Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Mach 3

There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Mach 3

Constructor: Ada Nicolle

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• ANDI (61A: "___ Mack" (first Disney sitcom with an openly gay main character)) ANDI Mack is a Disney TV series that originally aired from 2017-2019. The title character, portrayed by Peyton Elizabeth Lee, is a middle school student. ANDI's best friend, Cyrus Goodman, portrayed by Joshua Rush, is also a middle school student, and is the gay main character mentioned in the clue. The show received kudos for Cyrus's coming out storyline.
• STORES (1D: IKEA and JYSK, for example) I'm familiar with the Swedish-based furniture store IKEA, but JYSK is new to me. JYSK is a Danish retail chain. The company has over 3,100 stores in 51 countries. Fortunately, since two examples were given in the clue, I was easily able to arrive at the correct answer.
• ABC (55D: "Mixed-ish" channel) Mixed-ish (2019-2021) is a spin-off of the TV series Grown-ish (2018-present). The show serves as a prequel to Black-ish (2014-2022), which was also a spin-off of Grown-ish. Mixed-ish focuses on the childhood of Rainbow Sojourner "Bow" Johnson (Arica Himmel), as she grows up in a mixed-race family in the 1980s.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• SPAM (1A: Canned meat in Filipino cuisine) The canned meat, SPAM, was first introduced to the Philippines during World War II by U.S. troops (for whom SPAM was a primary meat source). Since then, SPAM has become a staple Filipino food.
• Clues highlighting Grammy Award-winning female singers:
  • ALTO (14A: Tracy Chapman's vocal range) Tracy Chapman is a four-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, and an ALTO.
  • LADY (18A: Singer ___ Gaga) LADY Gaga is a 13-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and actress.
  • BAT (45A: Sports equipment that Beyonce calls "hot sauce" in "Lemonade") Singer-songwriter Beyoncé has won a 32 Grammy Awards, holding the record for the most Grammys won. This clue is referencing the Lemonade lyric, "I got hot sauce in my bag / swag."
  • HORNE (8D: Singer, actress, and activist Lena) Lena HORNE (1917-2010) is a four-time Grammy Award-winning singer, actress, and dancer. In 1989, she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award. Lena HORNE was also an active civil rights advocate.
• DRAMA CHANNEL (19A: YouTube page reporting on gossip) and RETELL (22A: Share again, like a story) DRAMA CHANNEL is a generic term used to refer to any YouTube account with a focus on gossip and controversy. DRAMA CHANNEL accounts also exist on other social media sites. I find it appropriate that RETELL is just under DRAMA CHANNEL. It seems to be true of humans that wherever two or more are gathered, there is DRAMA, and some people thrive on RETELLing the DRAMA.
• LOAFS (26A: Lounges like a lazy cat) My cat, Willow, is torn about how to react to this clue. Does she go with, "Who are you calling lazy?!" or "It's me." Ultimately, she decided that becoming indignant took too much effort.

• EMMA CHAMBERLAIN (34A: Social media star with the podcast "anything goes") EMMA Chamberlain is a YouTuber, podcaster, and model. EMMA CHAMBERLAIN's YouTube channel has over 12 million subscribers. In 2019, she started a podcast, anything goes with EMMA CHAMBERLAIN. On each episode, EMMA talks about whatever is on her mind.
• FONDA (42A: "Grace and Frankie" actress Jane) Grace and Frankie is a Netflix TV series whose seven seasons originally aired from 2015-2022. Jane FONDA (Grace) and Lily Tomlin (Frankie) portray the title characters, two women who become unlikely friends after their husbands divorced them to marry each other.
• BEBOP (44A: Charlie parker's style of jazz) Charlie Parker (1920-1955) was a jazz saxophonist, band leader, and composer. He was known for his innovative use of rhythm, and was influential in the development of BEBOP, a type of jazz characterized by fast tempos, complex chord progressions, and advanced harmonies.
• BRAHMA CHICKEN (52A: Bird nicknamed the "King of All Poultry") The BRAHMA CHICKEN is one of the largest CHICKEN breeds. The breed originated in the United States in the mid-19th century. In addition to their large size, BRAHMA CHICKENs are known for their feathered feet. There are three color varieties: light, dark, and buff.
• ANIME (3D: "My Hero Academia" genre) An ANIME series is an animated TV series originating from Japan. My Hero Academia is an ANIME adapted from a manga (graphic novel) of the same name. Set in a world where superpowers (called Quirks) are common, the series follows a boy born without a Quirk, who would like to become a superhero.
• MATH (5D: The "M" in STEM) and SCI (30D: The "S" in STEM) Fun to see half of the STEM disciplines – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – mentioned today.
• ADA (10D: Programmer Lovelace) Speaking of STEM, computer programmer ADA Lovelace (1815-1852) wrote the first computer algorithm, and is considered to be one of the first to recognize the full potential of computers. Our constructor, ADA Nicolle, likes to sneak her own name into the puzzle when possible, and I enjoy it every single time.
• ANDRE (13D: Rapper/flautist ___ 3000) ANDRÉ 3000 was formerly half of the RAP duo, Outkast (with Antwan "Big Boi" Patton). Since 2007, ANDRÉ 3000 has had a solo career. His first solo studio album, New Blue Sun, was released in 2023, and features his work as a flautist. The first track from the album, "I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a 'Rap' Album but this is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time," is an instrumental song featuring ANDRÉ 3000 on the flute. The song is 12 minutes and 20 seconds long, and is the longest song to chart on Billboard's Hot 100.
• AMA (27D: Online Q&A session) The abbreviation Q&A in the clue alerts solvers that the answer will be an abbreviation. AMA stands for "Ask Me Anything."
• A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
  • JELLO MOLD (9D: Container where a jiggly dessert sets)
  • HANDPRINT (32D: One might remind you of how small you were as a baby)
  • TONSIL (47D: Throat part that can be removed)

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

• DRAMA CHANNEL (19A: YouTube page reporting on gossip)
• EMMA CHAMBERLAIN (34A: Social media star with the podcast "anything goes")
• BRAHMA CHICKEN (52A: Bird nicknamed the "King of All Poultry")

Today we have 3 theme answers that contain the word MACH: DRAMA CHANNEL, EMMA CHAMBERLAIN, and BRAHMA CHICKEN.

Today we're traveling through this puzzle at MACH 3, or three times the speed of sound, roughly 2,301 miles per hour. Only figuratively, of course, as we want to slow down and enjoy the solve. Thank you, Ada, for this delightful puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles

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