October 30, 2025

Title: PARANORMAL SIGHTINGS

Constructor: Adam Simpson

Editor: Amie Walker

Theme synopsis:

• SPIRIT FINGERS (20A: Digital display?) 
• PHANTOM THREAD (37A: 2017 Daniel Day-Lewis period drama about a dressmaker)
• GHOST KITCHENS (56A: Food service businesses that only deliver)

PARANORMAL SIGHTINGS: Each theme answer begins with a PARANORMAL "being": SPIRIT, PHANTOM, and GHOST.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• ADHD (19A: Condition often underdiagnosed in women, for short) For many years, the presumption was that ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) occurred more frequently in boys and men, than in girls and women. Studies have found, however, that ADHD presents differently in girls and women, and therefore many cases have gone undiagnosed. Here's a couple of articles on the topic if you'd like to learn more: a Knowablemagazine article about ADHD in girls, and an ADDitude article about ADHD in women. 
• SPIRIT FINGERS (20A: Digital display?) SPIRIT FINGERS are related to jazz hands. Characterized by splayed FINGERS wriggling in the air – the move is often used in cheerleading and dance choreography. The question mark in the clue alerts solvers that this clue is not referencing a display on a computer screen, but a display of FINGERS (i.e. digits).
• YAO (26A: Basketball star Ming) YAO Ming is a former professional basketball player. He played for the Chinese Basketball Association's (CBA) Shanghai Sharks from 1997-2002, and for NBA's Houston Rockets from 2002-2011. YAO Ming is currently the president of the CBA. I first learned about YAO Ming from the September 8, 2020 crossword. 
• YACHT (28A: ___ rock (soft-rock music genre)) Interestingly, the music style characterized as YACHT rock was popular in the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s. However, the term "YACHT rock" was not coined until 2005 by the makers of an online comedy video series titled YACHT Rock. YACHT rock is characterized by a smooth sound with emphasis on the melody and an upbeat, catchy feel with light emotions.
• PHANTOM THREAD (37A: 2017 Daniel Day-Lewis period drama about a dressmaker) PHANTOM THREAD is a movie set in London in 1954. Daniel Day-Lewis portrays a fashion designer with an obsessive and controlling personality. Vicky Krieps stars as Alma Elson, a young woman who becomes his muse.
• DOS (42A: Cinco menos tres) and OCHO (61A: Cinco mas tres) Quién puso las matemáticas en el crucigrama? (Who put math in the word puzzle?) I'm just kidding; I actually really enjoy these clues. I like the interrelated way they were clued. Five minus three (cinco menos tres) is two (DOS), and five plus three (cinco mas tres) is eight (OCHO). I also enjoy the tie-in with TWO (50A: 42-Across, in English).
• SEAN (46A: "The Lord of the Rings" actor Astin) In the movie adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, SEAN Astin portrays Samwise Gamgee, a hobbit and a loyal companion of Frodo Baggins. 
• ISAAC (48A: "Dune" star Oscar) The movies Dune: Part One (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024) are epic space operas based on Frank Herbert's 1965 novel, Dune. In the first movie, Oscar ISAAC portrays Duke Leto Atreides.
• EAR (51A: The "E" of ENT) ENT here stands for EAR-nose-throat, and is used to refer to a doctor also known as an otorhinolaryngologist.
• TAKING (54A: ___ the scenic route) I am a fan of TAKING the scenic route, and I enjoyed this clue.
• GHOST KITCHENS (56A: Food service businesses that only deliver) GHOST KITCHENS, also known as virtual restaurants, do not have store fronts and dining rooms. Their business is focused solely on delivery and pick up orders. As you might expect, GHOST KITCHENS became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic when restaurants were forced to close their dining areas and demand for food delivery increased.
• SIMBA (62A: Donald Glover's "The Lion King" role) In the 2019 photorealistically animated version of The Lion King, Donald Glover voices the role of the adult SIMBA. He reprises this role for the 2024 movie Mufasa: The Lion King.
• ERIC (65A: Prince rescued by Ariel) Ariel is the titular character of The Little Mermaid. Ariel rescues Prince ERIC after he is swept overboard during a storm that wrecks the ship he is on.
• HEMS (69A: Puts in stitches, say?) Not "puts in stitches" as in "makes laugh" or "cracks up," but literally puts in stitches, as in HEMS. 
• AREPA (4D: "My mom Julieta can make you feel better with just one ___" ("Encanto" lyric)) This puzzle has references to a number of great animated movies. In the 2021 animated musical film Encanto, Mirabel Madrigal is a young girl in a magical family. "My mom Julieta can make you feel better with just one AREPA," is a line from the song "The Family Madrigal," which introduces the members of the family. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the songs for Encanto.
• HOLI (6D: Spring festival) HOLI, also known as the "festival of spring" and the "festival of colors," is a Hindu festival celebrating the end of winter and the arrival of spring. The date of HOLI varies with the lunar calendar. 
• TEHRAN (12A: National Library of Iran city) The National Library and Archives of Iran is located in the country's capital and largest city, TEHRAN. The National Library is an eight-story building with 125,880 square feet of space. It is built of concrete and is designed to withstand earthquakes.
• SAHARA (46D: North African desert) The SAHARA Desert, located on the African continent, is the world's largest hot desert. The ten countries spanned by the SAHARA are: Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, and Tunisia.
• COWS (59A: Mama manatees) Manatees are slow-moving, herbivorous marine mammals that are also referred to as sea COWS, a reference to their slow pace and peaceful nature. As with the bovines to which they are compared, the females of the species are referred to as COWS. Manatees live in marshy coastal areas and rivers in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Amazon basin, and West Africa.
• BOA (63A: Accessory that might shed feathers) This clue made me laugh! I have worn BOAs and I am aware of their feather-shedding tendencies.
• ATL (64D: Home of the WNBA's Dream (Abbr.)) Noting the capital D here is important. The clue is not talking about the WNBA's dream, but rather the Atlanta (ATL)-based WNBA team, the Atlanta Dream.
• A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
• POST (33A: "We'll fix it in ___" ("No time to reshoot now"))
• NONET (38D: Trio of trios)
• ICICLE (48D: Frozen spike in "Frozen")

A SPIRIT, a PHANTOM, and a GHOST floated into a crossword puzzle ... and the result was a spooky good time. This is a delightful theme, and perfect to get us in the mood for Halloween tomorrow. It's especially nice that each PARANORMAL word does not refer to a PARANORMAL phenomenon in its theme answer, but is used in a different manner. Thank you, Adam, for this enjoyably spooky puzzle.