Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!

There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Hi Hi!

Constructor:Brian Callahan

Editor:Anna Gundlach

Comments from Today’s Crossword Constructor

Brian:An enthusiastic “Hi hi!” and thank you for solving my puzzle! I’m thrilled to be making my USA Today debut with this grid and this particular theme set. Apologies to WASHING MACHINE and CHINESE HIBISCUS for not making the cut. If you’re still in the market for a last minute holiday gift idea, an AVCX subscription is always a crowd pleaser.

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• SONG (31A: Sufjan Stevens composition) Sufjan Stevens is a singer and songwriter. He plays a number of instruments, and often plays multiple instruments himself for his recordings. His music style has been described as indie folk, chamber pop, folktronica, and electronica. "Chicago," a SONG from his 2005 album Illinois, is semi-autobiographical, telling the story of a young man on a road trip.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• CAROL (1A: Sing door-to-door in December) I enjoyed this timely clue for CAROL.
• BORN (6A: "___ This Way" (Lady Gaga album) BORN This Way, released in 2011, was Lady Gaga's second studio album. The album's title track – "BORN This Way" – became the fastest selling single in iTunes history. Remember iTunes? One of the album's tracks, "Bloody Mary," was released as a single in 2022, eleven years after the album was recorded. This single release was spurred by the SONG going viral on TikTok. Fans of the TV series Wednesdaybegan posting videos of themselves dancing to "Bloody Mary" in the style of the show's title character.
• ALEVE (13A: Tylenol alternative) Tylenol is a brand name for acetaminophen, and ALEVE is a brand name for naproxen. Both of these drugs are over-the-counter (OTC) meds used for pain relief.
• LIAM (18A: "The Hunger Games" actor Hemsworth) The Hunger Gamesis a media franchise based on the dystopian novels written by Suzanne Collins. The protagonist of The Hunger Gamesis Katniss Everdeen, portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence. LIAM Hemsworth plays the role of Gale Hawthorne, Katniss' best friend.
• THIRTYSOMETHING (20A: Like someone nearish to middle age) I have not been THIRTYSOMETHING for quite some time, but nonetheless, I enjoyed uncovering this answer. As I filled it in, I briefly wondered why it had been clued in a general way instead of referencing the TV series THIRTYSOMETHING.Then I realized it has been THIRTYSOMETHING years since THIRTYSOMETHINGwas on the air. (It has taken me quite some time to accept that the 1980s were, in fact, more than 20 years ago.) Anyway, this answer did allow me to reminisce about THIRTYSOMETHING, which aired for four seasons on ABC from 1987-1991. My husband and I were fans of the show, and it has been a long-standing joke that the reason we became a TV-free household was because it went off the air, and other than Jeopardy!it was the only thing we watched on a regular basis.
• IAN (24A: "X-Men" actor McKellen) The X-Men are a team of superheroes appearing in Marvel comic books, TV shows, films, and video games. X-Men are humans born with the X-gene, a genetic mutation that confers superhuman abilities. In the X-Men movies, IAN McKellen portrays Magneto, who has the ability to create and control magnetic fields.
• GOTHIC FASHION (34A: Style that might include black lipstick and black clothes) Goth is a subculture that arose among fans of GOTHIC rock. It has also been influenced by 19th century GOTHIC fiction and horror movies. GOTHIC FASHION, a style adopted by some in the subculture, is known for its abundance of black – black hair, black clothing, and black makeup. GOTHIC FASHION is generally not my style (I recently realized that I don't even own a black shirt or dress...). However, this answer reminds me of the one occasion I did dress in GOTHIC FASHION. Many years ago, some friends of ours hosted a Mardi Gras-themed murder mystery dinner party. The character I was assigned for the evening was Gothika, an eccentric novelist whose style was GOTHIC FASHION. There are photos, but I'm not going to share them with you!
• STU (45A: Tommy's dad on "Rugrats") Never having watched Rugrats, this is information I have learned from solving crosswords.
• SHIRLEY CHISHOLM (51A: First Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress) SHIRLEY CHISHOLM (1924-2005) represented New York's 12th district in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1983. As the clue informs us, she was the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress. SHIRLEY CHISHOLM was also the first Black woman to campaign for the Democratic Party presidential nomination, which she did in 1972. She was known for her stands against economic, social, and political injustice, as well as her support of civil rights and women's rights.
• ADAM (58A: "Severance" actor Scott) Severance is a TV series that premiered in February of 2022. ADAM Scott plays the role of Mark Scout, one of the workers at Lumon Industries who agrees to a "severance" procedure that separates work memories from non-work memories.
• MRS (60A: ___ Met (baseball mascot)) MRS. Met, a woman with a baseball for a head, is one of the official mascots of MLB's New York Mets. When the mascot was first introduced in the 1960s, she was referred to as Lady Met.
• ORION (7D: Constellation with a belt) The constellation known as ORION is named for a hunter in Greek mythology. Three of the brightest stars in the constellation appear to be in a straight line, and are referred to as ORION's belt.
• MARIO BROS (11D: Arcade game that introduced Koopa Troopas) Koopa Troopas are turtle-like characters that were introduced in the 1983 video game MARIO BROS.When defeated, Koopa Troopas retreat into their shells.
• PLANTAIN (12D: Starchy fruit in mofongo) Mofongo is a dish consisting of fried PLANTAINs that are mashed with salt, garlic, broth, and olive oil, and then formed into a ball. It is traditionally served with chicken broth soup. Mofongo originated in Puerto Rico.
• SCOT (31D: Person from Aberdeen) Aberdeen is the third most populous city in Scotland, following Glasgow and Edinburgh. Aberdeen is known for its parks and gardens, and has been called the "Floral Capital of Scotland."
• GRAY HAIR (34D: Sign of aging) Excuse me, these are not GRAY HAIRs, they are strands of glitter! I started noticing GRAY HAIR before I reached the age of THIRTYSOMETHING. It has never bothered me, however, as I always say I have earned every single one. I was just wondering the other day, however, when I would need to stop describing my HAIR as brown (tinged with GRAY) and admit that I now have GRAY HAIR.
• HOW (36D: "This Is ___ We Do It" (Montell Jordan hit)) "This is HOW We Do It" is the title track from Montell Jordan's 1995 debut album. The song reached number one on Billboard's Hot 100 when it was released, and has become Montell Jordan's signature song.
• YODA (52D: Jedi originally voiced by Frank Oz) In addition to providing the voice of YODA, Frank Oz has voiced a number of Muppets, such as Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Cookie Monster, Bert, and Grover.
• A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
  • NAMETAGS (9D: Identifiers worn at conferences)
  • ROAD SIGNS (30D: STOP and DO NOT PASS, e.g.)
  • BIKE SHARE (33D: Public transportation program for two-wheelers)

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

• THIRTY SOMETHING (20A: Like someone nearish to middle age)
• GOTHIC FASHION (34A: Style that might include black lipstick and black clothes)
• SHIRLEY CHISHOLM (51A: First Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress)

HI HI!: Each theme answer contains a double dose of the word HI: THIRTY SOMETHING, GOTHIC FASHION, and SHIRLEY CHISHOLM.

What's not to like about a puzzle that greets you enthusiastically? The title's greeting of "HI HI!" perfectly tipped me off to the theme, and I enjoyed uncovering each theme answer. Congratulations to Brian Callahan making a USA TODAY crossword debut! Thank you, Brian, for this delightful puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles

• USA TODAY’s Daily Crossword Puzzles
• Sudoku & Crossword Puzzle Answers

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