Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Dropping Hints

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

Constructor:Amie Walker

Editor:Amanda Rafkin

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• ECON (47A: Subj. for Emily Oster) Emily Oster is an economist and an ECON professor at Brown University. She is also the founder and CEO of ParentData, a company that aims to empower parents to make data-driven decisions. She is the author of four books: Expecting Better(2013), Cribsheet(2019), The Family Firm(2022), and The Unexpected(2024).
• CRASH INTO ME (13D: Dave Matthews Band hit with the lyric "I see the wave coming") "CRASH INTO ME" is a 1996 single from the Dave Matthews Band's album, CRASH. Although I'm not familiar with this particular song, the lyric gave a nice HINT (See what I did there...?), and I was able to figure out the answer once I had some letters filled in from crossings.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• SASHA (1A: Malia's sister) This is a reference to the Obama sisters, SASHA and Malia. SASHA Obama graduated from the University of Southern California in 2023.
• SHO (6A: "Yellowjackets" network, for short) Showtime (SHO, for short) describes the TV series Yellowjacketsas "part survival epic, part psychological horror, and part coming-of-age drama." The show tells the story of a high school girls' soccer team whose plane crashes in the wilderness. The show recounts the time of survival after the crash, as well as events that occur 25 years later. 
• SHANIA (18A: Country singer Twain) SHANIA Twain has been referred to as the "Queen of Country Pop." She was the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year in 1999. Her hits include "You Win My Love" (1996), "Love Gets Me Every Time" (1997), and "That Don't Impress Me Much" (1998).
• MAUI (21A: Wailuku's island) Wailuku is the county seat of MAUI County, which includes the Hawaiian islands of MAUI, Lānā'i, (most of) Moloka'i, Kaho'olawe, and Molokini. (The islands of Kaho'olawe and Molokini are uninhabited.) Wailuku is located on MAUI, the second largest Hawaiian island.
• ICE T (28A: "Law & Order: SVU" star) On the TV series Law & Order:SUV, ICE T portrays Fin Tutuola ("Fin" is short for Odafin), a sergeant with the New York Police Department's Special Victims Unit (SVU). ICE T joined the show in its second season. The show began its 26th season in October of this year.
• ERA (36A: Taylor Swift's "Lover," for one) and AGE (64A: "This is the golden ___ of something good and right and real") Would it be an Amie Walker puzzle if there wasn't a Taylor Swift reference or two? "This is the golden AGE of something good and right and real" is a lyric from Taylor Swift's song, "State of Grace." That song is from Taylor Swift's RedERA, and was rerecorded for Red (Taylor's Version)in 2021.
• HOT YOGA (59A: Sweaty meditation practice) HOT YOGA is exactly what it sounds like. YOGA is practiced in a hot and humid environment, resulting in plenty of sweating.
• HAWKE (7D: "Stranger Things" star Maya) Stranger Things is a Netflix TV series about a small town dealing with a hostile alternate dimension. Since the show's third season, Maya HAWKE has portrayed Robin Buckley, a girl who worked at the Scoops Ahoy ice cream shop, and then at Family Video.
• CROC (9D: Shoe that may feature a Jibbitz) A Jibbitz is a decorative accessory that snaps into the hole of a CROC.
• CATCH IN THE ACT (17D: Bust) It's fun when a multi-word phrase has a single-word clue. It almost seems like a bit of a misdirect ... which makes it satisfying to figure out.
• ABE (37D: President referenced in "The Ballad of Booth," for short) "The Ballad of Booth" is a song from Stephen Sondheim's musical, Assassins.The song tells the story of John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln (ABE, for short) in 1865.
• TEAM (58D: The Chiefs or the Cardinals, e.g.) The Kansas City Chiefs and the Arizona Cardinals are NFL TEAMs. The Cardinals could also be the MLB TEAM based in St. Louis. (Go Cards!)

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

• HIGH INTENSITY (4D: Like interval training that alternates effort and recovery)
• CRASH INTO ME (13D: Dave Matthews Band hit with the lyric "I see the wave coming")
• CATCH IN THE ACT (17D: Bust)

DROPPING HINTS: The word HINT is seen DROPPING in each vertical theme answer: HIGH INTENSITY, CRASH INTO ME, and CATCH IN THE ACT.

The title of today's puzzle is DROPPING a HINT that the theme is found in the Down answers. I appreciate that in addition to the word HINT dropping in each individual theme answer, it is DROPPING a bit more in the grid with each consecutive theme answer. Thank you, Amie, for this enjoyable puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles

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

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