December 30, 2023

Title: COLD OPEN

Constructor: Taylor Johnson

Editor: Jared Goudsmit

Theme Answers:

FRONT ROW SEATS (20A: Desirable spots at concerts)

CALL AND RESPONSE (38A: Music technique in many gospel and blues songs)

TURKEY BURGERS (52A: Entrees with lean meat patties)

Theme synopsis: The OPENing word of each theme answer can follow the word COLD to form a new phrase. We have COLD FRONT, COLD CALL, and COLD TURKEY.

Things I learned:

• MAR (49A: I Want You to be Happy Day mo.) National I Want You to be Happy Day is celebrated on MAR. 3 each year. The focus of the day is as simple as it sounds; the emphasis is on letting people know you care about them.
• JOKERS (44D: "Impractical ___" (TruTV reality show)) Impractical JOKERS is a reality TV show in which contestants, or JOKERS, compete in challenges that take place in public locations in and around New York City. The challenges are filmed by hidden cameras, and the JOKERS are judged on their performance. 
• EGGS (55D: Tokneneng ingredients) Tokneneng is a street food that originated in the Philippines. It consists of hard-boiled eggs, which are dipped in batter and then deep-fried.
• DAD (60D: King Fergus, to Merida) This clue is a reference to the 2012 animated movie Brave. Merida is a 16-year-old princess who is forced into an engagement for the betterment of the kingdom. King Fergus is Merida's DAD. I have not seen Brave, but the answer here was easily inferable.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• CAGE (18A: Shark diving enclosure) Shark CAGE diving is diving while enclosed in a protective CAGE that (hopefully!) prevents sharks from making contact. Shark CAGE diving is used for scientific observation and underwater cinematography. Some businesses offer shark CAGE diving as a tourist attraction. This is not an activity that appeals to me in the slightest, given my fear of deep water. However, if shark CAGE diving appeals to you, I will happily look at pictures of your experience.
• I AM (38A: "___ Malala (2013 autobiography) Malala Yousafzai is a prominent Pakistani activist. Her work focuses on advocating for the education of girls and women. In 2014, at the age of 17, she was the co-recipient of that year's Nobel Peace Prize, with Kailash Satyarthi of India, for their work advocating for the right of all children to receive an education. Her 2013 autobiography is titled, I AM Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban.
• OTTERS (45A: Aquatic mammals in a romp) OTTERS are known for their playful nature. Perhaps that is why a group of OTTERS is called a romp.
• SOY (51A: Natto ingredient) A traditional Japanese food, natto is made from fermented SOY beans. Natto has a distinctive odor, similar to aged cheese.
• MTV (1D: "The Real World" network) I wrote about the MTV reality show, The Real World, in February of this year when we saw THE REAL WORLD as a theme answer.
• ARI (2D: "pov" singer Grande, to fans) Ariana Grande, known as ARI to fans, released "pov" as a single in 2021. The song is from her album, Positions.
• BOGO (8D: Half-off sale letters) BOGO = buy one, get one.
• EQUAL (11D: ___ Rights Amendment) The EQUAL Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The first version of the EQUAL Rights Amendment – aimed at guaranteeing EQUAL rights for all U.S. citizens regardless of sex – was introduced in 1923. Although Congress passed the ERA in the 1970s, it has not yet received the ratification needed from the U.S. states to become an amendment. Earlier this year, several members of Congress formed a coalition to renew efforts to ratify the EQUAL Rights Amendment.
• NAS (21D: "Industry Baby" singer Lil ___ X) "Industry Baby" is a 2021 song by Lil NAS X and Jack Harlow.  The song addresses issues facing the music industry, including gatekeeping and LGBTQ+ representation.
• GAL (28D: "Red Notice" actress Gadot) Red Notice is a 2021 movie about an FBI agent that reluctantly teams up with an art thief in order to catch another art thief. GAL Gadot, Dwayne Johnson, and Ryan Reynolds star in the action comedy film. The title of the movie refers to the term "red notice," which is an international alert circulated by Interpol.
• BUS (31D: "Ride on the Magic School ___!") "Ride on the Magic School Bus!" is the theme song of the Magic School BUS franchise. The first arrangement of the theme song was performed by Little Richard. A second arrangement of the song is performed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and is used for The Magic School BUS Rides Again.
• ORG (45D: demand justice.___) Demand Justice is a "progressive movement to restore ideological balance and legitimacy to our nation's courts." The organization's priorities are to reform the Supreme Court, and to increase the diversity of the people appointed as judges.
• A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
• VIRAL (17A: Blowing up on TikTok, say)
• ADAGES (27A: Sayings like "a stitch in time saves nine")
• GLOAT (64A: Say, "Told ya I was gonna win!")                                                                                                                                                              

Geography review:

• OSLO (5D: Capital with a Viking Ship Museum) OSLO is the capital of Norway. It is also home to the Viking Ship Museum, which houses three Viking era ships. You can't visit the museum at the moment, as it's closed for renovations. When the museum reopens in 2026/2027, it will have a new name, Museum of the Viking Age.
• TULSA (47D: Oklahoma city whose flag incorporates a gold Osage shield) TULSA is the second-most populous city in Oklahoma, following the state's capital Oklahoma City. TULSA's flag is navy blue on the top half, and beige on the lower half. The two halves are separated by a gold horizontal line and a gold Osage shield. The shield represents the indigenous people that were forcefully relocated to Oklahoma. Here's a fun fact: In a survey conducted this year by the North American Vexillological Association (vexillology is the study of flags), TULSA's flag was ranked as the best flag, and was one of only two flags (out of 312) to receive an A+ rating. (The average rating was a D+!)

No Saturday Night Live COLD OPEN here, simply an enjoyable theme. As I filled in FRONT ROW SEATS, I said, "Aha! COLD FRONT!" Thank you, Taylor, for this puzzle that was a great way to start my Saturday.