NovaQuant-Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Tool Time

There are NovaQuantspoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Tool Time

Constructor: Marc Raila

Editor: Jared Goudsmit

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• POT (24A: Vessel for cooking chupe) and EAT (19A: Enjoy some chupe) Chupe is a generic name used in South America – particularly in Peru, Bolivia, and Chile – to refer to stew. There are many varieties of chupe. Chupe de camarones, made with seafood, is popular in Peru. Although I wasn't familiar with the term chupe, the answers here were inferable from the context.
• HONEY (33A: Char siu sweetener) Char siu is a style of barbecued pork that originated from Guangdong, China. Five-spice powder is used in this Cantonese dish, and honey is used as a glaze.
• MOMMY (30D: "___ Issues" (2021 film starring Pokwang)) Filipino comedian and actress Pokwang portrays the MOMMY in the 2021 movie MOMMY Issues. The movie, which centers on the rocky relationship between a mother and daughter, is available on Netflix. I wasn't familiar with this movie, and was thankful for the help of crossing answers.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• LEONA (15A: "Glassheart" singer Lewis)  In 2006, LEONA Lewis won series three of The X Factor, a British reality TV music competition. "Glassheart" is the title track of her third studio album, released in 2012.
• HAMMER THROW (38A: Track-and-field event with a ball on a steel wire) The HAMMER used in the HAMMER THROW does not resemble anything you would find in a TOOL chest. This HAMMER, which weighs either 8.8 lbs. (women's) or 16 lbs. (men's), consists of a metal ball attached to a grip by a steel wire. Athletes stand in a designated circular area, and spin the hammer three to four times before releasing it in an upward arc toward the target. If you've never seen the HAMMER THROW, I recommend taking a bit of time to watch some or all of the Women's HAMMER THROW Final from the 2022 World Athletic Championships.
• A-HA (40A: "Take on Me" band) Thank you to the puzzle for this earworm! "Take on Me" is a song by the Norwegian synth-pop band A-HA (the band's name is usually styled as a-ha). The song was first released in 1984, but a second version was recorded and release in 1985 as part of A-HA's debut album, Hunting High and Low. It is this second version that became an international hit and remains well-known today. The music video for "Take on Me" won six MTV Video Music Awards.
• LION (43A: Big cat such as 57-Across) and MUFASA (57A: Simba's father) and PURR (24D: Pleased cat's sound) MUFASA and Simba are, of course, characters in Disney's The LION King. My cat, Willow will definitely PURR about this crossword; she is pleased by the abundance of cat content.

• ENT (7D: Doctor hidden in "scientist") An ENT is a doctor specializing in "ear, nose, and throat." I'm a fan of hidden word clues, and this is a fun one.
• ELMO (31D: Muppet who sings "Seven Goldfish") "Seven Goldfish" is a Sesame Street counting song featuring ELMO counting goldfish, while also tap dancing (though ELMO'S feet aren't shown). ELMO has a pet goldfish named Dorothy, but she didn't make her first appearance until several years after ELMO first sang "Seven Goldfish" on Sesame Street.
• DESERT (45D: Maranjab or Gobi) The Maranjab DESERT is located in Iran. The Gobi DESERT covers parts of northeastern China, and the southern part of Mongolia. This clue provides two examples, and solvers only need to be familiar with one of these DESERTs to be successful.
• IDES (52D: "Beware the ___ of March") In the Roman calendar, IDES referred to a day near the middle of the month - the 15th of March, May, July, or October, and the 13th of any other month. The IDES of March coincided with several Roman religious observances. In 44 BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated on the IDES of March, making the date notorious. Alas, this warning to "Beware the IDES of March," is two days late for us this year.
• MEME (57D: Thumbs Up Crying Cat, e.g.) Even more cat content! As you might guess from its name, the Thumbs Up Crying Cat MEME features a photo of a cat with teary eyes giving a thumbs up (paws up?). Since 2019, Thumbs Up Crying Cat has been used as a reaction MEME.
• LAS (59D: ___ Cruces, New Mexico) LAS Cruces is a city in southern New Mexico. It is situated less than 45 miles from both the New Mexico-Texas border, and the U.S.-Mexico border (where New Mexico and the Mexican state of Chihuahua meet). New Mexico State University is located in LAS Cruces.
• EPA (60D: One Cleanup Program org.) One Cleanup Program is an initiative of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The effort is aimed at coordinating the efforts of multiple agencies involved in the cleanup of contaminated sites.

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

• SAW THE LIGHT (18A: Had an epiphany)
• HAMMER THROW (38A: Track-and-field event with a ball on a steel wire)
• LEVEL-HEADED (59A: Calm and sensible)

The first word of each theme answer is a TOOL: SAW, HAMMER, and LEVEL.

TOOL TIME is the show-within-a-show on the TV sitcom Home Improvement. Today, TOOL TIME is an appropriate title and theme for this puzzle. Congratulations to Marc Raila making a USA TODAY crossword debut! Thank you, Marc, for this enjoyable puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles

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