August 8, 2025

Title: SALT SHAKER

Constructor: Guilherme Gilioli

Editor: Amie Walker

Theme synopsis:

• FAST ASLEEP (17A: Crashed out?)
• LOOK WHO'S TALKING (38A: "That's pretty rich coming from you")
• IT'S ALL GOOD (61A: "No worries")

SALT SHAKER: Each theme answer contains an anagram of the word SALT: FAST ASLEEP, LOOK WHO'S TALKING, and IT'S ALL GOOD.

What I learned from today's puzzle:

• ERIN (19A: CNN anchor Burnett) ERIN Burnett is the anchor of the CNN program ERIN Burnett OutFront. The news program first aired in 2011. It is broadcast live, either from CNN's studio in New York City or on location. The show has been broadcast from Mali, Afghanistan, Rwanda, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel.
• IRAN (2D: Country where Farimah Farjami was born) Farimah Farjami (1952-2023) was an actress known for the Persian movies Nargess (1992) and The Last Act (1991). She was born in Tehran, IRAN.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• WASP (6A: Insect that builds a paper nest) WASPs build their nests out of a paper-like material made of chewed-up wood pulp and saliva. 
• DRAKE (34A: Male duck) I always remember that DRAKE is the term for a male duck, because I attended DRAKE University in Des Moines, Iowa. A female duck is called a duck (how original!) or a hen.
• HOMES (43A: Zillow listings) Zillow is a real estate company founded in 2006. Zillow maintains a website of HOMES and their estimated values. 
• INCA (44A: Member of a Quechua-speaking empire) In the late 1400s and early 1500s, the INCA Empire incorporated a large part of western South America, including portions of the modern-day countries of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia. Quechua was the official language of the INCA Empire.
• ELK (56A: Rocky Mountain ___ (Utah's state animal)) The state animal of Utah is the Rocky Mountain ELK, a subspecies of ELK found in mountain ranges of Western North America.
• EAGLE (66A: "Fly Like an ___" (Seal cover in "Space Jam")) In the 1996 movie, Space Jam, Michael Jordan plays a fictionalized version of himself. He stars alongside Looney Tunes characters that bring him out of retirement to win a basketball match against aliens. The movie's soundtrack includes a cover of Steve Miller's song "Fly Like an EAGLE," performed by Seal.
• WALLS (6D: Safe spots?) It's not that WALLS are safe, particularly, but some WALLS contain safes, making them "safe spots."
• LARGE PRINT (11D: Like easy-to-make-out text) The older I get, the more I appreciate LARGE PRINT.
• ALIEN (12D: It's out of this world!) The exclamation point in this clue alerts solvers to interpret the clue literally. An ALIEN is from a different planet, or literally out of this world
• SKA (32D: The Specials genre) The Specials were a British SKA band. Their last album, released in 2021, is titled Protest Songs 1924-2012. The Specials were active (off and on) from 1977-2022. After the death of one of the bands founding members, Terry Hall, in 2022, The Specials are no longer performing together as a band. The last filmed concert by the band before Terry Hall's death was broadcast in December 2024 as The Specials: Live From Coventry Cathedral.
• ONCE (36D: The second "O" of 58-Down) and YOLO (58D: "Seize the day" acronym) YOLO = You Only Live ONCE
• EGAN (37D: "Manhattan Beach" author Jennifer) Jennifer EGAN's 2017 novel, Manhattan Beach won an Andrew Carnegie Medal, an honor recognizing the best books for adult readers. It was also selected by Time magazine as one of its top ten novels of 2017. Manhattan Beach is a historical novel set during the era of World War II. The book's protagonist, Anna Kerrigan becomes the only female diver at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
• WHAM-O (39D: Company behind Frisbees and Hacky Sacks) The WHAM-O toy company was founded in 1948. In addition to Frisbees and Hacky Sacks, WHAM-O's products also include hula hoops and Silly String.
• KISS (41D: "Rock and Roll All Nite" band) "Rock and Roll All Nite" is a 1975 song by KISS. The song was from the band's third studio album, Dressed to Kill. Fun fact: KISS performed "Rock and Roll All Nite" at the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics, which were held in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• GAP (63D: Something to "mind" at a subway station) One of the many fond memories I have of visits to London is riding the subway and being reminded to "Mind the GAP."

The word SHAKER in the title is the hint that this is a hidden anagram theme. Each theme answer contains a different anagram of the word SALT: T/ASL, S/TAL, and TS/AL. Thank you, Guilherme, for this enjoyable puzzle.