Off the Grid: Sally breaks down Paste BN's daily crossword puzzle, Headphones
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Headphones
Constructor: Hannah Slovut
Editor: Amanda Rafkin
What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle
- SILO (6A: Dystopian show starring Rebecca Ferguson) The Apple TV+ series SILO (2023-present) is based on a trilogy of novels by Hugh Howey – Wool, Shift, and Dust. The show is set in a dystopian future in which a community of 10,000 people exist in a 144-story underground SILO. Rebecca Ferguson portrays Juliette Nichols, an engineer who works on the SILO's generators.
- WAS (51A: "I ___ Here" ("Suffs" song)) Suffs is a musical based on the women's suffrage movement in the United States. Shaina Taub composed the music and wrote the lyrics for Suffs. The show is currently on Broadway, running through January 5, 2025. I know about Suffs, but am not familiar with all of its songs. (I'm hoping the planned touring production makes its way to Iowa and I'm able to see it.) Fortunately, the title "I WAS Here" was inferable with a bit of help from crossing answers.
- MARC (25D: Okrand who created the Klingon language) MARC Okrand is the linguist who created the Klingon language used in the Star Trek franchise. He also created the Atlantean language that was used in the Disney movie Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001).
- SHE (55D: "___ Is a Haunting" (novel)) SHE Is a Haunting is the 2023 debut novel by Trang Thanh Tran. The book tells the story of a Vietnamese American girl who visits her estranged father in Vietnam, and discovers the house her father is in the process of restoring is haunted.
Random Thoughts & Interesting Things
- ROTARY CLUB (17A: Local service organization) ROTARY CLUB was founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1905 by three business acquaintances. The organization's name was adopted because originally the meetings rotated among the members' offices. ROTARY International is the umbrella organization over the local CLUBs, and is one of the largest service organizations in the world. The mission of ROTARY CLUB is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders."
- SPIN (20A: First step of a turn in The Game of Life) This clue immediately evoked a vivid memory of the colorful spinner on The Game of Life board rotating with its distinctive "click, click, click" noise. When I was 10 years old, I saved up my money to buy Life. That game saw many, many hours of play. Good memories.
- SIT (28A: Word after word"pet" or "baby") and VET (33D: Doc for pets) and PAW (56D: Little furry foot) A trio of pet-related clues today. My cat, Willow, would like to say that she only approves of one of these clues, as she is not found of being left with a petSITter or visiting the VET. Here's Willow showing off half of her PAWs.
- PALERMO (29A: Capital of Sicily founded in 734 B.C.) The island of Sicily is one of Italy's 20 regions. If you look at a map, Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, appears to be getting kicked by Italy's "boot." PALERMO is the capital of Sicily. The Phoenicians founded the city on the northwest coast of the island in 734 B.C.E.
- ABBA (30A: "My Love, My Life" band) "My Love, My Life" is a song from ABBA's 1976 album, Arrival. The song, with some revised lyrics, was used in the 2018 musical movie Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
- VCR (33A: Tape player last manufactured in 2016) I guess it's time to get rid of the VHS tapes I have in a box in the basement...
- EWES (62A: Female sheep) This clue reminds us that the word "sheep" can be either singular or plural.
- ARTIE (3D: Glee character played by Kevin McHale) On the musical TV series Glee, ARTIE is a member of the William McKinley High School glee club. Fun fact: Although the character of ARTIE plays guitar, Kevin Hale does not know how to play the instrument. ARTIE uses a wheelchair; he has been paraplegic since he was in a car accident when he was eight years old.
- BLOATWARE (31D: Unnecessary preinstalled programs) The process – that you've probably observed – of tech devices or computer programs becoming perceptibly slower over time, is referred to as software bloat. BLOATWARE, the programs that come preinstalled on a device whether you want them or not, is one type of software bloat. There's also code bloat, program codes that are unnecessarily long and contain unneeded redundancies.
- PGA (39D: Grp. with drivers and clubs) The PGA here – that has drivers and clubs – is the Professional Golfers' Association.
- SATIN (50D: Wedding dress fabric option) and LACE (52D: Wedding dress fabric option) If you are looking for wedding dress fabric, there are options.
Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis
- ROTARY CLUB (17A: Local service organization)
- FLIP THE SCRIPT (35A: Change it up completely)
- PAY TRIBUTE (57A: Show reverence, in a way)
HEADPHONES: The first word (i.e. the HEAD) of each theme answer is a type of PHONE: ROTARY PHONE, FLIP PHONE, and PAY PHONE.
It occurred to me after solving that this puzzle has a retro vibe, as ROTARY PHONES, FLIP PHONES, and PAY PHONES are not as commonplace as they used to be. (Although I have heard that the sale of FLIP PHONES has increased recently.) It's interesting to think about the fact that there are quite a few people who have never used a ROTARY PHONE or a PAY PHONE. Thank you, Hannah, for this enjoyable puzzle.