Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's crossword, I Just Can't Explain It (Freestyle)

There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! I Just Can't Explain It (Freestyle)

Constructor: Carolyn Davies Lynch

Editor: Jared Goudsmit

Comments from Today’s Crossword Constructor

Carolyn: Hi, solvers! I really hope you enjoyed this puzzle. It’s actually v12, as I had 11 versions of the same puzzle before it that just didn’t quite work. These included:

• A version that I loved…until I noticed that it included the word “YOU” crossing itself (as part of both YOU HAD TO BE THERE and YOU DO) – which is just too duplicative for one little spot of the puzzle, don’t you think?
• Another version I was digging…until I noticed that it had both ME DAY and PAYDAYS…and also both CLASS ACT and ACT. So many accidental duplicates along the way in this one! Fixing those required changing quite a bit around again.
• A version that I finally liked enough to submit to the USA Today editors for consideration, and which they liked overall – though they had a few suggestions, such as changing PLANT-BASED MILKS to PLANT-BASED DIETS.
• A version where I addressed their feedback, but accidentally then ended up with a few words that crossed each other in ways that could have been tricky for solvers – such as LHASA crossing TLDR. Those are both things that you either know or you don’t…so while either entry would have been ok on its own, it just seemed too difficult to have them cross each other. I reworked that corner, and even added an extra black square as I looked for a better way to fill it – ending up with FRYER crossing FDR instead.

I’ll stop here, but as you can imagine, there were a number of other issues like this along the way as well! Just figured I’d give you a little insight into how the sausage was made here…the many drafts a puzzle goes through before it’s ready for prime time. I have a different puzzle that’s on v73 and counting, by the way…maybe you’ll get to solve that one someday, too! 😊

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• WYATT (31D: Civil rights activist Addie) Addie WYATT (1924-2012) was a civil rights activist as well as a leader in the United States Labor movement. She was one of 12 women named as Time magazine's Women of the Year in 1975, chosen for "speaking out effectively against sexual and racial discrimination in hiring, promotion and pay."
• BONNAROO (39D: Tennessee music festival) The BONNAROO Music and Arts Festival occurs over four days in June in Manchester, Tennessee. This year's BONNAROO dates are June 13-16. This year's performers include Post Malone, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Megan Thee Stallion, Jason Isabell, and many more.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• PLANT-BASED DIETS (16A: Eating plans with lots of fruits, veggies, etc.) This week is the beginning of my summer CSA (community-supported agriculture), a weekly share of vegetables grown by "my farmer, Farmer Kate" I do realize she's not only my farmer, but it brings me tremendous joy to know the person growing my food. I never know exactly what vegetables will be in the week's share, as it varies depending on the growing season and how particular crops are faring. Participating in a CSA is a fabulous help in meeting my goal of eating a mainly PLANT-BASED DIET.
• EURO (20A: Currency in Cyprus) Cyprus is an island country in the Mediterranean. Its capital is Nicosia. Cyprus joined the European Union (EU) in 2004, and in 2008 it became part of the eurozone, 20 EU member states that have adopted the EURO as their currency.
• PLANET EARTH (27A: BBC nature documentary series) PLANET EARTH is a BBC documentary franchise. The PLANET EARTH documentaries are narrated by David Attenborough. The episodes look at various biomes and habitats on Earth, highlighting the creatures that live in those areas.
• EST (35A: Winter hrs. in Ottawa) Ottawa is the capital of Canada. It is located in the southern part of the province of Ontario, and is in the eastern time zone. In winter, Ottawa observes Eastern Standard Time (EST).
• MCCOY (36A: The real ___ (genuine thing)) The phrase "the real MCCOY" has been used since the late 1800s to indicate that something or someone is genuine. The origin of the phrase is unknown, though there are multiple theories about its etymology.
• YOU HAD TO BE THERE (37A: "The joke was hilarious, but it's hard to retell") This is a fabulous grid-spanner. It reminds me that when I was in high school my friends and I would say, "It was a location joke ... YOU HAD TO BE THERE."
• EDY'S (43A: Ice cream brand aka Dreyer's) William Dreyer and Joseph EDY founded Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, Inc. in 1928. The company has two signature brands: Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream - sold in the Western United States and Texas, and EDY'S Grand Ice Cream, sold in the Eastern and Midwestern United States.
• REQUIRED READING (59A: Literature assigned in school) This entry had me thinking about all the REQUIRED READING I've done in my life. Some of it I truly enjoyed, such as George Orwell's Animal Farm. Some of it wasn't necessarily enjoyable, but I'm glad I read it and have never forgotten it, such as Shirley Jackson's short story, "The Lottery." And some REQUIRED READING I may not have actually done... (Here's looking at you All Quiet on the Western Front.)
• ISSA (65A: "Vengeance" actress Rae) The 2022 movie Vengeance is B. J. Novak's directorial debut. B. J. Novak stars in the movie along with ISSA Rae, Boyd Holbrook, Dove Cameron, and Ashton Kutcher. The movie centers on a New York City journalist who travels to Texas to attend a funeral of an acquaintance, and gets talked into looking into her death.
• SANTA (4D: ___ Monica, California) SANTA Monica is a beachfront city near Los Angeles, California. It's situated on SANTA Monica Bay, and its favorable climate has made SANTA Monica a popular resort destination.
• ABBI (5D: "A League of Their Own" co-creator Jacobson) A League of Their Own is a 2022 TV series adapted from the 1992 movie of the same name. ABBI Jacobson co-created the show with Will Graham. She stars in the series as catcher Carson Shaw.
• FDR (15D: Social Security prez) The New Deal was a series of programs and regulations enacted between 1933 and 1939, when Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) was president. These programs included the establishment of Social Security. The shortened version of president in the clue is a signal that the answer will be an abbreviation.
• DUET (18D: Song such as "What Is This Feeling?") "What Is This Feeling?" is a DUET from the 2003 musical Wicked. It was originally sung by Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth in their respective roles as Elphaba and Glinda. I can almost sing this song from memory (as I've seen Wicked a few times...). "What is this feeling, so sudden, and new? / I felt the moment I laid eyes on you ... does it have a name? / Yes. Loathing! / Unadulterated loathing." Thanks for the earworm, puzzle.
• ANTONIO (23D: Banderas who voiced Puss in Boots) ANTONIO Banderas voiced the character of Puss in Boots for the movies in the Shrek franchise.
• ATE (38D: Had some lomo saltado) Lomo saltado is a traditional Peruvian stir fry dish that combines beef, onions, tomatoes, french fries, and other ingredients, and is served with rice. The dish blends Peruvian and Asian cultures with its use of both potatoes and rice as starches. 
• SEGA (47D: Sonic Blast video game publisher) Sonic Blast is a video game produced by SEGA in the 1990s. The game is part of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

There's no theme today, as this is a freestyle, or themeless, puzzle. The title, I JUST CAN'T EXPLAIN IT, is a nod to YOU HAD TO BE THERE (37A: "The joke was hilarious, but it's hard to retell").

All three grid-spanners in this freestyle puzzle are excellent, making for a delightful solve. In addition to the answers I've highlighted above, I also enjoyed SNEEZE, WHOO, OMBRE, and DEAD LAST. Thank you, Carolyn, for this excellent puzzle.

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