Crossword Blog & Answers for May 10, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher

Constructor: Jake Halperin

Editor: Anna Gundlach

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• SHAW (40D: “Killing Eve” actress Fiona)  Killing Eve (2018-2022) is a BBC series about an investigator, Eve Polastri, who is tracking the psychopathic assassin, Villanelle. The show is based on the Villanelle series of books by Luke Jennings. Sandra Oh portrays Eve (who is recruited off-the-books by MI6), and Jodie Comer plays the role of Villanelle. This much I knew, from writing about Killing Eve previously. Today I learned that Fiona SHAW portrays Carolyn Martens, the head of the Russia Section at MI6.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• BLIND (6A: Like some users of screen readers) Screen readers are assistive technology devices that convert texts and images into spoken words. In addition to being used by those who are BLIND, screen readers can also be beneficial to users who are visually impaired or who struggle with reading.
• CAIRO (14A: Egyptair hub city) CAIRO is the capital and largest city of Egypt. Egyptair, with its hub in CAIRO, is a state-owned airline of Egypt.
• YEN (19A: Currency of Japan) and LIRA (3D: Currency of Turkey) We’re getting a currency review today, so I decided to add a capital review along with it. Tokyo is the capital of Japan. Ankara is the capital of Turkey.
• ARCH (24A: Structure with a keystone) The keystone is the wedge-shaped piece at the top of an ARCH. During the construction of an ARCH, the keystone is the final piece placed. Until the keystone is in place, the ARCH will not be self-supporting.
• OKRA (31A: Gumbo thickener) and STEW (39D: Gumbo or goulash) Gumbo is a STEW that originated in Louisiana. Gumbo is made of meat or shellfish along with celery, bell peppers, and onions. Some gumbo is made using OKRA as a thickener, although filé powder (dried and ground sassafras leaves) may be used in its place. Goulash, which is a national dish of Hungary, is a meat and vegetable STEW.
• SCOTS (34A: Glaswegians, e.g.) Glaswegians is the demonym (the word used to denote a person from a specific place) for residents of Glasgow, which is the largest city in Scotland.
• ADAM (59A: “___ Ruins Everything” host Conover) ADAM Ruins Everything is an educational TV series that originally aired on TruTV from 2015-2019. ADAM Conover stars as himself, and serves as the host of the show who acts as a guide as common misconceptions are debunked through the use of sketches, time travel, and animated segments. Episodes include: “ADAM Ruins Cars,” “ADAM Ruins Voting,” ADAM Ruins Football,” and “ADAM Ruins What We Learned in School.”
• EMPIRE STATE (64A: Nickname for the Big Apple’s home) The Big Apple is a nickname for New York City, which is located in the EMPIRE STATE of New York. Interestingly, the origin of New York’s nickname of the EMPIRE STATE is unknown. It is thought that it may be a reference to the state’s wealth and resources. The EMPIRE STATE Building in New York City is named after the state nickname.
• AIOLI (68A: Emulsified garlic sauce) AIOLI is a garlic sauce used in northwestern Mediterranean cuisines. AIOLI is an emulsified sauce, which means it is a stable mixture of two liquids that are normally unmixable (meaning they separate upon standing). The liquids being combined in AIOLI are garlic juice (from crushing garlic) and oil.
• AC/DC (1D: “Thunderstruck” band) “Thunderstruck” is a 1990 song by the hard rock band AC/DC, from their album The Razors Edge. It is used as a theme song by the WNBA’s Seattle Storm.
• IBIZA (8D: Mediterranean island known for its club scene) IBIZA is an island in the Mediterranean Sea off the eastern coast of Spain. IBIZA is known for its nightlife, and is home to the “world’s largest nightclub,” according to the Guinness Book of World Records. UNVRS (previously known as Privilege IBIZA) has a capacity of 10,000 people. UNVRS has been closed since 2019, but is scheduled to reopen May 30 of this year.
• STAN (42D: Suffix for Kazakh- and Kyrgyz-) KazakhSTAN and KyrgyzSTAN are countries in Central ASIA. The countries border each other, and they are both landlocked. The Persian suffix -STAN means “place of” or “home of.” Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are two of the seven countries whose names end in the letters STAN. The other five countries are Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
• A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
  • A TO Z (21A: From ___ (the whole kit and caboodle))
  • GOSH (54A: “Well, butter my biscuit!”)
  • TAIL (2D: Part of mermaid costume)