Off the Grid: Sally breaks down Paste BN's daily crossword puzzle, Pouring Wine
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Pouring Wine
Constructor: David Steinberg
Editor: Amanda Rafkin
What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle
- SPAIN (10D: European country whose national anthem, "Marcha Real," has no official lyrics) "Marcha Real" (which translates to "Royal March") has been the national anthem of SPAIN since September 3, 1770. Although the song has no official lyrics, there have occasionally been lyrics written for it. SPAIN is one of just four countries with a national anthem that does not have lyrics. The other three are Bosnia and Herzegovina, San Marino, and Kosovo.
Random Thoughts & Interesting Things
- PAWED (5A: Felt with a furry foot) My cat, Willow, believes that after one has PAWED at something it's important to take a nap. However, it's important to keep a paw out and at the ready just in case.
- PESO (16A: Chilean currency) The country of Chile is located along the western coast of the southern part of South America. Chile is a narrow country, located between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. The capital of Chile is Santiago, and its currency is the Chilean PESO.
- X-MEN (39A: Wolverine's superhero team) The X-MEN are a team of superheroes appearing in Marvel comic books, TV shows, films, and video games. X-MEN are humans born with the X-gene, a genetic mutation that confers superhuman abilities. The X-MEN comics debuted in 1963. Wolverine was introduced in 1975. He has animal-keen senses, regenerative healing power, and metal claws. Wolverine has been portrayed by Hugh Jackman and Troye Sivan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- SEEDY (42A: Like an everything bagel) My reaction to this clue went from, "I have no idea..." to "Oh, that makes perfect sense." Everything bagels are SEEDY, as they have sesame seeds and poppy seeds on them.
- SMOG (46A: Pollution over Los Angeles) Due to the geography of southern California and a reliance on automobiles, Los Angeles, California has a SMOG season that lasts from about May to October. Recently, of course, the pollution over Los Angeles has been wildfire smoke. This puzzle was likely written a few months ago, before the wildfires currently burning in Los Angeles began. I'm continuing to remember the many, many people affected by the Los Angeles wildfires. If you're in a position to help, please look for ways to do so.
- ONES (63A: Bills equivalent to golden dollars) The golden dollar was first minted in 2000. The golden color of the coin is due to a manganese brass coating. The coins are sometimes referred to as the Sacagawea dollar, as the first minted dollars featured Sacagawea and her infant son. Since 2009, the design has changed yearly to depict an aspect of Native American cultures. These coins have never caught on as a replacement for ONES, and are mostly minted for collectors.
- LORDS (1D: Britain's House of ___) The House of LORDS is the upper house of Britain's parliament. Membership in the House of LORDS is generally not by election. Rather, members are appointed for life. The House of LORDS and the House of Commons (the lower house) meet in the Palace of Westminster in England.
- PACERS (5D: NBA team based in Indianapolis) The Indiana PACERS play their home games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team's mascot is Boomer, a 6-foot tall cat sometimes referred to as the "PACERS panther."
- ADELE (6D: "30" singer) 30 is ADELE's 2021 album. Appropriately for today's puzzle, one of the singles from the album is "I Drink Wine."
- WILMA FLINTSTONE (7D: Betty Rubble's best friend) The FLINTSONEs (1960-1966) was the first animated show to air on prime time. The show is set in a romanticized version of the Stone Age. WILMA FLINTSTONE, her husband Fred, and their daughter Pebbles are the titular FLINTSTONEs. Betty and Barney Rubble are their next-door neighbors.
- ROMA (29D: Capital of Italia) Rome is the capital of Italy. Since the clue uses the country's Italian name – Italia – the answer will be the Italian name of Rome, which is ROMA.
- NAAN (54D: Bread served with palak paneer) Palak paneer is a vegetarian dish that originated from India. It is made from spinach and paneer (a soft cheese). Palak paneer is often served together with a flatbread such as NAAN, roti, or paratha.
- A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
- OWIE (14A: What a toddler's Band-Aid covers)
- DIBS (20A: "I claim that!")
- STEEP (52D: Like a hill that's tough to bike up)
Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis
- WIN BY A LANDSLIDE (3D: Triumph decisively)
- WILMA FLINTSTONE (7D: Betty Rubble's best friend)
- WESTERN MEDICINE (11D: Treatment system focused on symptoms)
POURING WINE: The word WINE is POURING down each vertical theme answer: WIN BY A LANDSLIDE, WILMA FLINTSTONE, and WESTERN MEDICINE.
As we move from left to right in the grid, more WINE is pouring down the theme answer and accumulating at the bottom. With WIN BY A LANDSLIDE we start with just an E in our metaphorical glass at the bottom of the grid. Moving to WILMA FLINTSTONE, we now have an NE, and WESTERN MEDICINE gives us an INE. If we had one more theme answer we'd have a full glass of WINE! Although maybe then the WINE would be "poured" instead of "POURING..." I enjoyed this clever theme. Thank you, David, for this excellent puzzle.
One more thing: A POURING WINE theme is a perfect opportunity for a reminder that Paste BN has a Wine Club. You can sign up for bi-monthly or quarterly shipments, or buy a case of wine without committing to a membership.