Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, I Won't Stand For It! (2024)

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

Constructors: Renee Thomason & Zhouqin Burnikel

Editor: Jared Goudsmit

Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, I Won't Stand For It! (1)

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

  • DOJO (5A: Karateka's place) A DŌJŌ is a place for experiential learning. A karateka is one who practices karate. As with other martial arts, training for karate happens in a DŌJŌ.
  • INCA (14A: Worshipper of Mama Sara) In INCA mythology, Mama Sara was the goddess of grain. She was also associated with willow trees.
  • BEN (20A: Actor Whishaw) BEN Whishaw is an actor whose name I didn't recognize, but whose face was familiar to me when I looked him up. The British actor has an extensive list of acting credits on stage and in movies and TV shows. I recognize him from the role of Michael Banks in the movie Mary Poppins Returns (2018). BEN Whishaw also voiced the character of Paddington Bear in the movies Paddington (2014), Paddington 2 (2017), and Paddington in Peru (expected release date November 8, 2024).
  • ANT EGG (45A: Insect pupa in gaeng khai moht) Gaeng khai moht is a dish in Lao cuisine that is also known as ANT EGG soup. The main ingredient in the soup, as the name suggests, is ANT EGGs. The ANT EGGs used in the soup are from the weaver ant species, which construct their nests on the undersides of the branches of mango trees and coconut palms. I have previously written about ANT EGG soup, but today I learned a new name for it.
  • JOHN (7D: "They Cloned Tyrone" actor Boyega) They Cloned Tyrone is a 2023 movie directed by Juel Taylor. The sci-fi comedy movie stars JOHN Boyega as Fontaine (a drug dealer), Teyonah Harris as Yo-Yo (a sex worker), and Jamie Fox as Slick (one of Fontaine's customers). Together, Fontaine, Yo-Yo, and Slick stumble upon a secret operation that is cloning Black people.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

  • TEEN (21A: Katniss Everdeen, age-wise) Katniss Everdeen is the TEEN protagonist of The Hunger Games trilogy written by Suzanne Collins. Katniss, who is 16 years old at the beginning of the series, competes in the Hunger Games after volunteering to take the place of her younger sister. Jennifer Lawrence played the role of Katniss Everdeen in the movie adaptation of the books.
  • ODE (25A: "___ to Browsing the Web" (Marcus Wicker poem)) You can read Marcus Wicker's poem, "ODE to Browsing the Web," on the Poetry Foundation website. ODE is a word we see frequently in crosswords due to its length and crossword-friendly letters. I enjoy when ODE is clued as it is today, in a way that introduces me to a new poet and/or poem.
  • CECE (34A: Singer Peniston) CECE Peniston has had five number one hits on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, including her signature song, "Finally" (1991).
  • AARP (35A: Org. for people 50 and older) My favorite fun fact about AARP is that, although it promotes itself as a 50+ organization, and advocates for those in that age range, AARP does not have a minimum age requirement for membership.
  • SOAPY (36A: Like a bubble bath) I had "sudsy" here at first, but crossing answers soon set me on the SOAPY path.
  • UFO (51A: "Resident Alien" spacecraft) Resident Alien is a TV series that premiered on the Syfy network in 2021. The show is based on a comic book of the same name. Alan Tudyk portrays the title character, whose UFO crash-landed in Patience, Colorado.
  • ERIC (57A: Disney prince who sings "Wild Uncharted Waters") "Wild Uncharted Waters" is a song that Lin Manuel Miranda wrote for Prince ERIC to sing in Disney's 2023 live action adaptation of the 1989 animated movie The Little Mermaid.
  • ONE (8D: Second number in the Fibonacci sequence) The Fibonacci sequence is a sequence of numbers in which each number is the sum of the two numbers that precede it. The sequence begins with the numbers zero and ONE. The third number in the Fibonacci sequence is also ONE, as zero plus ONE equals ONE.
  • TLDR (10D: Letters before a summary) TL;DR = too long; didn't read
  • PETSAT (42D: Cared for a neighbor's iguana, say) I enjoyed the choice of iguana for this clue. Fun to see a PET other than the standard cat and dog mentioned. My husband and I once PETSAT for a friend's PET snake. My cat, Willow, is not happy with me for applauding the choice of iguana in this clue.
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, I Won't Stand For It! (2)
  • RENE (48D: "Tin Cup":" actress Russo) Tin Cup is a 1996 sports-themed romcom starring RENE Russo and Kevin Costner. The film is set in the world of golf, and Kevin Costner's character ("Tin Cup") is a former golf prodigy attempting to make a comeback. RENE Russo's character (Dr. Molly Griswald) is a clinical psychologist, who offers to become Tin Cup's sports psychologist in return for golf lessons.
  • OTTO (52D: "A Man Called ___" (2022 Tom Hanks film)) A Man Called OTTO is a remake of a 2015 Swedish movie titled A Man Called Ove. Tom Hanks portrays the film's title character.
  • A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
    • LIST (1A: Something Santa or a shopper might check)
    • SCAM (26A: Email from an heirless prince, probably)
    • LET ME GUESS (29D: "Wait, don't say the answer yet!")
    • HEE (54D: "___-haw!" ("I'm a donkey!")

