There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! Taste the Nation
Constructor: Matthew Stock
Editor: Amanda Rafkin
What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle
- AMIRA (2D: Historian ___ Rose Davis) AMIRA Rose Davis is an Assistant Professor in African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas, Austin. She specializes in 20th Century American History with an emphasis on race, gender, sports, and politics.
Random Thoughts & Interesting Things
- SOFAS (9A: Couches) and DIVAN (3D: Backless couch) Do you call these pieces of furniture SOFAS or couches? Or perhaps you have a DIVAN… I’m a SOFA person myself, though at the moment we only own a loveseat.
- ORANGE COUNTY (20A: Colorful region in the L.A. and Orlando areas) In California, ORANGE COUNTY is home to Los Angeles. In Florida, ORANGE COUNTY is home to Orlando. There are six additional states that have an ORANGE COUNTY: Indiana, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Vermont, and Virginia.
- POUNCES (24A: Strikes suddenly, like a cat) My cat, Willow, says she’s prepared to POUNCE at any moment … that’s why she’s sleeping with her paw out.
- ODE (33A: “___ of Broken Loyalty” (Sharon Olds poem)) Sharon Olds is a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet (2013) who currently teaches creative writing at New York University. You can read her “ODE of Broken Loyalty” on the American Poetry Review website.
- BOURBON STREET (35A: Historic New Orleans thoroughfare) BOURBON STREET is located in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. The 13-block street is known for its bars and strip clubs.
- AXEL (43A: Skater’s spinning jump) I’m highlighting this answer as a reminder to myself that a skater’s spinning jump is an AXEL, while the car part connecting the wheels is an axle.
- GMT (44A: International clock standard (Abbr.)) Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is (one of the names for) the time zone for the United Kingdom, including London. GMT is also sometimes used as a synonym for Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Greenwich Mean Time takes its name from Greenwich, London, the location of the Royal Observatory situated on the Prime Meridian that has played a significant role in the history of astronomy and navigation.
- TORTILLA FLAT (51A: Arizona stagecoach stop near the Superstition Mountains) TORTILLA FLAT is Arizona’s smallest community. This small town that was established in 1904 currently has a population of six.
- BAHAI (53A: Unity-focused religion) The BAHÁ’Í faith was established in the 1800s by Bahá’u’lláh, its prophet-founder who lived in Iran. The religion emphasizes the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. However, it features several places for tourists to visit, including the Superstition Saloon and a country store.
- ALIA (57A: “Arrested Development” actress Shawkat) Arrested Development is a TV series that revolves around the Bluth family. The Bluths used to be wealthy, and continue to live extravagantly even though they are no longer rich. ALIA Shawkat portrays teenager Mae “Maeby” Fünke.
- EMMYS (61A: Awards for “The Bear” or “The Crown”) The Bear is a TV series about Carmy Berzatto – portrayed by Jeremy Allen White – a chef from New York City who returns to his hometown of Chicago to run his family’s Italian beef sandwich shop, The Beef. The Bear won ten EMMYS in 2023 and four EMMYS in 2024. The Crown is a historical TV series about the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. From 2017 to 2024, The Crown won 11 EMMYS.
- ANN (12D: Filmmaker Hui) I learned about filmmaker ANN Hui from the September 18, 2025 puzzle. Her movies are known for highlighting the lives of women in Hong Kong. I thought it was fun that this clue about a filmmaker was immediately followed by SET (13D: “Quiet on the ___!”)
- TONAL (29DA: Like the Navajo language) In TONAL languages, various tones are used to distinguish the meaning of words. A single word may be said with different tones, and each tone will change the meaning of the word. The Navajo language is one of the most widely spoken Native American languages.
- ITALY (46D: Setting for Pixar’s “Luca”) Set in ITALY on the Italian Riviera, the animated movie Luca (2021) tells the story of its title character. Luca is a 12-year-old sea monster/boy – he assumes human form while on land.
Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis
- ORANGE COUNTY (20A: Colorful region in the L.A. and Orlando areas)
- BOURBON STREET (35A: Historic New Orleans thoroughfare)
- TORTILLA FLAT (51A: Arizona stagecoach stop near the Superstition Mountains)
TASTE THE NATION: Each theme answer is a place that begins with the name of a food.
It was fun to take a tour of the U.S. today. Take your pick whether you want to start in California or Florida. Then travel to Louisiana, and end up in Arizona. I like the fact that this tour starts in a COUNTY, then moves to a STREET, and ends in a FLAT. That was a fun narrowing of focus as one works down the grid. Thank you, Matthew, for this enjoyable puzzle.
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