September 27, 2025

Title: SLUMBER PARTY (Freestyle)

Constructor: Mark Valdez

Editor: Amie Walker

Theme synopsis:

SLUMBER PARTY (Freestyle): There's no theme today, as this is a freestyle, or themeless, puzzle. The title is a nod to AIR MATTRESS (17A: Inflatable bed for a guest).

What I learned from today's puzzle:

• MEG (25A: "Hacks" actor Stalter) Hacks is a TV series that premiered in 2021 on HBO Max. Jean Smart portrays Deborah Vance, a comedy diva needing to reinvent her aging act to remain relevant in Las Vegas. Hannah Einbinder portrays Ava Daniels, a young comedy writer down on her luck, who is sent to work as Deborah's head writer. MEG Stalter portrays Kayla Schaefer, who works as an assistant to Hannah and Ava's manager. I've written about this show previously, but not about MEG Stalter's role on it.
• SEX (60D: "Dying for ___" (Michelle Williams series)) In the TV miniseries Dying for SEX – released on Hulu in April of this year – Michelle Williams stars as a woman diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer. After admitting to her counselor that she's never had an orgasm with another person, she decides to leave her husband and explore her sexuality. The series is loosely based on the experiences of Molly Kochan (1973-2019), whose posthumously-published memoir is titled Screw Cancer: Becoming Whole.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• TUT (11D: Teenage king of ancient Egypt) The pharaoh Tutankhamun is commonly referred to as King TUT. Ruling in the 1300s BCE, King TUT was nine years old when he assumed his reign. King TUT ruled for nine years, dying unexpectedly at the age of 18. The tomb of King TUT was discovered in 1922 near Thebes, Egypt.
• AKA (16A: Stefani Germanotta ___ Lady Gaga) Lady Gaga's sixth solo studio album, Mayhem, was released in March of this year.
• SHEL (22A: "Sick" poet Silverstein) "Sick" is a classic poem by SHEL Silverstein, originally published in the children's poetry collection, Where the Sidewalk Ends (1974). The poem begins "I cannot go to school today," / Said little Peggy Ann McKay. / "I have the measles and the mumps, / A gash, a rash and purple bumps." The poem goes on to list a myriad of complaints and concludes with the lines, "What's that? What's that you say? / You say today is … Saturday? / G'bye, I'm going out to play."
• WARSAW (28A: Polish city home to the International Chopin Piano Competition) The International Chopin Piano Competition is held in WARSAW, Poland every five years. The next competition is coming up next month. The International Chopin Piano Competition is one of the few competitions devoted entirely to the works of a single composer. That composer is, of course, Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849), who was born in WARSAW, Poland. This clue reminds me of the April 3, 2024 puzzle, when we saw WARSAW clued as [Polish city where Chopin's heart is buried].
• ITALY (31A: Country shaped like a boot) and ETNA (56D: Volcano in 31-Across) I am grateful that ITALY is shaped like a boot, making it one of the few countries I can identify with certainty on a map. Mt. ETNA is an active volcano on the Italian island of Sicily. When you look at a map, Sicily is the large island the boot of ITALY appears to be kicking.
• SEAN (33A: "Stranger Things" actor Astin) Stranger Things is a Netflix TV series about a small town dealing with a hostile alternate dimension. In the show's second and third seasons, SEAN Astin portrays Bob Newby.
• MIRROR SELFIES (36A: Shots taken in a bar bathroom, perhaps?) This is such a great answer and a fun clue. The question mark at the end of the clue alerts solvers that there's some trickiness here. The word "shots" in the clue is not referring to drinks, but to pictures.
• WAS (40A: "All You Had To Do ___ Stay" (Taylor Swift song)) "All You Had To Do WAS Stay" is a song from Taylor Swift's 2014 album 1989. I enjoy the use of song titles to add interest to common three-letter words.
• TUM (Rum ___ Tugger ("Cats" role)) Rum TUM Tugger is one of the feline characters in the 1981 musical Cats. He is generally portrayed as a rebellious cat who likes the spotlight. The musical Cats is based on T. S. Eliot's book of poetry, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (1939). In the 2019 movie Cats (which was based on the musical and did not receive great reviews...) Jason Derulo portrays Rum TUM Tugger.
• BETA (47A: Second Greek letter) It's been a little bit since the crossword has encouraged me to review the Greek alphabet. The 24-letter Greek alphabet begins with alpha, BETA, gamma, delta, epsilon, and zeta.
• HER (49A: "You knew what you wanted, and, boy, you got ___") What have we here? A second Taylor Swift song used to clue a common three-letter word. "You knew what you wanted, and, boy you got HER" is a line from Taylor Swift's 2024 song "So High School."
• EVEN (54A: Like the number of this clue) Nice meta clue.
• SANDCASTLES (58A: Oceanfront constructions) More temporary than beach houses, SANDCASTLES are the oceanfront constructions here.
• EEK (61A: "SPIDER! Burn everything down!") Ha! This clue made me laugh. EEK is making back-to-back puzzle appearances, as we saw it in yesterday's puzzle clued as ["I saw a mouse!"]. Personally, I have a deal with the spiders in my house. They may live in my house as long as they stay out of my sight.
• INA (5D: Chef and author Garten) I have previously written about INA Garten.
• CAT PERSON (6D: One who prefers feline pets) It may surprise you (if this is the first time you have read this blog...) to learn I am a CAT PERSON. I have loved several dogs (and guinea pigs, and rabbits, and a porcupine or gerbil or two) in my life. My preference is definitely CATs. Here's my CAT, Willow, just hanging out and looking cute.

• TAPENADE (11D: Olive-based spread) The delicious spread TAPENADE originated in France. It consists of finely chopped olives and capers and is generally eaten spread on bread.
• UKULELES (12D: "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride" instruments) "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride" is a song on the soundtrack for the 2002 animated movie Lilo & Stitch. 
• MADRAS (25D: Often-checkered summer shirt fabric) MADRAS cloth takes its name from the former name of Chennai, India, where it originated. The lightweight cotton cloth is typically patterned with a plaid design.
• IS IT CAKE? (37D: Netflix series where sneakers might be dessert) IS IT CAKE? is a competition TV series in which bakers create CAKEs that resemble common objects. The show, which premiered in 2022, was inspired by a social media trend of challenging viewers to determine if objects are real or cake replicas.
• RNA (38D: Genetic messenger) Another 3-letter word that's making back-to-back appearances. Yesterday we saw RNA clued as ["Messenger" molecule].
• V-DAY (55D: Feb. 14) The abbreviation of February in the clue alerts solvers that answer will be an informal name for Valentine's DAY.

Here's an idea. Let's build humongous SANDCASTLES, blow up an AIR MATTRESS and have a SLUMBER PARTY on the beach. There's unlikely to be a MIRROR, but we'll take SELFIES anyway. It'll be great fun ... until the tide comes in. On second thought, we could solve this lovely SLUMBER PARTY puzzle and call it a day. Thank you, Mark, for this enjoyable puzzle.