Crossword Blog & Answers for April 6, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher

Constructor: Dan Hrynick

Editor: Anna Gundlach

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• WII SPORTS RESORT (63A: 2009 Nintendo game where players compete on Wuhu Island) WII Sports Resort was released in 2009 as a sequel to Nintendo’s 2006 game WII SPORTS. The game features 12 sports and uses a WII MotionPlus accessory to detect movement. As the clue indicates, the game is set on the tropical Wuhu Island, which the player “skydives” to after watching several instructional videos. Although I am not familiar with WII SPORTS RESORT, I discovered that I have mentioned it before, back in 2020 when I learned about Matt, a hard-to-beat computer player in the game.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• HOLI (14A: Hindu Festival of Colors) HOLI, also known as the “festival of spring” and the “festival of colors,” is a Hindu festival celebrating the end of winter and the arrival of spring. The date of HOLI varies with the lunar calendar. This year HOLI was celebrated on March 13 and 14.
• ARROW (16A: Bit of ammo for Lara Croft) and TOMB (7D: “Lara Croft: ___ Raider) Lara Croft: TOMB Raider is a franchise that began with video games and has expanded to include movies (with Alicia Vikander playing the role of Lara Croft). Referencing Lara Croft in the ARROW clue is a nice way to link these two clues together.
• STL (27A: “Gateway to the West” city (Abbr.)) St. Louis (STL), Missouri is home to the Gateway Arch, and “Gateway to the West” is one of the city’s nicknames. St. Louis is not the only U.S. city to use the nickname “Gateway to the West.” The nickname is also used by Omaha, Nebraska; Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Fargo, North Dakota.
• WE BUILT THIS CITY (40A: Starship song written as a lament against the closure of L.A.’s live music clubs) Starship released the song “WE BUILT THIS CITY” in 1985 as part of their debut album, Knee Deep in the Hoopla. Although the song was originally written about Los Angeles (by songwriters Martin Page and Bernie Taupin), the Starship version references Starship’s hometown of San Francisco. Personally, this song always reminds me of the board game Catan, because I start to sing it anytime I build a CITY in the game. (Making me a joy to play Catan with…!)
• IDLI (55A: South Asian rice cake) IDLI is a savory rice cake that originated in South India. It is often served as a breakfast food.
• GUS (58A: “Milk” director Van Sant) Milk is a 2008 biographical movie about the life of Harvey Milk, California’s first openly gay elected official. Harvey Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. Eleven months into his term, Harvey MILK and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated by a disgruntled city supervisor. GUS Van Sant directed Milk, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for his work.
• TORTAS (60A: Mexican sandwiches) The word TORTA can refer to a variety of dishes depending on the cuisine. In Mexican cuisine, TORTAS are sandwiches. In Tagalog-speaking areas of the Philippines, TORTAS are omelettes. And in South America and much of Europe, a TORTA is a cake or pie.
• EDIE (70A: “The Sopranos: star Falco) EDIE Falco is known for her portrayals of Carmela Soprano on the TV series The Sopranos (1999-2007), and the title character on the TV series Nurse Jackie (2009-2015).
• ARLO (11D: Singer Guthrie) ARLO Guthrie is a folk singer-songwriter. Following in the tradition of his father, Woody Guthrie (1912-1967), ARLO Guthrie is known for his protest songs as well as his songs that tell a story.
• THETA (28D: Greek letter in geometry class) THETA is the eighth letter of the Greek alphabet (occurring after eta and before iota). In geometry, theta (θ) is used to represent the measure of an angle, essentially acting as a variable representing an unknown angle measurement.
• DATES (30D: Medjool fruits) Medjool DATES are a large, sweet variety of DATES. The Medjool cultivar originates from Morocco.
• EYES (39D: Body parts left exposed by balaclavas) A balaclava, also known as a ski mask, is a type of headgear commonly used in Alpine skiing or snowboarding. Depending on how its worn, the front of the face may be left uncovered, or only the EYES.
• ORSON (54D: “Citizen Kane” director Welles) Citizen Kane (1914) was the directorial and acting debut of ORSON Welles (1915-1985). The movie’s central character, Charles Foster Kane – depicted by ORSON Welles, is a composite character based on several men, including William Randolph Hearst, who did not allow the movie to be mentioned in his newspapers. 
• SRI (65D: ___ Lanka) SRI Lanka is an island country in South Asia. It is located in the Indian Ocean, just off the southeast coast of the Indian Peninsula. SRI Lanka has two capitals. Its legislative capital is SRI Jayawardenepura Kotte, and its executive and judicial capital is Colombo.
• A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
  • KID’S MEAL (5D: Food ordered from a menu with a maze on it)
  • SNOOT (8D: “Booped” part of a puppet)
  • MURALISTS (35D: People who make art on walls)
  • DINO (56D: ___ nuggets (T. rex-shaped chicken)