There are spoilers ahead. Before you read on, you might want to try solving today’s puzzle. pour wine
Constructor: David Steinberg
Editor: Amanda Lufkin
What I learned from today’s puzzle
Spain (10D: European country whose national anthem “Marcha Real” does not have official lyrics) “Marcha Real” (translated as “The Royal Procession”) has been the national anthem of Spain since September 3, 1770 . There are no official lyrics, but lyrics are sometimes written. Spain is one of only four countries with a national anthem without lyrics. The remaining three are Bosnia and Herzegovina, San Marino and Kosovo.
Random thoughts and interesting things
PAWED (5A: Felt with furry paws) My cat, Willow, believes it’s important to take a nap after PAWED on something. However, it is important to keep your front legs out just in case.
Peso (16A: Chile’s currency) Chile is a country located on the west coast of southern South America. Chile is a narrow country located between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. The capital of Chile is Santiago and the currency is the Chilean peso. X-MEN (39A: Wolverine’s Superhero Team) The X-Men are a team of superheroes appearing in Marvel comics, television shows, movies, and video games. The X-Men are humans born with the X gene, a genetic mutation that gives them superhuman abilities. The X-Men comics first appeared in 1963. Wolverine was introduced in 1975. He has animalistic senses, regenerative healing powers, and metal claws. Wolverine is portrayed by Hugh Jackman and Troye Sivan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. SEEDY (42A: Like All Bagels) My reaction to this clue went from “I have no idea…” to “Oh, that makes perfect sense.” ” All bagels are questionable because they have sesame seeds and poppy seeds on them. SMOG (46A: Pollution in Los Angeles) Due to Southern California’s geography and reliance on automobiles, Los Angeles, California has a SMOG season that runs from approximately May to October. Of course, the pollution over Los Angeles these days is due to wildfire smoke. This puzzle was likely written several months ago, before the current wildfires in Los Angeles began. I continue to remember the many, many people affected by the Los Angeles wildfires. If you are in a position to help, look for ways to do so. ONES (63A: banknotes equivalent to gold dollars) Golden dollars were first minted in 2000. The gold color of the coin is due to the manganese brass coating. . The coin is sometimes called the Sacagawea dollar because the first dollar minted featured Sacagawea and her young son. Since 2009, the design has changed annually to represent an aspect of Native American culture. These coins have never been popular as ONES replacements and are mostly minted for collectors. LORDS (1D: ___ House of Great Britain) The House of Commons is the upper house of the British Parliament. Membership in the House of Lords is not normally elected. Rather, members are appointed for life. The House of Lords and the House of Commons (Lower House) meet at the Palace of Westminster in England. Pacers (5D: NBA team based in Indianapolis) The Indiana Pacers play their home games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team’s mascot is Boomer, a 6-foot cat, also known as the “Pacer’s Panther.” ADELE (6D: “30” singer) 30 is ADELE’s 2021 album. Fittingly for today’s puzzle, one of the singles from the album is “I Drink Wine.” Wilma Flintstone (7D: Betty Rubble’s Best Friend) The Flintstones (1960-1966) was the first animated show to air in prime time. The show is set in a romanticized version of the Stone Age. Wilma Flintstone, her husband Fred, and their daughter Pebbles are the Flintstones in name only. Betty and Barney Rubble are their next door. Rome (29D: Capital of Italy) Rome is the capital of Italy. The clue uses Italy, the Italian name of the country, so the answer is the Italian name of Rome, ROMA.NAAN (54D: Bread with Palak Paneer) Palak Paneer is a vegetarian dish originating from India . It is made from spinach and paneer (soft cheese). Palak paneer is often served with flatbreads such as naan, roti, and paratha. Other tips I particularly enjoyed: OWIE (14A: What a Toddler Band-Aid Covers) DIBS (20A: “I Claim It!”) STEEP (52D: Like a Difficult Hill to Climb on a Bike things)
Overview of crossword puzzle themes
WIN BY A LANDSLIDE (3D: A decisive victory) WILMA FLINTSTONE (7D: Betty Rubble’s best friend) WESTERN MEDICINE (11D: Symptom-focused treatment system)
Pour the wine: The word “wine” is poured into the answers for each vertical theme: Winning the Landslide, Wilma Flintstone, Western Medicine.
As you move from left to right in the grid, more WINEs rain down on the theme answers and accumulate at the bottom. “WIN BY A LANDSLIDE” starts with just a figurative glass E at the bottom of the grid. Moving on to WILMA FLINTSTONE, we now have NE and are given INE by WESTERN MEDICINE. One more answer to the theme and you’ll have a glass of wine. In that case, the wine might be “poured” instead of “pour…”, but I enjoyed this clever theme. David, thank you for this wonderful puzzle.
One more thing: The POURING WINE theme is the perfect opportunity to remind you that we have a wine club at USA TODAY. You can also sign up for bimonthly or quarterly shipping, or purchase a case of wine without committing to a membership.