Off the Grid: Sally breaks down Paste BN's daily crossword puzzle, I See You!
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! I See You!
Constructor: Kareem Ayas
Editors: Darby Ratliff and Amanda Rafkin
Comments from Today’s Crossword Constructor
Kareem: Thanks to the Paste BN team! For pitching JHERI CURL, especially. And for keeping my Pulp Fiction clue for it. Speaking of "Clue"... I see you! Lawyer ATTICUS FINCH with the PLASTIC UTENSIL in CONNECTICUT!" (...I'm so RIDICULOUS...)
What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle
- JHERI CURL (16A: Samuel L. Jackson's hairdo in "Pulp Fiction") The JHERI CURL is named after JHERI Redding (1907-1998), the hairdresser who invented it. The JHERI CURL – a type of perm – was particularly popular in the 1980s and 1990s. I've seen this hairstyle, but couldn't remember what it was called. And yes, Jules Winnfield, Samuel L. Jackson's character in the 1994 movie Pulp Fiction, sported a JHERI CURL.
- MOM (58D: Meg Ryan, to Jack Quaid) I'm not sure if I've made this connection before. Meg Ryan – who stars in many of my favorite rom-coms (such as When Harry Met Sally) – is the MOM of Jack Quaid (whose dad is Dennis Quaid). Jack Quaid's film credits include the role of theoretical physicist Richard Feynman in the 2023 movie Oppenheimer.
Random Thoughts & Interesting Things
- DINER (15A: Eatery seen in the painting "Nighthawks") My first reaction upon reading this clue was, "Oh, I've seen that painting!" What I like about this clue, however, is that the word "eatery" on its own could also be a clue for DINER. Therefore, the clue is accessible even to solvers who are not familiar with Edward Hopper's 1942 oil painting, Nighthawks. The painting shows four people inside a DINER. The view is looking into the DINER from a dark and deserted city street. Nighthawks is on display at the Art Institute of Chicago.
- PETIT (21A: ___ four (small pastry)) A PETIT four is a bite-sized confection. Most PETIT fours are desserts, but they can be savory. In French, "PETIT four" means "small oven." These small creations, which are often ornately decorated, originate from the 18th and 19th centuries, when they were baked using the residual heat in brick or stone ovens after bread was baked in the ovens.
- THAI CUISINE (36A: Tom kha gai and massaman curry are a part of it) Tom kha gai, also known as THAI coconut soup, is a spicy and sour soup made with coconut milk. Massaman curry is a mildly spicy THAI curry, usually containing chicken or other meat, potatoes, onions, and peanuts, as well as coconut milk.
- PLUMBERS (38A: Pipe cleaners, in a manner of speaking) I completely fell for the misdirect here and immediately thought of the fuzzy wires known as pipe cleaners or chenille stems. I groaned when I figured out the answer is PLUMBERS.
- REBA (41A: Country music star McEntire) REBA McEntire has been called the "Queen of Country." She has had 25 number one hits on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, beginning with "Can't Even Get the Blues," released in 1982.
- OATMEAL (50A: Common mushy breakfast) I'm embarrassed that although I eat OATMEAL for breakfast every morning, it wasn't the first answer I tried here. My first thought was "muesli," which is mushy, but doesn't have enough letters.
- ARI (56A: Director Aster) I learned about ARI Aster from the February 10, 2022 puzzle. ARI Aster's directing credits include Hereditary (2018), Midsommar (2019), and Beau is Afraid (2023). ARI Aster also wrote the screenplays for these three horror movies.
- TANDEM (30D: Like a bicycle built for two) TANDEM bicycles intrigue me. At the same time, it's a bit of a standing joke between my husband (my most frequent biking partner) and I that a TANDEM bicycle is probably not a good idea for the two of us. We have very different biking styles.
- MIA (35D: Soccer star Hamm) MIA Hamm is a retired professional soccer player. She was a member of the U.S. women's national soccer team that won Olympic gold medals in 1996 and 2004, and an Olympic silver medal in 2000. In 2013, MIA Hamm was the first woman inducted into the World Football Hall of Fame.
- AMISH (51D: Like some Pennsylvania Christians) The AMISH are an ethnoreligious group known for simple living and plain dress. They are a Christian group that generally maintains some separation from surrounding communities. Many AMISH immigrated to Pennsylvania in the early 18th century, and Pennsylvania has the largest population of AMISH in the United States.
- A few other clues I particularly enjoyed:
- OPEN IT (3D: Request from someone who hands you a pickle jar)
- SNL (8D: NBC show that launched many comedians' careers)
- OREO (54D: "Twist, lick, dunk" cookie)
Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis
- JHERI CURL (16A: Samuel L. Jackson's hairdo in "Pulp Fiction")
- THAI CUISINE (36A: Tom kha gai and massaman curry are a part of it)
- MAY I CUT IN (58A: "Would you let me have this dance?)
I SEE YOU!: Interpreting the title phonetically results in I-C-U, a letter string that is found in each theme answer: JHERI CURL, THAI CUISINE, and MAY I CUT IN.
I'm meticulously deciding how to articulate my thoughts while conspicuously using theme-related words. I enjoy themes that require a reinterpretation of the title, and this is a classic example of such a theme. I immediately guessed the theme from the title ... and was not disappointed. Thank you, Kareem, for this particularly delightful puzzle.