Blog

Constructor: Matthew Luter

Editor: Anna Gundlach

Comments from Today’s Crossword Constructor

Matthew: This one started out as a proposed set with the theme-related words at the end of phrases like HIGHWAY MEDIAN, WHAT DO YOU MEAN, and DEPECHE MODE. Amanda suggested that a little bit tighter set might have those words at the beginning of phrases, so after a bit of brainstorming, here we are. I do always enjoy getting references to music that I love into the puzzles I make. So, while Depeche Mode didn’t make the final cut, I was glad to get SINEAD in here at 30A and The Specials in the clue at 68A. Happy listening, and happy solving.

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• USA (60A: “Burn Notice” network) Burn Notice is a TV series that originally aired on the USA network from 2007-2013. The show’s title is a reference to burn notices issued by intelligence agencies to discredit agents or sources that are no longer reliable. The show centers on former spy Michael Weston (portrayed by Jeffrey Donovan), who has been cut off from the agency he used to work for and finds himself in Miami, Florida. Throughout the series he attempts to figure out who burned him and why.
• FIRE (29D: Pokemon type that is immune to burns) My knowledge of Pokémon is limited to what I have picked up in general conversation and from crosswords. There are various types of Pokémon, of which FIRE is one. A Pokémon’s type impacts their appearance, as well as how they fare in combat. Fortunately, it was fairly inferable that a FIRE Pokémon would be immune to burns, so with a little help from crossing answers, I was able to figure this out.

The Grammy-winning singer, 89, will be retiring from the stage this summer due to his elderly age and declining memory, Mathis’ team revealed Wednesday in a statement on his official Facebook page. Although Mathis will continue to perform on his ongoing Voice of Romance Tour this spring, all “concerts from June 2025 onwards are now canceled.”

“As many of you may already be aware, Johnny Mathis is approaching his 90th birthday this year,” the statement reads. “So, it’s with sincere regret that due to Mr. Mathis’ age and memory issues which have accelerated, we are announcing his retirement from touring and live concerts.”

Mathis, who has a handful of shows left in Pennsylvania, Indiana and California, is scheduled to perform his final concert on May 18 at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, New Jersey. Refunds for the scrapped performances will be “made through the original point of purchase,” per Mathis’ team.

The fifth episode of Season 48, titled “Master Class in Deception,” saw contestants first participate in a reward challenge where the winning tribe would visit the Sanctuary and be rewarded with pastries, iced coffees and milk.

The Lagi tribe emerged victorious, heading to the Sanctuary, and the Vula tribe came in second, using the reward to further bond as teammates.

But it was the immunity challenge that saw the standout emotional moment from this week’s episode. The three tribes started in the water, pulling a boat in with a rope. Once they got to the beach, they had to crawl under a wooden beam and dig through the sand until eventually each tribe member had to place a ball in a hole in a wooden maze puzzle.

Monday’s “Wheel of Fortune” episode saw contestant Bill Page of Wilmington, Delaware, put Ryan Seacrest in a headlock, prompting the host to promptly tap out.

The headlock came about when Seacrest asked Page about his time in the squared circle. “Would you like to show me one,” Seacrest asked about Page’s wrestling moves.

Once the hold was locked in, it appeared Page flashed back, sticking out his tongue as Seacrest dropped to the ground.

Luckily, Seacrest was none the worse for wear. His hair normally perfect hair, however, was a different story. When “Pet Peeves” came up as the next category, Seacrest joked: “My pet peeve is messing up my hair.”

An anonymous man from Southern California, filing as John Doe, alleged Combs sexually assaulted him on the set of a commercial in either 2022 or 2023, in a New York County Supreme Court complaint obtained by USA TODAY. He claims that while filming a “high-profile commercial,” Doe — describing himself as a “photographer/production assistant” — “struck up a conversation” with Combs.

Allegedly, after Combs invited Doe into his trailer, he demanded Doe perform oral sex on him and promised to “make your career take off.” Doe called the alleged incident “blatant sexual quid-pro-quo.”

“Combs framed this meeting as an opportunity for (Doe) to advance his career. (Doe), although hesitant, could not turn down what appeared to be a career-defining moment few ever receive,” the lawsuit reads. “The implication was clear, also, that if (Doe) did not perform oral sex on Combs to his satisfaction, his career would be over.”

The CBS talk show, which filled the network’s 12:30 a.m. slot following James Corden’s 2023 departure from “The Late Late Show,” will air its series finale in June, a year and a half after the program’s January 2024 debut.

Although “After Midnight” was renewed for a third season, Tomlinson is departing the show to focus on her stand-up comedy career.

“Hosting ‘After Midnight’ has genuinely been the experience of a lifetime, and I’ll be forever grateful for the opportunity to be part of this incredible journey,” Tomlinson said in a statement. “Though it was an extremely tough decision, I knew I had to return to my first passion and return to stand-up touring full-time.