Off the Grid: Sally breaks down Paste BN's daily crossword puzzle, Got Up
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Got Up
Constructor: Stella Zawistowski
Editor: Anna Gundlach
What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle
- IKAT (16A: Southeast Asian dyeing technique) IKAT is a dyeing technique that involves dyeing the yarn before it is woven into fabric. The yarn is tightly bound in the desired pattern before being dyed. This process may be repeated to add different colors. The dyed yarns are then woven together. This is in contrast to methods such as tie-dye or batik (I have written about batik previously) in which the fabric is dyed after it is woven. IKAT fabrics have a characteristic blurriness to the design, due to the difficulty of lining up the yarn during the weaving process.
- EAR (8D: Place for an industrial piercing) An industrial piercing is an EAR piercing that consists of two piercings connected by a single piece of jewelry. These piercings are often done in the upper EAR cartilage. I have seen industrial piercings before, but I didn't know what they were called.
- GOTHAM KNIGHTS (18D: RPG based on the Batman franchise) The GOTHAM KNIGHTS role-playing game (RPG) is a video game that is inspired – as one might guess from its name – by the Batman: GOTHAM KNIGHTS comic book series by DC Comics. In the game, which is set in GOTHAM City, the playable characters Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin, and Red Hood are trying to restore justice to GOTHAM City after the deaths of Batman and Police Commissioner James Gordon.
Random Thoughts & Interesting Things
- CPK (10A: _alifornia _izza _itchen) California Pizza Kitchen, or CPK, is a restaurant specializing in California-style pizza, which has a thin crust and uses California cuisine-inspired toppings. Although CPK started in California, as its name suggests, it now has locations in 32 U.S. states and 10 countries. Although they do not have any locations in Iowa, I have eaten at a CPK in Las Vegas, Nevada.
- CARDS (26A: There are 48 in a pinochle deck) I have never played pinochle, but I know it's a CARD game, so this answer was inferable. Pinochle is a trick-taking game for two to four players. Its 48-CARD deck is comprised of eight CARDS each of ace, ten, king, queen, jack, and nine (this is their ranking order high to low).
- ACES (31A: Vegas WNBA squad) and SKY (9D: Chicago WNBA squad) We have a nice pair of WNBA teams represented in the grid. The Las Vegas ACES were WNBA champions in 2022 and 2023. The Chicago SKY were WNBA champions in 2021.
- RUTH (40A: Barbie doll creator Handler) The Barbie doll was named after RUTH Handler's daughter. Since the doll's introduction in 1959, over a billion Barbie dolls have been sold. I imagine some people learned the name of RUTH Handler from the 2023 movie Barbie. Rhea Perlman played RUTH Handler in the movie.
- AGATHA (42A: Mystery writer Christie) It's always a good day when your favorite author shows up in the puzzle. AGATHA Christie (1890-1976) wrote over 66 mystery novels and 14 collections of short stories, as well as several plays. She is one of the best-selling fiction writers of all time.
- TIKI (2D: Polynesian figurine) In Māori mythology (the Māori are indigenous people of New Zealand), TIKI was the first man created. TIKIs are wooden or stone carvings in humanoid form.
- GOTHIC CATHEDRAL (7D: Notre-Dame de Paris, for example) Notre-Dame de Paris is a GOTHIC CATHEDRAL located in Paris, France on the Île de la Cité (an island in the River Seine). The cathedral is considered to be one of the finest examples of GOTHIC architecture. Notre Dame has been under renovation since a fire that occurred in April 2019. It reopened in December 2024.
- PLATO (11D: Student of Socrates) Socrates (c.470 BCE-399 BCE) and PLATO (c. 428 BCE-348 BCE) were Greek philosophers. Most of what is known about Socrates is information gained from the accounts of his students, of which PLATO was one. Both Socrates and PLATO are considered foundational in developing the ideas of Western Philosophy.
- KATSU (12D: Breaded Japanese dish from the English word "cutlet") Chicken KATSU is a dish of chicken cutlets coated with panko bread crumbs and then fried. It is sometimes referred to as panko chicken, and is related to the dish tonkatsu, which is breaded, fried pork cutlets.
- MLS (20D: L.A. Galaxy's org.) The LA Galaxy is a professional soccer club that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS). The LA Galaxy are based in the Greater Los Angeles area in California.
- MOESHA (24D: '90s sitcom starring Brandy) Singer, songwriter, and actress Brandy played the title role in the TV series, MOESHA, which aired for six seasons beginning in 2001. MOESHA was a high school student living with her family in Los Angeles. Each episode of the show (in the first five seasons) began with MOESHA speaking her thoughts into her diary.
- CATS (26D: "The Jellicle Ball" musical) CATS is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry collection, Old Possum's Book of Practical CATS. "The Jellicle Ball" is a song in the musical. The event it refers to – the Jellicle Ball – is an annual ritual in which the CATS decide who will be chosen to ascend to the Heaviside Layer (a CAT version of heaven). Obviously my CAT, Willow, is a fan of this answer. Here she is overseeing my moves as I play Wordle.
- EMMA (53D: Titular Jane Austen protagonist) Jane Austen's novel, EMMA, was originally published in 1815. The titular protagonist, EMMA, is a young woman with a propensity toward matchmaking and meddling in the lives of others.
Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis
- GO THE DISTANCE (4D: See a difficult task through)
- GOTHIC CATHEDRAL (7D: Notre-Dame de Paris, for example)
- GOTHAM KNIGHTS (18D: RPG based on the Batman franchise)
GOT UP: The word GOT is found at the top (i.e. UP) in each vertical theme answer: GO THE DISTANCE, GOTHIC CATHEDRAL, and GOTHAM KNIGHTS.
Today's title let me know exactly what to look for theme-wise. This is a great group of theme answers; each one is interesting. Thank you, Stella, for this enjoyable puzzle.