Off the Grid: Sally breaks down Paste BN's daily crossword puzzle, Father's Day
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Father's Day
Constructor: Norman M. Aaronson
Editor: Anna Gundlach
Comments from Today’s Crossword Constructor
Norman: I’m thrilled that my inaugural Paste BN puzzle is being published on Father’s Day! This puzzle is dedicated to all the fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, uncles, and other mentors of the next generations. I hope you have as much fun solving “Father’s Day” as I had creating it!
Random Thoughts & Interesting Things
- ASIANS (14A: Kazakhs and Uzbeks) Kazakhs and Uzbeks are ethnic groups native to Central Asia. (Some Kazakhs were also originally located in Eastern Europe.) Many Kazakhs and Uzbeks live in the countries of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, respectively.
- NAT (19A: Rebellion leader Turner) In 1831, NAT Turner led a rebellion of enslaved persons in Virginia. The rebellion resulted in the death of over 55 people, and NAT Turner lived in hiding for two months afterwards. In the aftermath of NAT Turner's rebellion, many Black people were killed and harsh(er) laws were enacted against enslaved people.
- NINERS (32A: Bay Area NFL team, for short) The California NFL team, the San Francisco 49ers, are often referred to by the nickname the NINERS. The team took its name from the prospectors of the California gold rush, who were referred to as forty-niners, a name derived from the year 1849 when the gold rush began to draw people from all over the world to California.
- DARIN (47A: "Splish Splash" singer Bobby) The 1958 song "Splish Splash" became Bobby DARIN's first hit. The song was written after a DJ bet Bobby DARIN he couldn't write a song that began with the words, "Splish Splash, I was takin' a bath." Well, it looks like this song will be my earworm for the day!
- ALI (51A: "Bel-Air" actress Tatyana) Tatyana ALI played the role of Ashley Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air (1990-1996). In the second season of the reboot series Bel-Air (2023), Tatyana ALI had a recurring role as English literature teacher, Mrs. Hughes.
- POLAND (56A: Country where pierogis originated) Pierogis are filled dumplings that originated (as the clue informs us) in POLAND. Typical fillings are potato, cheese, or sauerkraut. They are often served with sour cream.
- MAAM (5D: Term of address for a lady) and SIR (7D: Term of address for a knight) I enjoyed the parallel structure of these two clues.
- ED ASNER (11D: Actor in "Up" and "Elf") In the 2009 animated Pixar film Up, ED ASNER provides the voice of Carl, a curmudgeonly widower and retired balloon salesman. In the 2003 movie Elf, ED ASNER portrays Santa Claus.
- SKA (15D: Jamaican music genre) SKA is a music genre that originated in Jamaica. It combines elements of mento, calypso, jazz, and rhythm and blues. SKA is characterized by its lively, upbeat tempo, offbeat guitar rhythms, and prominent horn sections.
- DES (18D: ___ Moines, Iowa) DES Moines is the capital of Iowa. (Hello from Iowa!)
- TROPHIES (33D: Awards for top finishers at many crossword tournaments) I appreciate the clueing angle here. TROPHIES are given at many events, and it's a nice choice to highlight crossword tournaments. Crossword tournaments take place throughout the year at a number of locations. Westwords, a Bay Area Crossword Tournament, is happening a week from today, on June 22. If you're not in the Bay Area, you can participate online, which is what I will be doing. Here's a photo of one of the TROPHIES from last year's Midwest Crossword Puzzle Tournament, which will be happening in Chicago again in October.
- MARVEL (41A: Captain ___ aka Shazam (DC Comics character, ironically)) In the DC Comics world, Billy Batson is a boy whose alter ego is Captain MARVEL. Billy Batson makes the transformation to Captain Marvel by saying, "Shazam!" (Did you know "Shazam" is an acronym for Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury?) It is indeed ironic that Captain MARVEL is a DC Comics character. MARVEL Comics also has a character named Captain MARVEL aka Carol Danvers.
- ANT (51D: Insect that communicates with pheromone trails) ANTs use pheromones (special chemicals) to communicate with each other. ANTs may deposit pheromones along a trail to help lead other colony members to a food source or to help guide other ANTs around an obstacle. If you've ever seen a line of ANTs converging on a food source, you've witnessed this communication method at work.
- DND (54D: RPG featured in "Stranger Things") Dungeons & Dragons (DND) is a role-playing game (RPG). The abbreviation RPG in the clue alerts solvers the answer will be an abbreviation. On the Netflix TV series Stranger Things (2016-present), a small town is dealing with a hostile alternate dimension. On the show, DND is used as a narrative device. Each season of the show is laid out similar to a DND campaign and the monsters, powers, and themes of the show borrow from DND lore. This Collider article explores this topic in greater detail (and explains it better than I can).
Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis
- I NEED A DRINK (17A: "This past week has been rough...")
- TARGETED ADS (33A: Pop-ups based on past web visits and purchases)
- SOUND ADVICE (52A: Words it might be wise to heed)
FATHER'S DAY: Each theme answer contains the word DAD: I NEED A DRINK, TARGETED ADS, and SOUND ADVICE.
I can't think of a better way to celebrate Father's Day than with a DAD-themed puzzle. The theme answer of SOUND ADVICE feels particularly apt. Congratulations to Norman M. Aaronson on a USA Today crossword debut! Thank you, Norman, for this enjoyable puzzle.