: The last word of each theme answer is a food that is traditionally associated with Thanksgiving dinner: BEANS, CRANBERRIES, STUFFING, and POTATOES.

Things I learned:

• EAT (6A: Have some fahsa, say) Fahsa is a lamb stew that originated in Yemen. EAT is a great bonus answer for today's puzzle. I am a fan of LEFTOVERS, and will happily EAT them.
• ANNA (57D: Magician Deguzman) Magician ANNA Deguzman was a contestant on the 18th season of the reality competition show, America's Got Talent.  You can watch her final performance on the show here. (***Spoiler alert*** She placed second.)

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• STIPE (22A: R.E.M. vocalist Michael) R.E.M. was a rock band formed in 1980 with Michael STIPE as its lead vocalist. R.E.M.'s members were students at the University of Georgia at the time.
• THE CRANBERRIES (25A: "Zombie" band) THE CRANBERRIES are an Irish rock band. "Zombie" is a 1994 protest song written by Dolores O'Riordan, the band's lead singer. "Zombie" is about The Troubles, a conflict in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s to 1998. 
• ABC (40A: "Abbott Elementary" channel) I have written about the ABC TV series, Abbott Elementary, a number of times.
• LIA (46A: Champion swimmer ___ Thomas) I have previously written about swimmer LIA Thomas, who has said, "I just want to show trans kids and younger trans athletes that they're not alone."
• CRIME (53A: Be Gay Do ___) Be Gay Do CRIME is a catchphrase used by some LGBTQIA+ activists as a protest slogan. This slogan, which has been around since at least 2011, implies that some CRIME and incivility may be necessary for the LGBTQIA+ community to gain equal rights. It acknowledges that historically, lawmakers have created rules that criminalize the existence and survival of LGBTQIA+ people. As a lawmaker in New Zealand, Ricardo Menéndez March, explained in a speech to parliament a few years ago, "When your ability to be who you are – and therefore your survival – is criminalized, it is an act of love to break the rules to allow others to thrive.
• USER (63A: Either "U" in UI/UX) UI/UX stands for USER interface / USER experience. These terms can apply to both products and services. USER interface design focuses on aesthetics, the visual and interactive elements of a product. USER experience design focuses on what a USER needs. As you might imagine, both UI and UX are important.
• NSA (67A: ThinThread intelligence org.) ThinThread was a National Security Agency (NSA) project in the 1990s.
• MSG (1D: NYC sports venue) MSG here stands for Madison Square Garden. MSG is a multi-purpose arena in New York City (NYC). It hosts ice hockey, basketball, boxing, concerts, and other shows. MSG is the home arena for NHL's New York Rangers and NBA's New York Knicks.
• AIN'T (7D: "___ I a Woman?") Sojourner Truth was an abolitionist and women's rights activist. In 1851 she delivered an untitled speech at the Women's Convention in Akron, OHIO. The speech became known as "AIN'T I a Woman?" As I have previously written, it's unclear whether Sojourner Truth actually said these words. 
• ALANIS (10D: Morissette who sang, "It's like rain on your wedding day / It's a free ride when you've already paid") These lyrics are from the 1996 song, "Ironic," by ALANIS Morissette.
• PIE (15D: Pumpkin dessert) The mention of pumpkin PIE is a nice bonus today. I notice that PIE wasn't included in the theme answers, maybe because it's less likely there will be PIE left over!
• BLESS (27D: "___ This Land" (Joy Harjo poem) Joy Harjo was the POET Laureate of the United States from 2019-2022. You can read her poem, "BLESS This Land," here.
• GOT (35D: "Cat ___ your tongue?") "Cat GOT your tongue?" is an idiom used to inquire about someone's silence. Although some suggest this saying has a gory origin (cutting out tongues and feeding them to cats!), the truth is that the origin of "Cat GOT your tongue?" is unknown.

  

  Willow

  
  Willow is confused and says, "Why would I want your tongue?"
• AFROPOP (45D: Genre for Arya Starr or Angelique Kidjo) AFROPOP, or African Popular Music, is diverse and can incorporate many styles of music. Arya Starr is a Nigerian singer, whose 2022 song, "Rush," went viral on TikTok. Angelique Kidjo is a Grammy-Award-winning Beninese-French singer-songwriter. 
• PROUST (47D: "In Search of Lost Time" novelist Marcel) In Search of Lost Time is a seven-volume novel by French author Marcel PROUST. The work was originally published in France between 1913 and 1927. The Narrator of the novel, who is never named, recounts the experiences of his life.
• TUNA (58A: Katsuobushi fish) Katsuobushi, also known as bonito flakes, is skipjack TUNA that has been simmered, smoked, and fermented. Katsuobushi and dried kelp, which add umami flavor to foods, are the main ingredients in dashi, a broth used in many soups and sauces in Japanese cuisine.
• OAK (61D: Tree that "lets fall its crimson leaves" in a Harriet Monroe poem) Harriet Monroe (1860-1936) was a poet, editor, literary critic, and scholar. She was the founding editor of Poetry: A Magazine of Verse in 1912. Her poem, "Carolina Wood-cuts" has a section on "The OAK," which begins, "The old OAK lets fall its crimson leaves..."

Geography review:

• IRAN (18A: Maz Jobrani's birth country) Maz Jobrani was born in Tehran, IRAN. He moved to California with his parents when he was six years old. Maz Jobrani is a comedian and actor. He currently has a comedy special on YouTube, The Birds and the Bees. His 2015 memoir is titled I'm Not a Terrorist, But I've Played One on TV. I am familiar with Maz Jobrani from his appearances as a panelist on the NPR podcast, Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me!
• TROPIC (4D: ___ of Capricorn) The TROPIC of Capricorn is one of the five major lines of latitude (imagined circles around the EARTH used for navigation and measurement). The TROPIC of Capricorn denotes the southernmost latitude where the Sun can be seen directly overhead.

What a perfect theme for the day after THANKSGIVING! I had a laid-back holiday this year, which was great, but sadly means I don't have the benefit of THANKSGIVING LEFTOVERS. At least I got to enjoy them in this puzzle. Thank you, Kim, for this fabulous Friday puzzle.