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

This is a freestyle, or themeless puzzle, so there's no theme today. The title, I WON'T STAND FOR IT!, is a nod to PLEASE HAVE A SEAT (53A: Polite "Wait here").

When I solve a freestyle puzzle, I'm on the lookout for the answer that inspired the title. Unlike themed puzzles, where the title is a hint to the theme, the title of freestyle puzzles are generally inspired by one (or more) of the puzzle's answers, or its general vibe. I chuckled when I filled in PLEASE HAVE A SEAT, and realized it was likely the inspiration for I WON'T STAND FOR IT. Thank you, Renee and Zhouqin, for this enjoyable puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles

Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, I Won't Stand For It! (2024)

FAQs

What is the hardest day for crossword puzzle clue? ›

The puzzle is created by various freelance constructors and has been edited by Will Shortz since 1993. The crosswords are designed to increase in difficulty throughout the week, with the easiest on Monday and the most difficult on Saturday.

What is the world's longest crossword puzzle? ›

Holding The Guinness World Records record for its size, this crossword hangs on a full 7' by 7' of wall space and has 28,000 clues for over 91,000 squares. It's a challenge that can take months, even up to a year, to complete.

What is the word for a crossword puzzle solver? ›

Cruciverbalist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cruciverbalist.

Who is the famous crossword puzzle maker? ›

William F. Shortz (born August 26, 1952) is an American puzzle creator and editor who is the crossword editor for The New York Times. He graduated from Indiana University with a degree in the invented field of enigmatology.

Is it good to do crossword puzzles before bed? ›

They make it easier to unwind

Although it is tempting to unwind by watching the television or by reading on a tablet, the body should avoid screen time before bed. Puzzles provide a much better opportunity to relax, making it easier to fall asleep and properly switch off.

What is the world record for crossword puzzles? ›

Roger F Squires of Ironbridge in Telford, Shropshire, UK, has compiled and had published at least 77,854 crosswords as of 1 February 2015, equivalent to 2.34 million clues.

Are crossword puzzles good for aging brain? ›

They perform better on reasoning, attention, and memory tasks. The study also showed that seniors who often complete crosswords and other word-based puzzles have a brain function equivalent to that of a person ten years younger.

What is the most popular crossword in the world? ›

The Times Crossword has been baffling, infuriating, challenging and delighting its devotees for close on 75 years. Over this period of time it has become, quite deservedly, the world's most famous crossword. It is, quite simply, The Times Crossword.

What is the most common crossword word? ›

What Are the Most Common Crossword Clue Answers?
  • ERR.
  • ERIE.
  • ODE.
  • ALA.
  • ALOE.
  • RE.
  • ACE.
  • ADO EEL (tie)
May 22, 2024

What type of person likes crossword puzzles? ›

The common theme is a desire to be intellectually challenged. Roughly, people who are more into words are more likely to solve crosswords while people who are more into logic are more likely to solve Sudoku.

What do British people call crossword puzzles? ›

Particularly in the UK, a distinction may be made between cryptics and quick (i.e. standard) crosswords, and sometimes two sets of clues are given for a single puzzle grid.

What type of intelligence is crossword puzzles? ›

Linguistic Intelligence

Young adults with this kind of intelligence enjoy writing, reading, telling stories or doing crossword puzzles.

Can you get paid for making crossword puzzles? ›

How much does a Crossword Puzzle Maker make? As of Aug 16, 2024, the average hourly pay for a Crossword Puzzle Maker in the United States is $16.56 an hour.

What is the fastest crossword puzzle time? ›

For a Monday puzzle in The New York Times, his fastest time by computer was 1 minute, 22 seconds. Paper takes longer, 1 minute 58 seconds, maybe 59.

Who has the best crossword puzzles? ›

Renowned for its sophistication and wordplay, The New York Times Crossword is arguably the gold standard in the world of puzzles.

Does the nyt crossword get harder as the week goes on? ›

The Monday crosswords are the easiest, and the puzzles get harder as the week goes on. Practice on the Mondays before pushing yourself to Tuesday puzzles.

What is the difficulty of days in the nyt crossword? ›

The goal is to fill the white squares with letters, forming words or phrases that cross each other, by solving clues in the Across and Down columns which lead to the answers. The New York Times Crossword increases in difficulty from Monday to Saturday.

Does connection get harder as the week goes on? ›

As you go, Connections should get easier. Once you've grouped one category, you have fewer words to choose from for the remaining three, and so on and so forth, until the game is over and you've won.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Allyn Kozey

Last Updated:

Views: 5471

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (43 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Allyn Kozey

Birthday: 1993-12-21

Address: Suite 454 40343 Larson Union, Port Melia, TX 16164

Phone: +2456904400762

Job: Investor Administrator

Hobby: Sketching, Puzzles, Pet, Mountaineering, Skydiving, Dowsing, Sports

Introduction: My name is Allyn Kozey, I am a outstanding, colorful, adventurous, encouraging, zealous, tender, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.