Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY’s crossword, “Totally Saw That Coming!”
Sally Hoelscher
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! Totally Saw That Coming! (Freestyle)
Constructor: Kyra Goudsmit
Editor: Jared Goudsmit
Comments from Today’s Crossword Constructor
Kyra: This is my first-ever puzzle, and I’m so excited to see it run! I was particularly happy to highlight 20-Across, who was a professor at Berkeley, where I currently study English. Another personal clue for me is [___ Marquette State Park] at 25-Across, where my family vacationed when I was a kid. Jared was a great editor to work with (and I’m not just saying that because he’s my brother). I hope you like the puzzle!
What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle
- PERE (25A: ___ Marquette State Park) PERE Marquette State Park is located in western Illinois, near the junction of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. The park is named for a Jesuit priest, PÈRE (Father) Jacques Marquette (1637-1675).
- CLASS (31D: “While there is a lower ___, I am in it, while there is a criminal element, I am for it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free” (Eugene V. Debs quote)) Eugene V. Debs (1855-1926) was one of the founding members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), an international labor union founded in Chicago in 1905. Eugene V. Debs ran for President of the United States five times, as a candidate of the Socialist Party of America (of which he was also a founding member). The quote in the clue is part of a statement Eugene V. Debs made to the court when he was convicted of violating the sedition act for making a speech denouncing U.S. participation in World War I: “Your Honor, years ago I recognized my kinship with all living beings, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on earth. I said then, and I say now, that while there is a lower CLASS, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.”
Random Thoughts & Interesting Things
- TONAL (5A: Like the Yoruba language) In TONAL languages, various tones are used to distinguish the meaning of words. A single word may be said with different tones, and each tone will change the meaning of the word. The Yoruba language is spoken in West Africa, particularly in southwestern and central Nigeria.
- CHE (10A: ___ Diaz (character in “And Just Like That…”)) And Just Like That… is the revival and sequel of Sex and the City (1998-2004). CHE Diaz, portrayed by Sara Ramirez, was a character in the first two seasons of And Just Like That. CHE Diaz, a non-binary comedian who hosts a sex and relationship podcast, was introduced as a new character in And Just Like That.
- SEA ANEMONE (13A: Marine invertebrate with a foot) SEA ANEMONEs are colorful marine invertebrates that attach themselves to a base (rocks, coral, shells, concrete) with their foot. As invertebrates, SEA ANEMONES lack skeletons. SEA ANEMONES also lack brains. Fun fact: A SEA ANEMONE’s mouth also functions as its anus.
- ODE (18A: “___ to the Midwest” (Kevin Young poem)) Kevin Young is a poet and the director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. You can read Kevin Young’s poem, “ODE to the Midwest” on the Poetry Foundation website. If you have any Midwest connection, I recommend taking a moment to read it; I certainly found myself relating to some of Kevin Young’s words.
- SUN RA (20A: Afrofuturist jazz composer who claimed he was from Saturn) SUN RA (1914-1993) was a jazz composer and bandleader known for his experimental and avant-garde music and theatrical performances. SUN RA led the Arkestra, an ensemble with an ever-changing line-up, which gave performances sometimes featuring dancers and musicians in elaborate, futuristic costumes. SUN RA claimed to be an alien from Saturn, with a mission on Earth to promote peace. In 1974, he released an Afrofuturist sci-fi film titled Space is the Place, in which he landed a spaceship in Oakland, California and recruited Black youth to move to a new planet. As Kara mentioned in her constructor’s note, SUN RA spent time at the University of California, Berkeley in 1971 as artist-in-residence.
- MAE (27A: The Perks of Being a Wallflower” actress Whitman) MAE Whitman plays the role of Mary Elizabeth in the 2021 coming-of-age movie The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The movie is based on Stephen Chbosky’s 1999 book of the same name.
- GLEN (32A: “Anyone but You” actor Powell) Anyone but You is a 2023 rom-com loosely based on William Shakespeare’s play Much Ado About Nothing. Sydney Sweeney and GLEN Powell star as two people whose interactions are plagued with misunderstandings.
- OMEGA (6D: Greek letter after psi) Psi is the penultimate letter of the Greek alphabet, which means it’s followed by the 24-letter alphabet’s final letter, OMEGA.
- ETNA (12D: Sicilian volcano) Mount ETNA (also referred to simply as ETNA) is an active volcano on the island of Sicily, Italy. ETNA featured in the theme of the puzzle two days ago.
- HULLABALOO (23D: Commotion) HULLABALOO is a fun word!
- EAST (26D: Namibia-to-Botswana direction) Namibia and Botswana are countries in southern Africa. Namibia is located on the west coast of Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Located EAST of Namibia, Botswana is a landlocked country. The capital of Namibia is Windhoek, and the capital of Botswana is Gaborone.
Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis
“TOTALLY SAW THAT COMING!” (Freestyle): There’s no theme today, as this is a freestyle, or themeless, puzzle. The title is a nod to NO SURPRISE THERE (7D: “That was predictable.”
I enjoyed the long conversational phrases in today’s puzzle. “NO SURPRISE THERE,” is a great grid-spanner hinted at by the title. I also enjoyed “THE THING IS…” (51A: “About that…”), “SURE ENOUGH…” (54A: “Just as I thought…”), and “COUNT ME OUT!” (10D: “I’m not gonna be a part of this!”). Congratulations to Kyra Goudsmit, making a USA TODAY crossword debut, as well as her overall crossword debut! In the process of corresponding about this puzzle, editor Jared Goudsmit and I discovered we both have sisters named Kyra – what a fun coincidence. Thank you, Kyra, for this delightful puzzle.
