November 20, 2025

Title: FACE THE WRONG WAY

Constructor: Adam Levav

Editor: Amie Walker

Theme synopsis:

• TRIBECA FESTIVAL (20A: Manhattan-based showcase for indie films)
• SENECA FALLS (34A: New York location of the first formal women's rights convention)
• BOARD GAME CAFE (53A: Place to drink coffee and play Catan)

FACE THE WRONG WAY: Each theme answer contains the letter string E-C-A-F, which is the word FACE backwards (i.e. THE WRONG WAY): TRIBECA FESTIVAL, SENECA FALLS, and BOARD GAME CAFE.

What I learned from today's puzzle:

• AYA (43A: "The Boys" actor Cash) The Boys is an Amazon Prime TV series that premiered in 2019. The show is about a group of vigilantes (the title characters) who combat individuals with superpowers (known as "Supes") who are abusing their powers for personal gain. AYA Cash appeared in the second and third seasons of the show as Klara Risinger AKA Liberty, a Supe who looks down on those without superpowers.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• EVIL (14A: Wicked) Well, if the word "Wicked" appears as a clue, it must be a sign for me to mention that the movie Wicked: For Good is now in theaters.
• NEKO (17A: "Hold On, Hold On" singer ___ Case) NEKO Case is a singer-songwriter who has had a solo career as well as being a part of the indie rock group the New Pornographers. "Hold On, Hold On" is a song from NEKO Case's 2006 album Fox Confessor Brings the Flood. NEKO Case has described "Hold On, Hold On" as her most autobiographical song.
• TRIBECA FESTIVAL (20A: Manhattan-based showcase for indie films) The TRIBECA FESTIVAL happens each spring in New York City. The annual film FESTIVAL, which was founded in 2002, is a showcase for indie movies, both feature films and short films.
• TINGA (27A: Mexican dish with shredded chicken) In addition to shredded chicken, the Mexican dish TINGA contains tomatoes, chipotle chilis, and onions. TINGA is often served on a tostada and may be topped with avocado, crema, and salsa.
• SENECA FALLS (34A: New York location of the first formal women's rights convention) The SENECA FALLS Convention billed itself as "a convention to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of woman." It was held July 19-20, 1848 in SENECA FALLS, New York. Organized by Elizabeth Cody Stanton and some local Quaker women, the convention was planned to coincide with a visit to SENECA FALLS by Lucretia Mott, a Quaker woman known for her speaking ability. The Declaration of Sentiments adopted by the convention included the following "facts" concerning "the part of man" toward woman: "He has monopolized nearly all the profitable employments, and from those she is permitted to follow, she receives but a scanty remuneration," and "He has endeavored, in every way that he could to destroy her confidence in her own powers, to lessen her self-respect, and to make her willing to lead a dependent and abject life." It wasn't only women that attended the SENECA Falls Convention. Frederick Douglas (who was the sole Black attendee) played a crucial role in the convention by encouraging the inclusion of a resolution about women's right to vote.
• ELLE (61A: ___ Moxley (executive director of The Marsha P. Johnson Institute)) ELLE Moxley is a community organizer and activist who has worked with the Black Lives Matter Global Network and GetEQUAL. She is the executive director of the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, which she founded in 2015. The organization's focus is on protecting and defending the rights of Black transgender people.
• TYLER (65A: "DON'T TAP THE GLASS" artist ___, the Creator) DON'T TAP THE GLASS is TYLER, the Creator's ninth studio album. It was released in July of this year and debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 chart.
• SPACE AGE (5D: Period that began with the launch of Sputnik 1) Sputnik 1 was the first artificial Earth satellite. It was launched by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957. The launch of Sputnik 1 is considered the beginning of the SPACE AGE, an era of exploration beyond Earth. It is also considered the beginning of the SPACE race between the Soviet Union and the United States. The SPACE AGE is generally considered to have lasted until 1975. The early 2020s have seen a resurgence in public interest in SPACE exploration, leading some journalists to label this time as the "New SPACE AGE."
• TAMIL (22D: One of Sri Lanka's official languages) TAMIL is the language spoken by the TAMIL people, an ethnographic-linguistic group in South Asia. TAMIL and Sinhala are the two official languages of Sri Lanka.
• AFRO (33D: "My ___ Is a Rising Sun" (picture book that celebrates Black hairstyles)) My AFRO Is a Rising Sun is a 2024 picture book written by Yaram Yahu and illustrated by DeAnn Wiley. The book uses metaphors to describe not only AFROs, but also other aspects of Black American culture. 
• SEAWORLD (34D: Theme park in the "Blackfish" documentary) Blackfish is a 2013 documentary about an orca named Tilikum, and the controversy of keeping orcas in captivity. SEAWORLD refused to participate in the production of Blackfish, and claimed the documentary presented an inaccurate and distorted picture about the theme park.
• SAG-AFTRA (36D: Hollywood union?) The Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is a union that represents media professionals.
• BAN (37D: ___ hammer (metaphorical tool for an online-forum moderator)) I think BAN hammer is a lively, descriptive name for the ability of moderators to BAN online commenters if they don't follow the rules.
• A couple of other clues I especially enjoyed: 
• TALL (19A: Like most WNBA players)
• AIR (39A: The stuff we breathe)

When is it okay to FACE THE WRONG WAY? When you're a theme answer in today's puzzle. I enjoyed all three theme answers today. Thank you, Adam, for this excellent puzzle.