Crossword Conundrum: Sally Decodes USA TODAY’s Daily Puzzle Challenge

Spoilers are coming up. Proceed with caution if you haven't solved it yet. today's puzzle before reading further! Put That Down

Constructor: Robbie Cottom

Editor: Anna Gundlach

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What I Gained From Today's Challenge

I knew about the term "hat trick" being applied in ice hockey when a player scores three times in one match. Now, I've discovered that "hat trick" carries over into soccer—football—to denote achieving three goals within a single game. The specific variant known as a "perfect hat trick," however, adds an intriguing twist; it involves scoring those three goals using different methods—one strike with each foot followed by heading one in. This new tidbit enhances my understanding of sporting terms acquired through solving crossword puzzles.
TASTE (32D: 2024 Sabrina Carpenter I know the artist Sabrina Carpenter, but required cross-referencing responses to uncover additional information about her. "TASTE" As the title of her 2024 chart-topping single, this track is featured on Sabrina Carpenter's sixth studio LP. Short n' Sweet .
PODS (51D: This term refers to where dating occurs in the television series "Love is Blind.") It sets up the scenario for the reality TV show. Love Is Blind Is it that the participants go on dates and then get engaged, all without ever meeting face-to-face? The dates occur within custom-made PODs where individuals can converse via speakers, yet they can only view one another through a blue translucent partition that obscures details.

Thoughts at Random & Fascinating Matters

ADIDAS (1A: Rival of Nike) and AVIA (37A: Competitor to Nike) This is a neat parallel in the clues.
DISLIKED IT (13A: "No stars at all!") and RANK (15A: High-ranking military official) I enjoyed how we moved from no stars to a high rank within the same row of the crossword.
OZONE (24A: A gas found in an atmospheric layer) The OZONE layer constitutes a segment of the Earth’s stratosphere. This layer plays a crucial role as it blocks much of the Sun’s ultraviolet rays, preventing potential harm to flora and fauna caused by these radiations.
BATMAN (36A: The Caped Crusader) The Dark Knight is a moniker for the DC Comics superhero BATMAN. This appellation made its debut in the comic book BATMAN #1 in 1940.
DOMINO'S (61A: A fast-food establishment known for its pizza tracking system) Introduced the Pizza Tracker back in 2008, this service enables clients to monitor the progress of their orders instantly through an application.
(67A: This could have a full Windsor knot) A full Windsor – distinguished by using the term “full” as opposed to a half-Windsor – can be employed for tying a necktie. Named after the Duke of Windsor, this particular type of knot has often been wrongly attributed to him regarding its creation.
DANE (2D: Resident of Copenhagen) Copenhagen serves as both the capital and the most populated city in Denmark, thus identifying its inhabitants as DANEs.
The 2010 film "Death at a Funeral," a black comedy featuring Chris Rock in a 4D presentation. DEATH AT A FUNERAL is a remake of a film released in 2007 with the same title. Given the name, one can imagine what unfolds: the story takes place at a family FUNERAL. However, things do not proceed as expected during this event...
Sissy (from the film "3 Women," starring Spacek) released in 1977 3 Women Stars Sissy Spacek, Shelley Duvall, and Janice Rule. This psychological thriller delves into the dynamics among the main characters. The film originates from a dream experienced by Robert Altman, who both produced and directed it as well as penned the screenplay.
ERIE (10D: The lake near Cleveland) Cleveland, Ohio stands as the biggest city on Lake Erie. This marks the initial mention of Lake Erie this month and its fifth occurrence this year.
Keri (53D: Actress from "The Diplomat" Russell) The Diplomat is a Netflix television series that debuted in 2023 and is launching its third season this year. Keri Russell plays the role of Kate Wyler, who serves as the U.S. ambassador to the U.K.
ABE (60D: Sixteenth prez) refers to Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), who served as the 16th president of the United States. The abbreviation "prez" for president within the hint signals solvers that they should look for an abbreviated version of his name, which is ABE.

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

DEATH AT A FUNERAL (4D: Black comedy from 2010 featuring Chris Rock)
IDEAL HAT TRICK (9D: A soccer phrase indicating goals scored using the right foot, left foot, and head during the same match)
IT'S WORTH A SHOT (20D: "What do we stand to lose?")

SET THAT aside: In every vertical puzzle solution, THE word THAT moves downward within the sequence: DEAصند TH AT A FUNERAL, PERFEC T HAT TRICK, and WOR TH A T RY.

This is a classic USA TODAY The theme category made it easy for me to anticipate the content from the outset. There’s nothing wrong with that; in fact, it’s quite good. The puzzle includes an excellent selection of thematic solutions. Feeling particularly clever upon confirming my suspicions about the theme reinforced this positive impression. Kudos go out to Robbie Cottom for crafting such a well-themed challenge. USA TODAY Crossword launch! Thanks, Robbie, for making this puzzle so delightful.