June 10, 2026

Title: JAWBREAKERS

Constructor: Steve Jopek

Editor: Amie Walker

Theme synopsis:

• BRICK CHEESE (17A: Semi-soft Wisconsin dairy product)
• ROCK CANDY (35A: Crystallized sugar on a stick or string)
• STONE CRAB (42A: Crustacean prized for its claws)
• MARBLE CAKES (62A: Desserts with swirled patterns)

JAWBREAKERS: Each theme answer is a food whose name begins with a hard substance (which might break one's jaw if it were literal!): BRICK, ROCK, STONE, and MARBLE.

What I learned from today's puzzle:

• BAR (27A: Place to get a Michelada) A Michelada is a Mexican cocktail made with beer, lime juice, and hot sauce. It is served in a chilled glass with a salted rim. 
• MILLENNIAL (10A: Word before "pause" or "optimism") MILLENNIAL pause is a term used to describe the short pause before speaking at the beginning of videos posted on social media. MILLENNIAL optimism refers to a trending phenomenon of looking back at the culture of the early 2010s with nostalgia. Both of these terms are new to me. I was thankful for crossing answers here.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• CHI (1A: Ho ___ Minh City) Ho CHI Minh City is the most populous city in Vietnam. The city's name, adopted in 1976, honors Ho CHI Minh, the first leader of North Vietnam.
• NORA (13A: "Julie & Julia" director Ephron) Julie & Julia is a 2009 biographical movie written and directed by NORA Ephron. The movie contrasts the life of Julia Childs (portrayed by Meryl Streep) with the life of Julie Powell (played by Amy Adams). Julie Powell lives in New York and decides to cook all 524 recipes in Julia Child's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She sets herself a timeline of one year to do so and documents her progress on her food blog. This clue makes me want to rewatch Julie & Julia!
• OMEN (32A: Red sky at morning, e.g.) "Red sky at morning – sailor take warning. Red sky at night – sailor's delight." I repeat this OMEN / prediction whenever I see a red sky, so it was fun to see it mentioned here. There's some truth to this weather lore.
• SOSA (39A: Singer Mercedes) Mercedes SOSA (1935-2009) was an Argentinian singer whose music was characterized by a folk-inspired style and lyrics pertaining to social issues. She was described as the "voice of the voiceless ones." SOSA was part of the "nuevo cancionero" that played a role in the pro-democracy movements in Portugal, Spain, and Latin America during the 1970s and 1980s.
• RIPA (45A: Talk show host Kelly) Kelly RIPA is the co-host of Live! with Kelly and Mark. She has been a co-host of the morning talk show since 2001. In that time, her co-hosts have included Regis Philbin, Michael Strahan, Ryan Seacrest, and Mark Consuelos (her husband).
• LEA (48A: "Blue is the Warmest Color" star Seydoux) In 2013, LÉA Seydoux was awarded the Palme d'Or, the highest honor given at the Cannes Film Festival, for her performance in the movie Blue is the Warmest Colour. She won the award alongside her co-star, Adèle Exarchopoulos. The movie, which is the love story of two young women in the late 1990s, is based on Jul Maroh's 2010 graphic novel of the same name. 
• DOH (54A; "Silly me!") and DUH (5D: "Obviously!") Whenever DOH or DUH is in the grid, I debate which spelling to use and ultimately have to rely on crossing answers to settle the question. It made me laugh, therefore, to have both spellings in the grid today.
• STEAMS (57A: Cooks, like xiaolongbao) A type of Chinese steamed bun, xiaolongbao, take their name from the traditional bamboo STEAMing basket (xiaolong) in which they are prepared.
• IAN (67A: McKellen who says, "You shall not pass!") IAN McKellen says the words "You shall not pass!" in his role as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings.
• HORA (2D: Dance often performed to "Hava Nagila") "Hava Nagila" is a Jewish folk song. It is often the song played during the HORA, a circle dance performed at some Jewish weddings.
• ALIEN (11D: 1979 Sigourney Weaver thriller) Ellen Ripley, portrayed by Sigourney Weaver, is the protagonist of the sci-fi horror movie ALIEN (1979) and its sequel, ALIENs (1986).
• YODA (38D: Grogu aka Baby ___) Grogu, colloquially known as Baby YODA, is a character from the Star Wars TV series, The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.
• HBCU (56D: Howard or Morehouse, e.g.) HBCU stands for historically Black colleges and universities. Howard University is an HBCU in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1867, and its alumni include former Vice President Kamala Harris and author Toni Morrison. Morehouse College is an HBCU in Atlanta, Georgia. It was also founded in 1867, and its alumni include Martin Luther King Jr., and Senator Raphael Warnock.
• MEI (62D: "Turning Red" protagonist) Rosalie Chiang voices the character of MEI, the protagonist of the 2022 animated movie, Turning Red. MEI is a 13-year-old Chinese Canadian girl who transforms into a giant red panda when she feels strong emotions.
• Other clues and answers I especially enjoyed:
• MUD PIE (15A: Gooey chocolate dessert)
• PARENT (25A: Field trip chaperone)
• PREACH (22D: "Truer words were never spoken!")

From today's title, I guessed that the theme answers might "break" the word "jaw." Uncovering BRICK CHEESE disproved that theory, but it wasn't until I came to ROCK CANDY that I had the "Aha!" moment and realized what the theme actually was. Thank you, Steve, for this enjoyable puzzle.

In case you missed it, yesterday marked six years of SALLY'S TAKE. Many thanks to all of you who support this blog (and me) in so many ways!

A note about comments: I welcome your comments on the blog! For one thing it's nice to know folks are reading what I've written. My goal for this blog has always been for it to be informational, conversational, and kind. I ask that you keep those goals in mind when commenting. Unkind comments will be deleted. Note that I am more likely to delete a negative comment if it is posted anonymously. (P.S. You can point out when I make a mistake – in fact, I appreciate that so I can correct it.)