Off the Grid: Sally breaks down Paste BN's daily crossword puzzle, Body Double
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Body Double
Constructors: Kareem Ayas & Will Eisenberg
Editor: Amanda Rafkin
Comments from Today’s Crossword Constructors
Kareem: I found this cutesy theme hidden somewhere at the bottom of my idea Google Doc, festering and waiting to come out. Will always makes my gridding better and cleaner, it was a pleasure working with him! The puzzle's theme speaks to this: Two heads are better than one!
Will: Thanks so much to Kareem for bringing me in on this clever theme, and being a pleasure to collaborate with.
What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle
- HOOKAH (43A: Shisha, by another name) HOOKAH, shisha, and water pipe are synonyms for a smoking device consisting of a bowl, a vessel containing water, and a long tube. Smoke is passed through the water before inhalation.
- EPIC (10D: Large-scale, like the sci-fi series "Foundation") Foundation is a TV series loosely based on a series of stories by Isaac Asimov. The show premiered on Apple TV+ in 2021. I was grateful for the "large-scale" clue, as this show is new to me.
Random Thoughts & Interesting Things
- SEA (14A: Poseidon's realm) In Greek mythology, Poseidon is the god of the SEA, storms, earthquakes, and horses. In some tellings, Poseidon became the ruler of the sea when the world was divided among the three sons of Cronus. Poseidon was given the sea, Zeus was given the sky, and Hades was given the underworld.
- ITSY (19A: Wee, like a nursery rhyme spider) The ITSY, bitsy spider climbed up the water spout...
- YUCCA (21A: Plant in the agave family) Agave are spiky-leaved succulents that grow in the hot and arid regions of the Americas and the Caribbean. YUCCA are characterized by spiky leaves surround a central branch bearing multiple white flowers. Fun fact: The Joshua Trees for which Joshua Tree National Park in southeastern California is named are not trees, but instead are a variety of YUCCA.
- ELENA (23A: Supreme Court justice Kagan) ELENA Kagan has been a Supreme Court Justice since 2010. She was also the first female dean of the Harvard Law School, a position she held from 2003-2009.
- LEE (26A: Olympic gymnast Sunisa) Sunisa "Suni" LEE was on the USA women's gymnastics Olympic team that won gold at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris earlier this year. She also represented Team USA at the 2020 Summer Olympics, where she was the all-around gold medalist.
- RED (29A: Like fire trucks) RED is a classic color for fire trucks. It's uncertain why fire trucks were first painted RED. In the early 1900s, Henry Ford is famously reported to have said he'd make a Model T, "any color the customer wants, as long as it's black." He may not have actually said that, but it's true that many of the early cars were black. Some have suggested that fire trucks were painted RED to stand out. Now, here's a fun thing. If you have an iPhone (if you don't, find a friend who does), I encourage you to ask Siri, "Why are fire trucks red?" Don't just ask Siri once, but multiple times, because you'll get a different answer each time. One of my favorite answers Siri gave me is, "Maybe fire trucks are like herrings, which are fish that are naturally silver, but when they are smoked, they turn RED. They also become so smelly that their scent can throw hound dogs off a trail. That's why a 'RED herring' is something that misleads you or distracts you from the relevant question."
- SIRS (30A: Knights' titles) and ARMOR (55A: Knight's protection) A pair of clues for the knights.
- TOTEM (51A: ___ carver (important role in the Tlingit community)) The Tlingit are Indigenous peoples along the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. TOTEM poles are a significant part of Tlingit culture, and TOTEM carver is an honorable role. TOTEM poles tell a story, and convey the history of Tlingit clans.
- ICARUS (64A: Mythical figure who flew too close to the sun) In Greek mythology, ICARUS was the son of Daedalus. During an attempt to escape from Crete, ICARUS and Daedalus used wings that the latter constructed of feathers and wax. Although Daedalus warned him not to fly too close to the sun, ICARUS ignored his father's warning. The sun melted his wings and he fell into the sea and drowned. Although it wasn't how I first learned of ICARUS, I now think of the musical Hamilton whenever he is mentioned. The Hamilton song "Burn" contains the line, "You have married an ICARUS / He has flown too close to the sun."
- BEAGLE (2D: Snoopy, for one) Snoopy is, of course, the BEAGLE in Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts. Snoopy enjoys imagining himself as his alter egos, which include Joe Cool, the world's greatest author, and a World War I Flying Ace. I'm always happy to see a Peanuts reference in the puzzle.
- ACNE (5D: Condition treated with isotretinoin) Isotretinoin is a medication used in the treatment of moderate to severe ACNE. One of the brand names of isotretinoin is Accutane. A factoid for the nerdy, scientist types (like me): Isotretinoin's isomer, tretinoin, is also used to treat ACNE, and is sold under the brand name Retin-A.
- TONYS (8D: Best Choreography and Best Musical, e.g.) The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, commonly known as the TONYS, are awarded annually. This year the winner of the TONY for Best Choreography was Illinoise, and the 2024 TONY for Best Musical was won by The Outsiders.
- ELM (27D: Tree with a "slippery" variety) The slippery ELM is also known as the red ELM or soft ELM. The "slippery" part of its name refers to its inner bark, which is mucilaginous – a long word that means it contains a moist, viscous substance.
- TRACY (52D: "Talkin' Bout a Revolution" singer Chapman) "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution" is a 1988 song by TRACY Chapman.
- CAR (61D: "I'm in Love With My ___" (1975 Queen song)) The Queen song, "I'm in Love With My CAR," is from the band's fourth album, A Night at the Opera. The song was written by Queen's drummer, Roger Taylor, and the revving sounds at the end of the song were a recording of his CAR at the time, an Alfa Romeo.
- ERA (62D: Paleozoic ___) The Paleozoic ERA began 538.8 million years ago, and ended 251.9 million years ago. Those numbers are difficult for me to wrap my head around, so let's just say the Paleozoic ERA was a long time ago. It was during the Paleozoic ERA that the first fish, the first land plants, the first insects, and the first amphibians and reptiles developed.
- A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
- WANT TO (4A: "You in?")
- EGO BOOST (39D: What praise might give you)
- VELCRO (48D: Makeup of some shoe straps)
Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis
- HAND IN HAND (17A: Together)
- NECK AND NECK (37A: Like a super tight race)
- FACE TO FACE (60A: In person)
BODY DOUBLE: Each theme answer is a saying that contains a DOUBLE reference to a BODY part.
This is a delightful theme. I appreciate the variety in the connecting words, that each of these well-known phrases uses a different connector: IN, AND, TO. Thank you, Kareem and Will, for this excellent puzzle.