Sally Analyzes USA TODAY’s Crossword: “Baby, Do You Like This Beat?”

There are spoilers ahead. Solve today’s puzzle before reading further! Baby, Do You Like This Beat? (Freestyle).

Constructors: Amie Walker & Amanda Rafkin

Editors: Jared Goudsmit

Amie & Amanda: We had so much fun making this puzzle, and are excited to be together in the same city today!

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• ASHA (1A: Ariana DeBose voices her in “Wish”). Wish is a 2023 animated Disney movie about ASHA, a 17-year-old girl who makes a wish on a star and meets a living, magic fallen star. Ariana DeBose voices ASHA.
• HOT TO GO (38A: Chappell Roan song with a signature dance) and THE (39D: “___ Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”). “HOT TO GO!” is a song from Chappell Roan’s 2023 album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. To promote the song, Roan created a dance spelling out the song’s title with her arms. Chappell Roan is the professional name of singer-songwriter Kayleigh Rose Amstutz.
• PHORRITO (9D: Soup-inspired dish that’s rolled up and eaten). PHORRITO, as the name suggests, is a burrito stuffed with ingredients commonly used in the Vietnamese soup pho.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• ACHOO (14A: Blessed sound). A fun clue. People often respond to a sneeze with “Bless you,” making ACHOO a “blessed” sound.
• SLOWMANCE (15A: Term used to describe a relationship that develops gradually). Coined by the dating app Hinge in June during their second annual LGBTQIA+ D.A.T.E report. It describes the trend of taking things slower in relationships. It evokes the idea of a “slow dance.”
• ASUS (18A: Computer company whose name originates from “Pegasus”). ASUS is a Taiwanese company. The name derives from Pegasus, but only the last four letters were used to appear higher in alphabetical listings.
• RED (19A: Taylor Swift era with a “22” hat) and HOW’S (3D: “Hello, ‘Mr. Perfectly fine.’ ___ your heart after breakin’ mine?”). “22” is a song from Taylor Swift’s album RED. Swift often wears a white t-shirt and black hat for the performance, gifting the hat to a fan. “Hello, ‘Mr. Perfectly fine.’ HOW’S your heart after breakin’ mine?” is a line from her song “Mr. Perfectly Fine” on Fearless (Taylor’s Version).
• COURSE (20A: Part of a prix fixe menu). A prix fixe menu offers a multi-course meal for a fixed price.
• THROWDOWN (24A: “Hoedown ___” (rhyming “Hannah Montana” song)). “Hoedown THROWDOWN” is a Miley Cyrus song from Hannah Montana: The Movie released in 2009.
• LIRA (27A: Currency of Turkey). The currency is the Turkish LIRA, not the euro.
• TIG (33A: “Am I OK?” co-director Notaro). The 2022 movie Am I OK? is co-directed by TIG Notaro and Stephanie Allynne. It explores the lives and introspections of two best friends.
• DERN (41A: “Jurassic Park” actress Laura). Laura DERN played Dr. Ellie Sattler in Jurassic Park (1993) and reprised her role in later installments.
• AGUA FRESCA (46A: Fruit drink at a taqueria). AGUA FRESCA is Spanish for “fresh waters,” a popular non-alcoholic beverage made from fruits or flowers in the southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Central America.
• CHU (53A: “Wicked” director Jon). Jon CHU directs the upcoming movie Wicked, a two-part adaptation of the Broadway musical. It’s set to release on November 22.
• ALL SET (1D: “I’m good when you are!”) and ARE WE READY (16D: “You and I gonna do this?”). These answers have enjoyable interplay.
• FIB (34D: “I’m on my way,” maybe). A humorous clue.
• AUNTS (50D: Zelda and Hilda, to Sabrina Spellman). Zelda and Hilda are AUNTS to Sabrina Spellman in Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
• LABS (54D: Dogs that are “waterproof”). LABS, or Labrador retrievers, have a double coat that repels water due to natural oils.
• ELLA (55D: “Yellowjackets” actress Purnell). Yellowjackets is a Showtime TV series. ELLA Purnell plays Jackie Taylor, the high school soccer team captain.
• Standout answers: FLOP ERA (34A: Time period marked by failure after failure), LEG DAY (54A: Gym sesh with squats), SCAM ALERT (60A: “Don’t pick up this call! It’s a swindler!”), CAN CONFIRM (20D: “You heard correctly!”), GOAL (56D: “Eat more greens” or “stay hydrated”).

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis.

BABY, DO YOU LIKE THIS BEAT? (Freestyle): There’s no theme today, as this is a freestyle puzzle. “BABY, DO YOU LIKE THIS BEAT?” is a lyric from “HOT TO GO!” (38A: Chappell Roan song with a signature dance).

Although the title is a specific lyric, it reflects the music references throughout the puzzle. This puzzle was a delight. Thank you, Amie and Amanda, for this excellent challenge.

Source: USA TODAY.