There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! Blow Out

Constructors: Amie Walker & Amanda Rafkin

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• TOTS (24A: Target audience for “Rainbow Rangers”) Rainbow Rangers is an animated TV series for TOTS. The show, which originally aired on Nick Jr. from 2018-2022, follows the adventures of seven nine-year-old girls who live in Kaleidoscopia. Their names are Rosie Redd, Mandy Orange, Anna Banana, Pepper Mintz, B.B. Blueberry, Indy Allfruit, and Lavender LaViolette.
• LEN (61D: “Steal My Sunshine” group) LEN is an alternative rock duo comprised of siblings Marc Costanzo and Sharon Costanzo. They released “Steal My Sunshine” in 1999, and it is their most well-known song to date.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• RABBI (1A: Leader well-versed in the Talmud) The Talmud is the central text of Judaism, and a RABBI is a Jewish spiritual leader.
• OOO (15A: “Talk to me after my vacation” inits.) OOO = Out Of Office
• BODAK YELLOW (16A: Cardi B hit with a colorful name)  “BODAK YELLOW” by Cardi B was released in 2017 and reached the top of Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart. Cardi B was the second female rapper to reach the top of the charts with a solo song; the first was Lauryn Hill with “Doo-Wop (That Thing)” in 1998.
• ERIN (21A: “The Green Knight” star Kellyman) The Green Knight is a 2021 medieval fantasy movie adapted from a 14th-century poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. ERIN Kellyman portrays Winifred, a martyred Welsh saint.
• DEC (23A: National Cat Lovers Month (Abbr.)) It’s true, December (DEC.) is officially National Cat Lovers Month. Of course, my cat, Willow, makes sure that in our house every month is Cat Lovers Month. The other day Willow made me laugh by turning her back on me and just sitting facing the corner for quite some time.

• PALM (35A: “My pain fits in the ___ of your freezing hand”) This lyric – “My pain fits in the PALM of your freezing hand” – is from Taylor Swift’s song, “Ivy,” from her album Evermore (2020).
• BARRY MANILOW (36A: Singer who “writes the songs that make the whole world sing”) Thank you very much for this earworm! BARRY MANILOW released “I Write the Songs” in 1975. I was 10 years old at the time, which was apparently the perfect age to lodge these lyrics firmly in my brain. As soon as I read this clue I started singing, “I write the songs that make the whole world sing / I write the songs of love and special things / I write the songs that make the young girls cry / I write the songs, I write the songs.” BARRY MANILOW didn’t actually write “I Write the Songs;” that was Bruce Johnston. Additionally, BARRY MANILOW wasn’t the first to record “I Write the Songs;” Captain & Tennille and David Cassidy beat him to it. However, BARRY MANILOW’s version of “I Write the Songs” was the first to become a hit.
• MASALA (50A: Garam ___ (spice blend)) The composition of the South Asian spice blend garam MASALA varies by region, but may contain bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, mace, cardamom, cumin, coriander, and/or chili powder.
• LYE (58A: Bagel-making chemical) To make bagels, yeasted wheat dough is shaped into a ring, briefly boiled in water (that may contain LYE, baking soda, barley malt syrup, or honey), and then baked.
• SON-IN-LAW (10D: Joel Madden, to Lionel Richie) Joel Madden is the lead vocalist of the rock band Good Charlotte. He’s also married to Nicole Richie, who is Lionel Richie’s daughter. That makes him Lionel Richie’s SON-IN-LAW.
• COUNCIL (11D: The ___ of Elrond) “The COUNCIL of Elrond” is the title of the second chapter of Book 2 of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
• YAO (17D: NBA legend Ming) YAO Ming is a former professional basketball player. He played for the Chinese Basketball Association’s Shanghai Sharks from 1997-2002, and for NBA’s Houston Rockets from 2002-2011. He was inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. From 2017-2024, YAO Ming was President of the Chinese Basketball Association.
• THOR (24D: Avenger who wields Mjolnir) Mjölnir is THOR’s magical hammer.
• DATING APP (25D: Internet connection point?) As I have previously noted, when a clue includes a question mark at the end, but the clue is not a quotation, the question mark is an indication to solvers that there is some sort of word play going on. In this case, a DATING APP is not a way to connect to the Internet, but rather an Internet APP used to make connections. Fun clue!
• LAO (39D: Southeast Asian language) The LAO language is spoken by the LAO people, and is the official language of Laos, a landlocked country in Southeast Asia. LAO is also spoken in northeast Thailand. 
• IMS (44D: “a/s/l?” exchanges) Not to be confused with ASL, which stands for American Sign Language, “a/s/l?” stands for “age/sex/location?” That’s a conversation for the IMS.
• CHI (59D: The WNBA’s Sky, on scoreboards) The WNBA’s Chicago SKY (CHI on scoreboards) play their home games at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. The team was formed in 2006, and they were the 2021 WNBA Champions. 
• A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
  • GOD YES (45A: “Oh, absofreakinlutely)
  • URLS (7D: Addresses you can’t physically go to)
  • BATTER UP (36D: Umpire’s invitation)

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

• BODAK YELLOW (16A: Cardi B hit with a colorful name)
• BARRY MANILOW (36A: Singer who “writes the songs that make the whole world sing”)
• BODY PILLOW (60A: One might be hugged while you sleep)

BLOW OUT: The word BLOW is found at the OUTside edges of each theme answer: BODAK YELLOW, BARRY MANILOW, and BODY PILLOW.

Even when I guess the theme from the title, as I did today, I still enjoy uncovering each theme answer. It’s reassuring to confirm my guess, and it’s fun to see what answers fit the theme. This is a delightful set of theme answers. Thank you, Amie and Amanda, for this super puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles

• USA TODAY’s Daily Crossword Puzzles
• Sudoku & Crossword Puzzle Answers