Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Cat Righting Reflex

There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Cat Righting Reflex

Constructor: Amie Walker

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Comments from Today’s Crossword Constructor

Amie: I was so happy to include Lucy Lawless in this grid. Xena was one of my favorite shows growing up! Thanks for solving!

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• DEW (46A: "I know I Mountain ___ it for ya" (punny "Espresso" lyric)) "Espresso" is a song by Sabrina Carpenter. The song was released in April of this year, the day before Sabrina Carpenter performed it at the Coachella Music Festival. Although I hadn't heard the song before, it was easy to infer that the lyric is, "I know I Mountain DEW it for ya."
• SEA (57A: ___ Salt & Paper (card game)) SEA Salt & Paper is a set collection game, similar to rummy. The cards feature illustrations of marine-themed creatures and objects made of paper using origami. Once again, although this game is new to me, I was able to easily figure out its punny title.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• AMC (5A: "Heartbreak feels good in a place like this" theater chain) "Heartbreak feels good in a place like this," is a line from an AMC ad featuring Nicole Kidman. The ad was released in 2021, and was part of AMC's efforts to get people to come back to their theaters once they reopened after being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ad quickly became a meme and was shared widely on TikTok, and Saturday Night Live spoofed the commercial, with Chloe Fineman playing Nicole Kidman.
• AS A (17A: Happy ___ clam) Are clams particularly happy? The saying "Happy AS A clam," is a shortened version of a longer saying that gained popularity in the United States in the 19th century. The original saying was "Happy AS A clam at high tide." At high tide, clams are safe from predators (including humans), and therefore are presumably happier.
• ACUTE (18A: Not right or obtuse) It's time to brush up on some geometry terms here. This clue is referring to angles. A right angle measures 90 degrees. An obtuse angle is one that measures more than 90 degrees. An ACUTE angle measures less than 90 degrees; in other words, not right or obtuse.
• ROFL (24A: "HAHA too funny") ROFL = rolling on the floor laughing
• P.A.S (25A: Some Hollywood aides (Abbr.)) P.A.S here are personal assistants or personal aides.
• POP (26A: "___, six, squish, uh-uh, Cicero, Lipschitz" ("Cell Block Tango" lyric)) "Cell Block Tango" is a song from the 1975 musical, Chicago, which was adapted into a 2002 movie of the same name. The song is set in the Cook County Jail, and each of the words "POP, six, squish, uh-uh, Cicero, Lipschitz," are sung by a different inmate, as the women tell the stories of the murders they're accused of committing.
• APPS (27A: TikTok and HER, for two) TikTok is a video-focused social media APP. HER is a dating app geared to "LGBTQ+ women and queer folks."
• THOR (43A: Odin's son) In Norse mythology, Odin is a god associated with wisdom and healing. He is married to the goddess Frigga. One of their sons is THOR, the god of lightning, thunder, and storms. 
• ALI (44A: Tony Award-winner Stroker) In 2015 ALI Stroker played the role of Anna in the Broadway show Spring Awakening, making history as the first actress that uses a wheelchair for mobility to appear on a Broadway stage. She won a Tony Award in 2019 for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in Oklahoma. 
• PAST (65A: "___ Lives" (2023 film)) PAST Lives is a 2023 movie written and directed by Celine Song; it was her directorial debut. The movie centers on Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae (Teo Yoo), who were childhood friends in South Korea until Nora moved to Canada with her parents. The two reconnect later in their lives.
• CIARA (2D: "1, 2 Step" singer) "1, 2 Step" is a song from CIARA's 2004 debut album, Goodies that features Missy Elliot. The song was written by CIARA and Missy Elliot.
• OLE (4D: Copa Mundial cheer) "Copa Mundial" is Spanish for "World Cup." The FIFA World Cup is an international football (called soccer in the U.S.) competition held every four years. The next World Cup will be held in 2026, and will be hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. OLÉ!
• LUCY LAWLESS (9D: "Xena: Warrior Princess" star) LUCY LAWLESS portrayed the title character on the TV series, Xena: Warrior Princess. The show originally aired from 1995 to 2001. Xena: Warrior Princess was a spin-off of the TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. On that show, Xena was a recurring character who was originally going to die in her third appearance. The character became so popular, that instead of being killed off, Xena got her own show.
• ATUL (10D: Writer and surgeon Gawande) ATUL Gawande is a surgeon at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and a professor at Harvard Medical School. He writes extensively on medicine and public health, and is a staff writer for The New Yorker magazine. ATUL Gawande is currently the Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development. His 2012 TED Talk, "How do we heal medicine?" has been viewed over two million times. 
• PITA (11D: Bread sometimes served with ktipiti) Ktipiti is a cheese-based spread made by adding ingredients such as hot peppers, roasted peppers, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, yogurt, and oregano to feta cheese. Ktipiti is often served with PITA bread.
• TIS (13D: "___ the Damn Season" (Taylor Swift song")) "'TIS the Damn Season" is a song by Taylor Swift from her 2020 album, Evermore.
• UTAH (32D: Great Salt Lake state) The Great Salt Lake is located in northern UTAH. As the lake's name suggests, it is a large, saltwater lake - the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The area of the Great Salt Lake varies. In the 1980s, the lake covered 3,300 square miles. Recently, the area of the lake - affected by drought and upstream water diversion - has shrunk considerably, to 950 square miles.
• NERDFEST (38D: Endearing term for a gathering of folks sharing a niche interest) I really enjoyed this answer, and appreciated the way the clue framed NERDFEST as "endearing," rather than in a negative manner.
• REESE (50D: She played Elle in "Legally Blonde") Elle Woods, played by REESE Witherspoon, is the protagonist of the 2001 movie, Legally Blonde. The movie was adapted from Amanda Brown's 2001 novel of the same name. Amanda Brown based her novel on experiences she had while attending Stanford Law School.
• FINS (54D: What arms may be, in a Flounder costume) In the Disney movie, The Little Mermaid, Flounder is a yellow and blue tropical fish (with FINS, of course!). Flounder is the best friend of Ariel (the titular mermaid).

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

• VICTORY LAP (20A: Celebratory circuit, post-race)
• IT'S NOT UP MY ALLEY (37A: "This feels better suited to someone other than me")
• WAFFLE HOUSE (52A: Breakfast chain)

CAT RIGHTING REFLEX: The word on the RIGHT of each theme answer can be paired with the word CAT to form a new phrase: LAP CAT, ALLEY CAT, and HOUSE CAT.

Well, you know I'm going to be a fan of any puzzle that has the word CAT in the title. I thoroughly enjoyed the theme of this puzzle. CAT RIGHTING REFLEX is the name for the ability CATs have to always land on their feet when they fall. Today it serves as a great title, letting us know the theme will be found on the RIGHT side of the theme answers. My CAT, Willow, is not an ALLEY CAT, but she is a LAP CAT and a HOUSE CAT. I also appreciated the many musical referenced in this puzzle. Thank you, Amie, for this delightful puzzle.

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