Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Front and Center

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

Constructor: Jake Halperin

Editor: Anna Gundlach

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• LAP (15A: One of the Monaco Grand Prix's 78) The Monaco Grand Prix is a Formula One racing event. The Monaco Grand Prix was first held in 1929, and it is considered to be one of the most prestigious auto races in the world. The race course is laid out on the city streets of Monaco, a city-state on the French Riviera. The race is just under 162 miles, and consists of 78 LAPs.
• DOG (21A: "Can You Pet the ___?" (catalog of pettable video game animals)) Tristan Cooper started an account called "Can You Pet the DOG?" on X (which was called Twitter at the time) in 2019 after discovering that the stray DOGs in the video game Tom Clancy's The Division 2 could not be petted. Since then, the account has answered the question in its title for a number of video games. The account has been an influence on video game developers to add features allowing users to pet DOGs and other animals encountered in games.
• JEN (59D: "The Resisters" author Gish) The Resisters, published in 2020, is Gish JEN's fifth novel. It's a sci-fi novel set in a dystopian society called "AutoAmerica." And the story involves baseball – specifically a female pitching prodigy. I'm so intrigued! Gish JEN has also written, "Tell Me Everything," a short story based on The Resisters, written for The Privacy Project at The New York Times.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• PBS (6A: Viewer-supported network) This brought to mind the blurb that follows PBS shows: "This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station by viewers like you. Thank you."
• CORE MEMORY (17A: Unforgettable event that shapes who you are) This answer made me think of Inside Out (2015) and Inside Out 2 (2024), as the term CORE MEMORY is featured in both of those animated movies.
• BOOMERS (22A: Xers' predecessors) Xers are those (like myself) born between 1965 to the early 1980s, making them part of Generation X. BOOMERS, or baby BOOMERS are those (like my husband) born between the years 1946 to 1964.
• MIDDLE-EARTH (35A: "The Lord of the Rings" setting) MIDDLE-EARTH is the fantasy setting described in the J. R. R. Tolkien works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. MIDDLE-EARTH is inhabited not only by humans, but also by elves, dwarves, ents, hobbits, dragons, trolls, and orcs.
• OLDS (41A: Pulitzer-winning poet Sharon) Sharon OLDS won the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry in 2013 for her poetry collection, Stag's Leap. Her most recent of thirteen books of poetry is titled Balladz, and was published in 2022. Sharon OLDS teaches in the creative writing program at New York University.
• OPERAS (48A: "Porgy and Bess" and "Aida") Porgy and Bess is a 1935 OPERA by George Gershwin. Aida is an 1871 OPERA by Giuseppe Verdi.
• RATE (61A: Give stars to on Letterboxd) Letterboxd is a social website that advertises itself as the "Goodreads for film." (Goodreads is a social website that allows users to RATE and review books.) On Letterboxd, which was launched in 2011, users can RATE films on a scale of one to five stars.
• ADHD (64A: Condition sometimes treated with Vyvanse) ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition whose symptoms may include inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Vyvanse is one trade name of the drug lisdexamfetamine, a stimulant that is a treatment option for ADHD.
• ABC (1D: "GMA" channel) Good Morning America (GMA) has aired on ABC since 1975.
• ICE (4D: ___ Bucket Challenge) Do you remember the Ice Bucket Challenge? In the summer of 2014, the challenge went viral on social media in an attempt to promote awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS - also known as Lou Gehrig's disease) and to encourage donations for research.
• ALI (11D: "Beef" star Wong) Beef is a Netflix TV miniseries about two people involved in a road rage incident that leads to them becoming enemies and getting involved in each other's lives. ALI Wong and Steven Yeun co-star in the show, which premiered in April 2023.
• MRS (18A: ___ Incredible, a.k.a. Elastigirl) This clue is a reference to the 2004 animated movie The Incredibles. The movie is centered on a couple of superheroes, Mr. Incredible aka Bob Parr and Elastigirl aka Helen Parr, and their family. In early promotional materials, Elastigirl was referred to as MRS. Incredible, to avoid confusion with the DC Comics character known as Elasti-Girl. The superhero family also featured in a sequel, Incredibles 2 (2018).
• AME (40D: Letters in some church names) The African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church was founded in 1816 by Richard Allen, who became the denomination's first bishop.
• NAT (43D: ___ Geo Mundo) NAT Geo Mundo is a television network that is owned by the National Geographic Society. NAT Geo Mundo broadcasts in Spanish, and features programming involving nature, science, culture, and history.
• IVF (47D: Assisted reproductive technology method) IVF stands for in vitro fertilization. It involves fertilizing an ovum with sperm in a lab, and then transferring the embryo into a uterus. This assisted reproductive technology may be used for infertility treatment and gestational surrogacy. The first successful birth after IVF treatment occurred in 1978. In 2010, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Robert G. Edwards for the development of the IVF technique.
• BRA (54D: Natori undergarment) Natori is a brand founded by Josie Natori in 1977. The company sells lingerie (including BRAs), nightwear, and loungewear to upscale department stores.
• MAE (57D: Astronaut Jemison) MAE Jemison is an engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut. She was a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Endeavor, and was the first Black woman to travel into space. MAE Jemison is the subject of the 2018 children's book by Roda Ahmed titled MAE Among the Stars.

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

• CORE MEMORY (17A: Unforgettable event that shapes who you are)
• MIDDLE EARTH (35A: "The Lord of the Rings" setting)
• HEART EMOJI (56A: Symbol in a romantic text)

The FRONT word of each theme answer is a synonym for CENTER: CORE, MIDDLE, and HEART.

It took me a moment after solving to identify the theme of today's puzzle. I was focused on the CENTER of the theme answers, which wasn't leading to any insight. There was a nice, "Aha!" moment when I shifted my attention to the FRONT of the theme answers and noticed the CENTER connection. Thank you, Jake, for this enjoyable puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles

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