Sally breaks down USA TODAY’s daily crossword puzzle, Heart of Gold

There are spoilers forward. You would possibly need to resolve earlier than studying additional!

Constructor: Kiran Pandey

Editor: Anna Gundlach

What I Realized from In the present day’s Puzzle

• DEMI (24A: “The Substance” actress Moore) The Substance is a 2024 film by which DEMI Moore portrays a 50-year-old film star whose fame is fading. She purchases a black market serum (the titular substance) in an try to counteract the growing old course of. The Substance is a horror film, in order one may think in such a movie, utilizing the drug doesn’t go nicely. Being acquainted with DEMI Moore, I used to be capable of simply fill on this reply, however this specific film is new to me.

• MONGOL DERBY (36A: Longest horse race on the planet) The 620-mile (1,000 kilometer) is modeled after the horse messenger system developed by Genghis Khan in 1224. The precise course for the race modifications every year, however usually contains a wide range of terrain because it runs via the Mongolian Steppe, an ecoregion masking elements of the East Asian nations of Mongolia and China. The MONGOL DERBY is a multi-horse race held over ten days in August, and riders are required to vary horses each 25 miles. The horses are semi-wild Mongolian horses which might be supplied to the riders as a part of their entry charge. In 2024, the entry charge for the MONGOL DERBY was $15,500. For the entry charge, every rider is supplied entry to 25-27 Mongolian horses, a assist workforce, pre-race coaching, and a customized race saddle, bridle, and blanket.

• GEORG OLDEN (54A: Graphic designer who was the primary African American to design a postage stamp) GEORG OLDEN (1920-1975) labored as a graphic designer for the Workplace of Strategic Companies (OSS, the forerunner of the CIA), CBS tv, and in promoting. In 1963, he designed a postage stamp for the USA Postal Service (USPS). commemorated the centennial of the declaration of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Random Ideas & Attention-grabbing Issues

• DNA (17A: Double-helix molecule) DNA molecules carry genetic data necessary within the growth, perform, progress, and copy of organisms. DNA has a double-helical construction comprised of two chains of polynucleotides that coil round one another.

• GETTING OLDER (20A: Billie Eilish tune with the lyrics “I feel I’m growing old nicely”) is a 2021 tune by Billie Eilish. It’s the opening observe of her second studio album, Happier Than Ever. Billie Eilish was 19 years outdated when she recorded the lyrics, “I feel I’m growing old nicely.” I like this clue, as a result of the inclusion of the phrase “growing old” makes the reply inferable (with the assistance of crossing solutions) to solvers who won’t be acquainted with this specific tune.

• ERIE (23A: Pennsylvania metropolis on a Nice Lake) ERIE, Pennsylvania is situated on the southern shore of Lake ERIE. My husband and I stayed in ERIE, Pennsylvania a few years in the past. We had been on a street journey, and after I realized we had been going to be touring pretty shut (inside 80 miles) to ERIE, I made a decision we would have liked to make a detour. As we had been on the way in which house from the American Crossword Puzzle Event (held every year in Stamford, Connecticut), it appeared particularly acceptable. As a crossword blogger, I spotted there was just one strategy to appropriately have fun being on the shore of Lake ERIE in ERIE, Pennsylvania. I ate an Oreo.

• IIRC (34A: “Except my reminiscence is failing me,” on-line) IIRC = If I Recall Accurately

• APE (35A: Primate in a long-running sci-fi franchise) That long-running sci-fi franchise is Planet of the APEs, which I simply wrote about . The franchise started with Pierre Boulle’s 1963 e-book La Plenète des singes.

• WWE (39A: “Smackdown! org.) WWE SmackDown (titled SmackDown! from 1999-2008) is a TV program produced by World Wrestling Leisure (WWE).

• ODOR (58A: It is likely to be represented by wavy traces in a comic book) It is a inventive and attention-grabbing clue for ODOR. I had “warmth” at first, however that was rapidly straightened out with the assistance of crossing solutions.

• EVA (59A: Actress Longoria) Many individuals might know EVA Longoria from her position as Gabrielle Solis on the TV collection Determined Housewives (2004-2012). I do know her finest from her current visitor star position on the fourth season of the Hulu TV collection Solely Murders within the Constructing, which aired this 12 months. On Solely Murders within the Constructing, EVA Longoria performs a fictionalized model of herself, as an actress forged to play the character of Mabel (performed by Selena Gomez) in an Solely Murders within the Constructing film. I completely loved EVA Longoria’s appearances on this present.

• TANTRA (30D: Hindu textual content) In Hinduism, the TANTRAs are scriptures coping with methods and practices geared toward increasing one’s consciousness and channeling divine power. The tantric texts are usually within the format of a dialogue between god and goddess.

• STEVIE (47D: Fleetwood Mac singer Nicks) Considered one of my favourite Fleetwood Mac songs is launched in 1975, the primary 12 months STEVIE Nicks (who wrote the tune) was part of the band. STEVIE Nicks has additionally had a profitable solo profession, together with the 1981 hit, 

• HOOKS (50D: Catchy elements of choruses) The HOOKS of songs are sometimes the elements that get caught in a single’s head as earworms. For instance, or or or Welcome to my world; I at all times have an earworm offering background music to my life.

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

• GETTING OLDER (20A: Billie eolith tune with the lyrics “I feel I’m growing old nicely”)

• MONGOL DERBY (36A: Longest horse race on the planet)

• GEORG OLDEN (54A: Graphic designer who was the primary African American to design a postage stamp)

HEART OF GOLD: The phrase GOLD is discovered on the HEART OF (inside) every theme reply: GETTING OLDER, MONGOL DERBY, and GEORG OLDEN.

was KINDHEARTED, and as we speak’s has a HEART OF GOLD. Good to have these heat and fuzzy puzzles back-to-back. That’s nice editorial planning, and a enjoyable factor for solvers who’re paying consideration (and people of you studying “Off the Grid!”). Thanks, Kiran, for this satisfying puzzle.

For extra on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles

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