NovaQuant-Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword, Save the Day (Freestyle)

There are NovaQuantspoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Save the Day (Freestyle)

Constructor: Erica Hsiung Wojcik

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• ORLA (58A: ___ McCool ("Derry Girls" character) Derry Girls is a British sitcom that originally aired from 2018-2022. The show centers on five teenage girls attending a girls' Catholic secondary school in Derry, Northern Ireland in the mid-1990s. One of the girls is ORLA McCool, portrayed by Louisa Harland. I had heard of Derry Girls, but was not familiar with the names of the characters, so I relied on crossing answers to help me here.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• MUSIC CITY (18A: Nashville's nickname) Nashville is the capital of Tennessee, and its most populous city. Nashville has earned the nickname of MUSIC CITY due to its long association with the music industry, particularly country music. Nashville is home to the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry.
• SAMBAR (33A: Stew made with tamarind broth) SAMBAR is a lentil-based vegetable curry. It is often served alongside dosa (thin pancakes). Tamarind is a fruit used in South Indian cuisine to flavor curries and rice .
• CANDY CORN (34A: Halloween treat that was originally called "Chicken Feed") This is a fun fact about the sweet seasonal treat that is ubiquitous at this time of year. CANDY CORN, aka "Chicken Feed," has been around since the late 1800s. The National Confectioners Association has deemed October 30 "National CANDY CORN Day."
• EILEEN (37A: 2023 Anne Hathaway film based on an Ottessa Moshfegh novel) On October 23, we saw ANNE clued as ["Eileen" actress Hathaway], and I wrote "EILEEN is a 2023 movie based on Ottessa Moshfegh's 2015 book of the same name." Sometimes I unintentionally foreshadow future clues! EILEEN is a psychological thriller that follows the relationship of two women who work at a juvenile detention facility.
• AUSTEN (48A: Author who wrote the novels that inspired "Aisha" (2010) and "Clueless" (1995)) Aisha is a Hindi-language movie set in the upper-class society of Delhi, India. Clueless is set in Beverly Hills, California. Both movies are loosely based on Jane AUSTEN's 1815 novel Emma. It's pretty amazing that it's been over two hundred years since Jane AUSTEN (1775-1817) died and her works are continuing to be adapted and provide inspiration.
• NATASHA (1D: "Poker Face" actress Lyonne) Poker Face is a TV series that premiered in 2023. It stars NATASHA Lyonne as a human lie detector. The "case-a-week" mystery series sees NATASHA Lyonne's character get involved in a new story each week. The show was created by Rian Johnson, who created the Knives Out mystery movies. I have seen a few episodes of Poker Face, and it's an interesting show. NATASHA Lyonne is incredible as Charlie Cale, a character who is reminiscent of Colombo.
• ASTLEY (12D: Rick who you might get Rickrolled by) Rick ASTLEY is an English singer whose debut single, "Never Gonna Give You Up" was released in 1987 and became a worldwide hit. The song gained additional popularity in the 2000s when it was used in an Internet meme. Rickrolling is the unexpected appearance of the music video for "Never Gonna Give You Up," when one is expecting something different.
• CELEBRATE (19D: "___ good times, come on!") If this clue inspired you to break out singing Kool & The Gang's 1980 hit "Celebration," you're not alone. "CELEBRATE good times, come on! (Let's CELEBRATE) ... There's a party going on right here / A celebration to last throughout the years..."
• WES (21D: Craven or Anderson) WES Craven (1939-2015) was a movie director and screenwriter. He is particularly known for SLASHER films. In a nice tie-in with the clue for SLASHER, (23A: ___ film ("Scream," e.g.)), WES Craven directed the first four Scream movies. He also created the franchise, A Nightmare on Elm Street. WES Anderson is also a movie director and screenwriter. His directorial works include The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), Isle of Dogs (2018), and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More (2024).
• HIMALAYAS (25D: Range with Mount Everest) The HIMALAYAS are a range of mountains in Asia. The HIMALAYAS cross five countries: Nepal, China, Pakistan, Bhutan, and India. Mount Everest, Earth's highest mountain, is located in the HIMALAYAS on the China-Nepal border.
• NSYNC (29D: "Bye Bye Bye" group) "Bye Bye Bye" was released by NSYNC in 2000. The song won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Pop Video. The music video begins with the band members as string puppets on a stage. Fun fact: "Bye Bye Bye" was used in the 2024 movie Deadpool & Wolverine, and Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) performed a choreographed fighting sequence that includes some of NSYNC's signature moves from the music video. The release of the movie led to renewed interest in the song.
• DEE (36D: Sandra ___ ("Gidget" actress)) Gidget is a 1959 movie starring Sandra DEE as the title character, Francine "Gidget" Lawrence, a teenager on summer break. She becomes involved with a group of surfers led by "The Big Kahuna" (Cliff Robertson). Gidget is also the name of a 1965-1966 TV series starring Sally Field as the title character. Both the movie and the TV series were based on concepts and ideas from Frederick Kohner's 1957 book, Gidget, the Little Girl with Big Ideas.
• DUNAWAY (40D: Actress Faye) Faye DUNAWAY's award-winning acting career has spanned seven decades. Her filmography includes The Thomas Crown Affair (1967), Mommie Dearest (1981), and The Rules of Attraction (2002). The 2024 documentary, Faye, explores her life and career.
• UFOS (49D: Vehicles in "Mars Attacks") Mars Attacks! is a trading card game released by Topps in 1962. The cards form a story arc, telling of an invasion of the Earth by Martians arriving in UFOS. A 1996 movie of the same name was based on the trading cards.
• A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
  • TANGY (17A: Like grapefruit (in a good way) or sour milk (in a bad way))
  • WASH ME (21D: Words often written in dirt)
  • PIE TINS (46A: Baking dishes that can be used to make giant cookies)

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

SAVE THE DAY (Freestyle): There's no theme today, as this is a freestyle, or themeless, puzzle. The title is a nod to HELP IS ON THE WAY (28A: Savior's saying).

This is a delightful themeless puzzle with a lot of lively answers. In addition to the answers I've highlighted above, I also enjoyed PLEASE CONTINUE, FAIR IS FAIR, and I WANT IT. Thank you, Erica, for this excellent puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles

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