August 30, 2025

Title: TOP DOWN

Constructor: Noelle Griskey

Editor: Amie Walker

Theme synopsis:

• COVERT OPERATION (6D: Secret mission)
• HONEST OPINION (9D: Candid feedback)
• POTATO PANCAKE (17D: Savory treat often served with sour cream and applesauce)

TOP DOWN: The word TOP is found going DOWN in each vertical theme answer: COVERT OPERATION, HONEST OPINION, and POTATO PANCAKE.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• PUPPY LOVE (16A: Youthful infatuation) Even though this entry wasn't clued to the song "PUPPY LOVE," I now have it as my earworm. "And they called it PUPPY LOVE / Oh, I guess they'll never know..."
• INIGO (18A: ___ Montoya ("The Princess Bride" character)) "Hello. My name is INIGO Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." Mandy Patinkin played the role of INIGO Montoya in the 1987 movie The Princess Bride.
• ETON (22D: School near Windsor Castle) Windsor Castle, located outside London in Berkshire County, was built in the 11th century. Although it was not a royal residence initially, it has been used as one since the reign of Henry I (1100-1135). ETON, also located in Berkshire County, is a boarding school for  boys aged 13-18. 
• TENOR (23A: Lin-Manuel Miranda's vocal range) I wrote about Lin-Manuel Miranda when we saw this same clue for TENOR on August 18. A case of great minds thinking alike.
• OPI (41A: Bubble Bath nail polish brand) OPI's Bubble Bath nail polish is "sweet candy pink."
• ANGER (47A: Feeling associated with a red-faced emoji) 😡
• U.S. NEWS (49A: Publication that ranks grad schools) U.S. NEWS & World Report has been publishing rankings of colleges and universities since 1983. This includes undergraduate and graduate programs. In the past few years, some graduate schools, particularly law and medical schools, have opted not to participate in the rankings, stating that the process was flawed.
• MARC (56A: "GLOW" actor Maron) GLOW (2017-2019) is a TV series about the 1980s syndicated women's professional wrestling circuit, Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW). MARC Maron portrays GLOW's director Sam Sylvia.
• PINOT NOIR (65A: Leading red wine varietal produced in Oregon) and CASKS (67A: Vessel for a 65-Across) The Willamette Valley of Oregon, which has a cool, moist climate year round, has gained a reputation for red PINOT NOIR wines.
• NOUN (2D: Animal, vegetable or mineral) Animals, vegetables, and minerals are things, and as Schoolhouse Rock reminds us, "A NOUN is a Person, Place, or Thing."
• DUO (45D: Hall & Oates, for one) The rock DUO of Hall & Oates consisted of Daryl Hall and John Oates. Between 1974 and 1991, Hall & Oates had 29 singles chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Those hits included "Kiss on My List" (1980) and "Private Eyes" (1981).
• GOA (48D: Beachy state in India) The country of India is made up of 28 states and eight union territories. Located on the southwestern coast of India along the Arabian Sea, GOA is the country's smallest state by area. GOA is known for its white-sand beaches.
• OLE (66D: Grand ___ Opry) The Grand OLE Opry is a country music radio program broadcast live each week and performed in front of an audience at the Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee. The radio program began as "a barn dance" in 1925, was named the Grand OLE Opry in 1927, and has had multiple homes before moving to the Grand OLE Opry House in 1974. The Grand OLE Opry showcases famous singers, as well as newcomers, performing country, bluegrass, Americana, folk, and gospel music.
• A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
• DODGY (35A: A bit ___ (suspicious, to a Brit))
• TYPO (3D: Feature of tihs clue)
• KNEE (7D: Take a ___ (silently protest))

Anytime I see the word TOP or DOWN in a title, I suspect the theme might be in the Down answers. Seeing both of these words in the title definitely made me suspicious, and my suspicions were correct. This is a nice set of theme answers. I especially like POTATO PANCAKE, because, well, I like POTATO PANCAKEs. Thank you, Noelle, for this enjoyable puzzle.