There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further!
I Feel Amazing (Freestyle)
Constructor: Rafael Musa
Editor: Amanda Rafkin
What I Learned from Today's Puzzle
- ELI (15A: Author and content creator Rallo) ELI Rallo has over a million followers on TikTok, where she posts videos featuring lifestyle and relationship advice, satirical comedy, and reflections on navigating your 20s in the digital age. Her first book, I Didn't Know I Needed This: The New Rules for Flirting, Feeling, and Finding Yourself, was published in 2023. Her most recent book, Does Anyone Else Feel This Way?: Essays on Conquering the Quarter-Life Crisis, is due out in October.
- GRINDSET (7D: Attitude that values relentless hustle and overwork) The word "GRINDSET" is a portmanteau of "grind" and "mindset." Although this word is new to me, it was inferable with the help of crossing answers.
Random Thoughts & Interesting Things
- SADIE (1A: "Stranger Things" actress Sink) and EGGO (6A: Recurring breakfast brand in "Stranger Things") Stranger Things is a Netflix TV series about a small town dealing with a hostile alternate dimension. SADIE Sink portrays the character Max Mayfield. Millie Bobby Brown portrays Eleven, a young girl with psychokinetic abilities who is known, among other things, for her fondness of EGGO waffles.
- ALLAH (16A: God, in Arabic) ALLAH is a name for god that is used by followers of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.
- RHINE (17A: ___ Valley (German wine region)) The RHINE Valley is the area around the RHINE, a river that begins in the Alps and flows through Germany to the Netherlands where it empties into the North Sea. The RHINE Valley in Germany is known for its wine production and for an impressive collection of historic castles.
- LOS (18A: ___ Alamos, New Mexico) LOS Alamos, New Mexico is located near Santa Fe, and is the home of the LOS Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). One of sixteen research and development laboratories of the United States Department of Energy, LANL was established in 1943 as a top-secret site for designing nuclear weapons as part of the Manhattan Project. Since the end of the Cold War, LANL has focused on other projects.
- MAINE COON (19A: Large breed of cat named after a U.S. state) The MAINE COON is, appropriately, the official state cat of MAINE. Known as "the gentle giant," the MAINE COON is one of the largest breeds of domesticated cats, weighing from 12 to 22 pounds and reaching a length of about 38 inches, tail included. (That's longer than a yardstick.) My cat, Willow, is not a MAINE COON, and she shares her name with a tree rather than a state. Willow is quite a bit smaller than a MAINE COON, weighing in at just over six pounds.
- REY (41A: BB-8'S Jedi friend) In the Star Wars franchise, BB-8 is a spherical droid with a domed head. BB-8 made its debut in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) as the droid of X-wing fighter pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac). When Poe is captured by Kylo Ren, BB-8 flees, eventually meeting up with REY (Daisy Ridley).
- LIAM (52A: Actor Hemsworth) LIAM Hemsworth's roles include Gale Hawthorne in The Hunger Games franchise (2012-2015) and Jake Morrison in Independence Day: Resurgence (2016).
- SCIENCE FAIR (59A: Opportunity to showcase a potato battery or baking soda volcano) I'm always happy to see SCIENCE in the crossword, and I enjoyed this clue for SCIENCE FAIR. Potato batteries and baking soda volcanoes are classic SCIENCE FAIR experiments.
- DEE (62A: "Pariah" director Rees) The 2011 movie, Pariah, was written and directed by DEE Rees. Pariah is the story of a 17-year-old Black girl coming to terms with her identity as a lesbian. The movie won an NAACP Award for Outstanding Independent Motion Picture. It has also been selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States Film Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
- ATLAS (65A: Book largely replaced by GPS) As I have mentioned multiple times previously, I am thankful for GPS. I also, however, enjoy looking at an ATLAS, which is helpful for getting a sense of where things are located in relation to each other, not just how to get from point A to point B.
- SEAM (1D: Clothes line?) The question mark is a hint that there is some wordplay happening in this clue. The clue isn't looking for a "clothesline," a place to hang clothes to dry. Instead it's looking for a "clothes line," or a SEAM, a line on clothes where two pieces of fabric are stitched together.
- ALLA (2D: Pasta ___ Norma) Pasta ALLA Norma is a Sicilian dish made of pasta and eggplant in a tomato sauce topped with ricotta cheese. It is supposedly named in honor of Sicilian composer Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835) who composed the opera Norma.
- RELAXATION (10D: Feeling that reading a book in a warm bath might provide) Reading a book in a warm bath sounds absolutely delightful.
- JERI (24D: "Star Trek: Picard" actress Ryan) Star Trek: Picard is the eighth of the Star Trek TV series, and it originally aired from 2020 to 2023. JERI Ryan portrays Seven of Nine, a former Borg member who is part of the USS Voyager crew.
- LHASA (30D: Tibet's capital) Tibet is an autonomous region located in the southwestern part of China, and LHASA is its capital. At an elevation of 11,990 feet, LHASA is one of the highest cities in the world.
- BLM (45D: _lack _ives _atter) In a split fill-in-the-blank clue such as this, each blank represents one missing letter. It's always a good day to be reminded that Black Lives Matter.
- HELA (54D: Thor's sister and antagonist in "Thor: Ragnarok") Thor: Ragnarok is a 2017 movie and the 17th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Cate Blanchett plays HELA, Thor's sister and adversary.
- RICE (56D: Donburi ingredient) Donburi is a Japanese RICE bowl dish that consists of fish, meat, and vegetables simmered together and served over RICE.
- FDA (61D: Org. that regulates Ozempic) Ozempic is a drug used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and for long-term weight management. As with other drugs in the United States, its use is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis
I FEEL AMAZING (Freestyle): There's no theme today, as this is a freestyle, or themeless, puzzle. The title is answering the question: ARE YOU SATISFIED (37A: "Happy now?").
Some publications simply title their freestyle puzzles as "themeless" - and some publications don't use titles for their crosswords at all. USA Today chooses to use titles for all of their puzzles and opts to give their freestyle puzzles titles that relate to an answer in the puzzle. None of these options are right or wrong; of course they're just different approaches. I do happen to like the use of titles for themeless puzzles. It's interesting to see what entry a constructor chooses to highlight with the title. (Sometimes I have to make a guess at this; and that's okay!) I enjoy the fact that today the title is answering a question posed by the puzzle. Thank you, Rafa, for this entertaining puzzle.