January 5, 2024

Title: NY, NY

Constructor: Tracy Gray

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Theme Answers:

TEENY WEENY (20A: Itsy-bitsy)

ANYTIME ANYWHERE (40A: "Just name the day and place!")

RUNYON CANYON (57A: Hollywood Hills park)

Theme synopsis: Each theme answer contains the letter pattern NY twice: TEENY WEENY, ANYTIME ANYWHERE, and RUNYON CANYON.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• MR TOAD (29A: Amphibian with a "Wild Ride" at Disneyland) MR. TOAD's Wild Ride is one of the original attractions at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. The ride has been operational since the park opened in July 1955, though it was updated in 1983. The ride is loosely based on the 1949 Disney movie, The Adventures of Ichabod and MR. TOAD, which is an adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's 1908 book The Wind in the Willows. On the ride, guests assume the role of MR. TOAD, recklessly driving a period motorcar.
• OBAMA (36A: Michelle who said, "The future of our world is only as bright as the future of our girls.") Because she believes (as do I!) that "the future of our world is only as bright as the future of our girls," former first lady Michelle OBAMA launched the Girls Opportunity Alliance to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for girls. 
• NCAA (64A: College sports org. with an NIL policy) NIL here stands for "name, image, and likeness." For many years, the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) had a policy that student athletes could not receive compensation based on their role as a student athlete. This policy had to be revised following the 2021 Supreme Court decision in NCAA v. Alston. I have heard a lot about NIL lately. Caitlin Clark is currently a basketball player for the University of Iowa's women's basketball team. She's quite good. (That's an understatement ... you know me and sports!) Caitlin Clark has recently signed several NIL deals, the most recent with Gatorade. 
• ELLE (65A: "The Beguiled" actress Fanning) The Beguiled is a 2017 movie written and directed by Sofia Coppola. The movie is a psychological thriller set during the Civil War and is about a wounded soldier discovered in the woods by residents of a girls school in Virginia. The movie is based on Thomas P. Cullinan's 1966 novel of the same name. ELLE Fanning stars in the movie along with Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, and Colin Farrell.
• THE WHO (5D: "Won't Get Fooled Again" band) "Won't Get Fooled Again" is a 1971 song by THE WHO. 
• RAP (9D: Ice Spice genre) Ice Spice began her RAP career in 2021. Her song "Munch (Feelin' U)" went viral on TikTok in 2022. Ice Spice teamed up with Nicki Minaj on the song "Barbie World," which is part of the official soundtrack for the movie Barbie.
• POEM (28D: Claudia Rankine creation) Claudia Rankine is a poet and essayist. In 2017, Rankine established an interdisciplinary collective called The Racial Imaginary Institute (TRII). You can read some of Claudia Rankine's POEMs on the Poetry Foundation website.
• ODES (30D: Many Sharon Olds creations) I enjoyed seeing consecutive clues for POEM and ODES. I also appreciated that both of the clues highlighted specific poets. Sharon Olds won the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry in 2013. She is known for her ODES, and her 2016 collection of poetry is simply titled ODES. You can read "Spoon ODE" by Sharon Olds on the Poetry Foundation website.
• RCA (51D: Record label for Cat Burns) Cat Burns is an English singer-songwriter. In 2020, a video of her original song, "Go" went viral, leading to a record deal with RCA. 
• SOLVE (56D: Do a crossword, say) I'm a fan of a good meta answer, and this is a fun one!
• A few other clues I enjoyed:
• OUCH (14A: "Gah! I hit my funny bone!")
• AT LAST (10D: "It's finally here!")
• BRA (61D: Garment that might be wireless or convertible)

Geography review:

• SERB (49A: Belgrade resident) Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. Belgrade has been continuously inhabited for over 7,000 years. The city was founded around 279 BCE as Singidunum.
• RUNYON CANYON (57A: Hollywood Hills park) RUNYON CANYON Park is located on 160 acres in Los Angeles, California near the residential areas of Hollywood and Hollywood Hills. 
• MAYAN (42D: Like ruins in Tulum and Coba) Tulum and Coba are located approximately 30 miles apart in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. MAYAN ruins are present in both Tulum and Coba, which were cities at one time.

This is an enjoyable hidden letter pattern theme. In addition to the answers I've highlighted above, I also liked HABANERO, YUMMY, PYREX, and EXTRAS. Thank you, Tracy, for this delightful Friday puzzle.