There are spoilers ahead. Before you read on, you might want to try solving today’s puzzle. sing in the rain
Constructor: Matthew Stock
Editor: Amanda Lufkin
What I learned from today’s puzzle
Goodwin (15A: American writer Jane ___ Austen) Jane Goodwin Austen (1831-1894) was the author of 24 novels and numerous short stories. Among her most popular works are historical novels about the Pilgrims who settled in Plymouth in the 1600s. Jane Goodwin Austen researched her books, but also added fictional and mythical details. Scholars have shown that some common myths about the Pilgrims originate from the writings of Jane Goodwin Austen. In some sources, Jane Goodwin Austen is referred to as “Jane G. Austen with an I” to distinguish her from the British writer Jane Austen (1775-1817). I saw it. HARRY’S (13D: Shaving Products Brand) HARRY’S sells shaving supplies and men’s personal care products, and is known for its subscription services. The company was founded in 2012 by Andy Katz-Mayfield and Jeff Raider. EL PASO (32D: City in Texas, home of Isleta del Sur Pueblo) Isleta del Sur Pueblo is a Native American tribe and sovereign nation located in El Paso, Texas. The people of Isleta del Sur Pueblo and their language are called Tigua. Isleta del Sur Pueblo is one of three federally recognized tribes in Texas. The other two are the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas (located in Polk County in east-central Texas) and the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas (located on the Rio Grande River on the U.S.-Mexico border).
Random thoughts and interesting things
ANI (17A: Jewelry Brand Alex and ___) Carolyn Rafaelian is the founder of Alex and ANI. She named her jewelry brand after her daughters. Rihanna (18A: the singer of the 2007 No. 1 hit 54-Across) and Umbrella (54A: the 18-Across song drawn in the black squares of this puzzle) “UMBRELLA” is Rihanna’s opening track. Third studio album “Good Girl Gone Bad”. The song, featuring Jay-Z, was a worldwide hit, reaching number one on charts in 19 countries. The music video for “UMBRELLA” won Video of the Year and Monster Single of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards. “Now it’s raining more than ever… You can stand under my umbrella, Ella, Ella, eh, eh, eh…” Laos (36A: country west of Vietnam) ) Laos is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia. In addition to Vietnam, LAOS shares borders with Thailand, Myanmar, China, and Cambodia. The capital of LAOS is Vientiane. PROTEST (39A: Participate in a sit-in or strike) I like this tip’s contrast between a “sit-in” and a “strike,” which are both effective means of protest depending on the situation. I also appreciate seeing the word PROTEST in the grid to remind me of the importance of taking action on important issues. PHD (47A: Degree obtained after thesis defense (abbreviation)) I have a PHD and I remembered this clue. This year marks the 30th anniversary of my doctoral thesis defense. (How is that possible?!) When I was in grad school and facing a thesis defense, someone said to me: Because by the time you get to that point in your PhD, you know a lot more about the subject. Understand your paper better than anyone else. You have become an expert in this specialized topic. I found that to be true, and I’m still glad that my dissertation defense is now a distant memory. SOS (48A: 18-Across song with the refrain “Please, someone help me”) Rihanna is one of the many artists who have a song titled “. “SOS” or “SOS” Rihanna’s “SOS” was released in 2006 and appears on her second studio album, “A Girl Like Me.” The song was Rihanna’s first number one single on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Alabama (1D: First state alphabetically) Alabama has appeared in consecutive crosswords. We saw it yesterday as a clue (Laverne Cox’s home state). NOIR (5D: French opposite of “Blanc”) “Blanc” means “white” in French and “Noir” means “black” in French. Batiste (21D: “Beethoven Blues” Musician John) Beethoven Blues is Jon Batiste’s latest album released in November 2024. Jon Batiste recorded this album of piano music in one and a half days at his home in Brooklyn, New York. It includes Batiste’s improvisations on Beethoven’s classics such as “Für Elise,” as well as Batiste’s original compositions inspired by Beethoven. Mario Kart (33D: A racing game series with green shells, spiny shells, and bananas) In the Mario Kart game-in-video, players compete in go-kart races. Green shells, spiny shells, and bananas are items that players can utilize in a variety of ways for offensive or defensive purposes. Encore (40D: Bonus song where the artist returns to the stage) This feels like a bonus to today’s RIHANNA-themed puzzle. . Perhaps today’s main performance will be “UMBRELLA” and the encore will be “SOS”, or vice versa. And I realized that “steno” is also a good anagram of “notes” (as in written notes).
Overview of crossword puzzle themes
Rihanna (18A: singer of 2007’s No. 1 hit 54-Across) SOS (48A: 18-Across song with the refrain “Someone please help me”) UMBRELLA (depicted by the black square in this puzzle 54A: 18 -Across song)
Singin’ in the Rain: This is a Rihanna-themed puzzle complete with grid art umbrella.
Grid art is fun because it draws you into the puzzle before you even start solving it. And since the grid art for UMBRELLA matched perfectly with the title of SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, I knew right away that this puzzle was going to be fun. We know that good grid art is difficult from a constructor’s perspective, but it’s also rewarding when you get it right, as it’s doing so well right now. Matthew, thank you for this fun puzzle.