September 2, 2025

Title: PSL

Constructors: Amie Walker & Amanda Rafkin

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Theme synopsis:

• PLEASE SAY LESS (20A: "That's enough from you, thanks")
• PULL SOMEONE'S LEG (37A: Tell a playful lie)
• PYGMY SLOW LORIS (53A: Nocturnal primate with large eyes)

PSL: Each theme answer has the initials P.S.L.: PLEASE SAY LESS, PULL SOMEONE'S LEG, and PYGMY SLOW LORIS.

What I learned from today's puzzle:

• SPOTS (1A: Push-your-luck game where dice pips represent dogs' markings) SPOTS is a new game to me, but fortunately the clue was written such that the answer is inferable with help from crossing answers. In the game SPOTS, players roll dice and place them onto cards that contain pictures of dogs. Once the dice are placed, they resemble the titular "spots" on a dog's coat.
• OTOMI (61A: Language spoken in Mexico's central altiplano region) OTOMI is a language spoken by the indigenous OTOMI people of Mexico. The OTOMI live in the central altiplano region of Mexico. The altiplano, also known as the Central Mexican Plateau, is an arid to semiarid area of northern and central Mexico.
• GEENA (30D: "No one's meana than ___!" (rhyming Fuzion Frenzy exclamation)) I learned about the video game Fuzion Frenzy from the May 11, 2025 crossword (also by Amie Walker and Amanda Rafkin). I did not, however, learn about GEENA from that puzzle, so I was thankful for the "rhyming" hint in the clue. GEENA is one of Fuzion Frenzy's playable characters. If a player obtains a high score while playing as GEENA, she says, "No one's meana than GEENA!"
• SLIME (50D: PeachyBbies product) PeachyBbies is an online store that sells a variety of SLIME products. If SLIME is your thing, you might check out the website, where you'll discover SLIMEs such as Kitty Cafe Latte, Mint Froggy Frappe, and Caramel Corn.

iRandom thoughts and interesting things:

• PURIM (14A: Jewish holiday with hamantaschen) Hamantaschen, which means "Haman's pocket," are triangular pastries filled with jam. The cookies are traditionally made and eaten during PURIM, a Jewish holiday during which the events recounted in the Biblical book of Esther are commemorated. In addition to eating hamantaschen, the celebration of PURIM includes reading or listening to the book of Esther, which tells how the Jewish people were saved from Haman's plot to kill them. 
• ASIA (16A: Mount Fuji's continent) Mount Fuji is an active volcano located on the island of Honshū, the main island of Japan, which is of course in ASIA. This is the first appearance this month for our crossword friend ASIA. (It is only the second day of the month...)
• PHASES (25A: The menstrual cycle has four) The four PHASES of the menstrual cycle are menstruation, the follicular PHASE, ovulation, and the luteal PHASE.
• PDF (41A: Source of some attachment issues?) The question mark in this clue alerts solvers that it isn't referring to the type of attachment issues that might send one to a therapist, but rather issues with attaching a PDF to an email.
• MAINE (42A: Boothbay Harbor's state) Boothbay Harbor is a town in MAINE. It is a popular yachting and tourist destination.
• BAD (48A: "___ was the blood of the song in the cab / On your first trip to L.A.") "BAD was the blood of the song in the cab / On your first trip to L.A.," is a line from Taylor Swift's song "Invisible String" (2020). Fun fact: This song contains a literary reference to Charlotte Brontë's 1847 book Jane EYRE, and thus ties into (pun intended) the 65-Across clue [Literary Jane]. Thank you, Amie and Amanda, for including a Taylor Swift reference in your puzzle. I would have been disappointed if you hadn't!
• PYGMY SLOW LORIS (53A: Nocturnal primate with large eyes) By the time I reached this clue, I had figured out the theme, and therefore knew the answer would have the initials PSL. This was helpful, as although I've heard of the PYGMY SLOW LORIS, I might have had difficulty coming up with its name without that hint. The PYGMY SLOW LORIS is a nocturnal primate species that lives in forest habitats in Vietnam, Laos, eastern Cambodia, and China. Its large eyes are adapted for night vision.
• TEAM (62A: ___ Edward or ___ Jacob) Are you TEAM Edward or TEAM Jacob? This is a reference to the Twilight series of books by Stephenie Meyer, which have also been adapted into movies. In the Twilight series, the characters of Edward and Jacob vie for the affection of the main character, Bella. This has led to fans describing themselves as being TEAM Edward or TEAM Jacob.
• ELMO (63A: Big Bird's red friend) I'm always happy to see Muppets in the puzzle.
• NEPAL (64A: Kathmandu's country) Kathmandu is the capital of NEPAL, as well as the country's largest city.
• DEER (66A: A few bucks?) The question mark here alerts solvers that the clue is not talking about a few dollars, but rather about male DEER.
• HAVANA (8D: Cuban city in "Guys and Dolls") The musical Guys and Dolls is adapted from short stories by Damon Runyon. It premiered on Broadway in 1950, and won a Tony Award for Best Musical. The musical's action takes place in New York City and HAVANA, Cuba.
• SAT (13D: ACT alternative) The SAT and the ACT are admission tests used by some U.S. colleges. Humorously, it occurs to me that if one SAT down, that would be an alternative to ACTing.
• BED (34D: Dreamy location?) A BED is a location where one might have dreams.
• SKYPED (45D: Had a video call pre-Zoom, say) When was the last time you SKYPED with someone? I can tell you that it was before May of this year, as that's when the service was retired.
• B-GAME (49D: What a tired athlete might bring to a competition) When I first encountered this clue, I already had most of the letters filled in. I read the clue, looked at B_AME, and thought "BLAME?" It turns out the answer is actually B-GAME, but I think a tired athlete might try to BLAME their B-GAME on others at times.
• PREY (53D: Mouse, to a cat) Although my cat, Willow, envisions herself a great hunter, she has not (to my knowledge) ever caught a mouse. Her PREY tends to be bits of ribbon, socks that have been left within reach, crocheted animals, and the occasional fly.

• YEAR (54D: "The ___ of No Mistakes") I learned about this book of poetry from the July 3, 2022 puzzle. In The YEAR of No Mistakes, Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz chronicles a move from New York City following the end of a 10-year relationship.
• ROPE (56D: White "Clue" weapon) Clue is my favorite classic board game, so I immediately knew this answer. The weapons in a Clue game are usually made of pewter, except for the ROPE, which is made of white plastic or string.
• IMAC (57D: Big Apple?) This clue doesn't refer to a big piece of fruit or to New York City (nicknamed "The Big Apple"), but rather to an IMAC, Apple's line of desktop computers.
• SILT (48D: Inedible stuff in a mouth) That's the mouth of a river, where SILT is deposited.
• A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
• LAVA (18A: The floor is ___)
• FEET (19A: They contain low digits)
• AHA (28A: "I finally cracked it!")

It's September, and that means it's PSL season. At least that's true when PSL stands for Pumpkin Spice Latte, which Starbucks typically offers on its menu from late August to late December. I'm not sure if it's the season to PLEASE SAY LESS or to PULL SOMEONE'S LEG, and it's presumably always the season for the PYGMY SLOW LORIS – at least if you are in ASIA, where they live. Thank you, Amie and Amanda, for this delightful puzzle.