Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword, Water Signs (Freestyle)

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

Constructor: Matthew Stock

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• MAYO (63A: Common topping for completos) A completo is a hot dog variation that originated in Chile. Most completos are served with the following toppings: avocado, tomato, MAYO, and sauerkraut.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

• BEST (1A: "You're the ___!") "You're the BEST!" What an encouraging way to start off the puzzle. Why, thank you, puzzle; you're pretty great yourself.
• GRAND CANAL (16A: Waterway system that connects north and south China) The GRAND CANAL is made up of a system of interconnected CANALs. The GRAND CANAL is over 1,100 miles long, starting in Beijing and ending in Zhejiang Province. It is the longest artificial waterway in the world; the oldest sections of the CANAL were constructed in the fifth century BCE. The GRAND CANAL is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• EVER (31A: "Don't ___ give up!") and WON'T (65A: "I ___ give up!") "Don't EVER give up!" "I WON'T give up!" I enjoyed the call and response of these two clues.
• CRATER (37A: Oregon's ___ Lake National Park) The centerpiece of Oregon's CRATER Lake National Park is the lake itself, which at 1,949 feet, is the deepest lake in the United States. CRATER Lake is known for its clarity and deep blue color, the result of the fact that there are no rivers flowing into or out of the lake. My husband and I visited CRATER Lake National Park in October 2022.

• ATE (42A: Enjoyed some rugelach) Rugelach is a pastry that originated in the Jewish communities of Poland. Traditional rugelach are made by rolling a triangle-shaped piece of dough around a filling that may contain raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, chocolate, marzipan, poppy seeds, or fruit preserves. The resulting pastry is shaped like a crescent.
• AUSSIES (45A: People from Melbourne or Sydney) Melbourne is the capital of Victoria, which is one of Australia's six states. Sydney is the capital of New South Wales, another Australian state.
• TUT (52A: Egyptian boy king) The pharaoh Tutankhamun is commonly referred to as King TUT. Ruling in the 1300s B.C.E., King TUT was nine years old when he assumed his reign.  The tomb of King TUT was discovered in 1922 near Thebes, Egypt.
• CONCRETE ROSE (53A: 2021 young adult novel by Angie Thomas) Angie Thomas's first published novel, The Hate U Give was published in 2017, and debuted at number one on the New York Times Best Seller list for young adult novels. The book tells the story of Starr Carter, a teenage girl, whose friend, Khalil - an unarmed Black teen - dies after being shot by a white police officer. CONCRETE ROSE, published in 2021, is a prequel to The Hate U Give, and tells the story of Starr's father.
• TANAGER (4D: Brightly colored bird) TANAGERs are the second largest family of birds. Approximately 4% of all birds are TANAGERs. Many of these small to medium-sized birds are brightly colored. Most TANAGERs live in the tropics.
• CLAY (5D: What the tennis courts at Roland-Garros are made of) The French Open, also known as Roland-Garros, is held beginning in late May at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France. It is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament currently held on a CLAY court.
• HANDS (6D: Jazz ___ (theatrical gesture)) Jazz HANDS refers to holding your hands in front of you, palms facing out and fingers splayed. Often the HANDS are waved slightly and/or the fingers are wiggled. This answer reminds me of the days when my daughter was in high school show choir. Jazz HANDS are a big thing in show choir!
• ISLAND (8D: Maui, for example) MAUI is Hawaii's second largest ISLAND (after Hawai'i).
• RACEWALK (9D: Compete quickly on foot (but without running!) A RACEWALK (also seen as RACE WALK) differs from a run in that one foot must be in contact with the ground at all times. Currently the 20 kilometer RACE WALK – both men and women's – is an event at the Summer Olympics. This year's Summer Olympics in Paris, France saw the debut of the marathon RACE WALK mixed relay. This event is the distance of a marathon (26.219 miles), and is completed by two athletes, one man and one woman, who each complete two legs of the race.
• THAI 26D: Muay ___ (martial art)) Muay THAI, sometimes referred to as THAI boxing, is a combat sport and martial art. The discipline uses techniques involving the fists, elbows, knees, and shins, earning it the nickname of the "art of eight limbs."
• CATAN (37D: Board game with a honeycomb map) The board for the game CATAN is made up of hexagonal tiles. Some tiles represent water (appropriate for this puzzle!), while other tiles represent different types of terrain. The tiles fit together in a honeycomb pattern to create a map.
• NEO-BOP (44D: Melodic jazz subgenre) In yesterday's puzzle, we saw the answer BEBOP [Jazz style with complex harmonies]. While BEBOP originated in the 1940s, NEOBOP developed in the 1980s. This jazz subgenre was influenced greatly by the music of trumpeter Wynton Marsalis.
• ERIVO (50D: "Wicked" star Cynthia) The movie Wicked (also known as Wicked Part One) is scheduled for release in November of this year. It is the first of a two-part movie adapted from the Broadway musical of the same name. (Part two is scheduled for a November 2025 release.) Cynthia ERIVO will portray Elphaba in the movie, and Arianna Grande will portray Glinda. I am looking forward to these movies!
• ENYA (56D: Bestselling Irish solo musician of all time) Just eight days ago I mentioned that "singer-songwriter Enya is the best-selling IRISH solo artist." I hope you remembered that information when you saw this clue!

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

WATER SIGNS (Freestyle): There's no theme today, as this is a freestyle, or themeless, puzzle. The title is a nod to STAY HYDRATED (19A: "Don't forget to drink water!") There are also a number of other water-related clues and answers:

• GRAND CANAL (16A: Waterway system that connects north and south China)
• CRATER (37A: Oregon's ___ Lake National Park)
• RIVERFRONT (59A: Region along a waterway)
• WET BAR (23D: Drink-serving station with a sink)
• SURF (46D: Ride waves on a board)
• STORMS (47D: Weather events with heavy rain)

STAY HYDRATED is a really great answer, as well as great advice. I really enjoyed the fact that even though today's puzzle is themeless, there were a number of clues and answers relating to water. This made the puzzle feel cohesive, even without a theme. Thank you, Matthew, for this delightful puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles

• USA TODAY’s Daily Crossword Puzzles
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