Yahoo Lifestyle Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword, Twice the Fun (Freestyle)
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Twice the Fun (Freestyle)
Constructor: Amanda Rafkin
Editor: Amanda Rafkin
What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle
AP SPANISH (34A: H.S. course in which students might read "Dos palabras") "Dos palabras," which is SPANISH for "two words," is a short story by Chilean American author Isabel Allende. I have previously written about Isabel Allende, but this short story of hers is new to me. Fortunately, since the story's title is in SPANISH, the answer is fairly inferable.
Random Thoughts & Interesting Things
UMAMI (15A: Savory flavor) The five basic tastes detected by human's are salty, sweet, bitter, sour, and UMAMI (savory). UMAMI-rich foods include mushrooms, cheese, soy sauce, and tomatoes. You may have learned (as I did) that different areas of the tongue detect different types of tastes, but it has been found that this is not true. Regardless of their location, all taste buds can detect each of the elements of taste.
CHRISTMAS TREE (19A: Fir that might have a star on top) An appropriate answer for CHRISTMAS Day. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate!
NORA (23A: Filmmaker Ephron) NORA Ephron (1941-2012) wrote, directed, and/or produced so many of my favorite rom-coms: You've Got Mail (1998), When Harry Met Sally (1989), Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and Julie & Julia (2009).
PSI (27A: Second-to-last Greek letter) The 24-letter Greek alphabet begins with alpha and beta and ends with PSI and omega.
SNL (30A: NBC show with a "Mall Santa" sketch) Over the years, SNL (Saturday Night Live) has done various "Mall Santa" sketches. This year's sketch features Chris Rock as an elf asking parents to choose between various Santas. Past "Mall Santa" sketches include a COVID-safe Santa experience and Santa and his elf-girlfriend arguing about commitment.
UAE (33A: Dubai's country, for short) Dubai is the most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE, for short). The capital of the UAE is Abu Dhabi.
NOB (55A: ___ Hill (San Francisco neighborhood)) The NOB Hill neighborhood in San Francisco, California is known for its luxury hotels and historic mansions.
HANUKKAH GELT (57A: "Money" used during a game of dreidel) The Jewish festival Hanukkah (also spelled Chanukah) begins at sundown tonight. Happy HANUKKAH to those who celebrate!
CLUED (70A: Like this puzzle) I always enjoy a self-referential clue.
CAFE AU LAIT (10D: Coffee drink mentioned in "Lady Marmalade") "Lady Marmalade" first became a hit when it was recorded by Labelle in 1974. The song received renewed interest when it was used in the movie Moulin Rouge! (2001) and the subsequent stage version of Moulin Rouge! (2018). CAFE AU LAIT is mentioned in the song's third verse, "Touching her skin, feeling silky smooth / color of CAFE AU LAIT..."
SOSA (20D: "Slammin' Sammy") Sammy SOSA, who is known by the nickname "Slammin' Sammy" is a former professional baseball player. He played for MLB's Chicago Cubs from 1992-2004. During the 1998 MLB season, Sammy SOSA and Mark McGwire (who played for the St. Louis Cardinals) were both in a position to break the single-season home run record of 61 home runs, which was set by Roger Maris in 1961. Ultimately, Mark McGwire was the first player to achieve 62 home runs that year, and ended the year with a total of 70 home runs. "Slammin' Sammy" SOSA ended the year with 66 home runs.
HSU (64D: "Joy Ride" actress Stephanie) Joy Ride is a 2023 movie starring Stephanie HSU, Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, and Sabrina Wu as four friends on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Stephanie HSU portrays Kat Huang, a Chinese soap star.
Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis
TWICE THE FUN (Freestyle): This is a freestyle puzzle, which technically means there's no theme. However, there are actually a couple of themes here.
Christmas-related answers:
CHRISTMAS TREE (19A: Fir that might have a star on top)
ALL (24A: "O Come, ___ Ye Faithful)
SNL (30A: NBC show with a "Mall Santa" sketch)
PUN (49D: "I'm pine-ing for you this Christmas," e.g.)
Hanukkah-related answers:
HANUKKAH GELT (57A: "Money" used during a game of dreidel)
LATKES (25D: Fried treats served with applesauce and sour cream)
LIGHT BULBS (31D: Components of electric menorahs)
OIL (63D: Liquid that miraculously burned for eight nights)
Answers applicable to both Christmas and Hanukkah:
GIFTS (18A: Wrapped holiday offerings)
FROM (5D: Word below "To:")
If I'm being honest, my favorite themeless puzzles are ones where there's a bit of a theme – a few answers that seem to go together and make the puzzle feel cohesive. It's no surprise then, that I thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle celebrating not just one, but two holidays – TWICE THE FUN indeed. In case you were wondering, the last time the first night of Hanukkah was on December 25 was 2005, and the next time the two holidays coincide in this way will be in 2035. Thank you, Amanda, for this festive puzzle. No matter what you're celebrating today or in the days to come, I wish you a happy holiday season.
For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Crossword Blog & Answers for December 25, 2024 by Sally Hoelscher
