Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Final Round

Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Final Round

There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solvetoday's puzzlebefore reading further!Final Round Constructors:Beth Rubin & Amanda Rafkin Editor:Amanda Rafkin LET FREEDOM RING (15A: Repeated phrase in Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech) Martin Luther King Jr.'s"I Have a Dream" speechwas delivered at a civil rights rally in Washington D.C. on August 28th, 1963. In the speech, Dr. King quoted part of the song "My Country 'Tis of Thee," saying "From every mountainside, LET FREEDOM RING!" Dr. King went on to list specific places to LET FREEDOM RING, including "from the mighty mountains of New York" and "from every hill and molehill of Mississippi." LOBOS (20A: University of New Mexico team) The University of New Mexico is located in Albuquerque. The nickname for their sports teams is the LOBOS, which is the Spanish word for wolf. CAT (26A: Pet that benefits from vertical space) This made me smile. CATs definitely like to climb and jump up on things. Here's a photo of my CAT, Willow, on a bookcase shelf trying to blend in with the books. OREO (27A: Black-and-white cookie) A straightforward clue today for our crossword friend OREO. CHE (44A: "Weekend Update" co-anchor Michael) and SNL (53D: Sketch show celebrating its 50th season)Weekend Updateis a satirical news sketch onSaturday Night Live(SNL). It is the longest-running recurring sketch onSNL. Chevy Chase was the firstWeekend Updateanchor, in 1975. The currentWeekend Updateanchors are Michael CHE and Colin Jost. REVIEWS (47A: Yelp postings) Yelp is a website and mobile app where users post REVIEWS about businesses. IT'S (52A: part of TGIF) and FRI (16D: Part of TGIF) It's too bad today isn't Friday, because we have half of TGIF represented in the puzzle. LIONS (57A: Pride members) Willow takes pride in this puzzle shout-out to her big cat cousins, the LIONS. ALTERNATIVE POP (3D: Lana Del Rey or Weezer genre) ALTERNATIVE POP is generally described as being more original, challenging, or eclectic than traditional POP music. It sometimes features a dark or downbeat emotional tone.Lana Del Rey's tenth studio album,Classic, is expected to be released sometime this year.Weezer's fifteenth studio album,Van Weezer, was released in 2021. CAR (24D: Piece in the board game Heat: Pedal to the Metal)Heat: Pedal to the Metalis a board game by Days of Wonder (the company that makes theTicket to Rideseries of board games). Players manage the cards in their hands to be the first to get their race CAR around the track. TLDR (25D: "here's a shorter version of that saga") TL;DR = too long; didn't read OPAL (27D: "Steven Universe" character named after a gem)Steven Universeis an animated TV show that tells of the adventures of magical alien warriors known as the Crystal Gems. The title character, Steven Universe, is a hybrid between a "Gem" and a human. The Crystal Gems are working to protect the Earth and the fictional town of Beach City. At times, two or more Gems may combine to create a larger, more powerful Gem, as is the case when Pearl and Amethyst fuse to create OPAL. The character of OPAL is voiced by Aimee Mann. TWEETY BIRD (32D: Cartoon character who says "I tawt I taw a puddy tat!") TWEETY BIRD is a Warner Bros. cartoon character who made his first appearance in 1944. TWEETY BIRD's signature line,"I tawt I taw a puddy tat!"is most often said about Sylvester the Cat. It's often followed by, "I did! I did taw a puddy tat!" THAIS (34D: Some actors in season 3 of "The White Lotus")The White Lotusis a TV series about a fictional resort chain called the White Lotus. The show, which premiered in 2021, is an anthology series, one that presents a different story or may have a different cast or be set in a different location each season. The show's third season is set in Thailand. BRAT (34D: That's the wurst!) The exclamation point in this clue alerts solvers to interpret it literally. A BRAT is literally "the wurst" (sausage). RELIC (42D: Tomb Raider collectible) This clue is a reference to theTomb Raiderfranchise of video games and movies. Lara Croft is the protagonist of the franchise. She finds and collects RELICs to study them. WII FIT (48D: Nintendo game that comes with a balance board) WII FIT is an exercise video game. It comes with a balance board that can be used for a variety of yoga, strength training, aerobics, and balance games. LENA (57D: "Game of Thrones" actress Headey) LENA Headey portrays Cersei Lannister on the TV seriesGame of Thrones(2011-2019). She received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations and a Golden Globe Award nomination for this role. LET FREEDOM RING (15A: Repeated phrase in Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech) THIRD WHEEL (38A: Person hanging out with a couple) COME FULL CIRCLE (60A: Return to the starting point) FINAL ROUND: The FINAL word of each theme answer is something that is ROUND: RING, WHEEL, and CIRCLE. The title for today's puzzle let me know exactly what to expect theme-wise. LET FREEDOM RING confirmed my guess, and then I looked forward to discovering the remaining ROUND things. Thank you, Beth and Amanda, for this enjoyable puzzle. USA TODAY's Daily Crossword Puzzles Sudoku & Crossword Puzzle Answers This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Crossword Blog & Answers for May 25, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher

byRobert Mejias

in

May 24, 2025

Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Final Round

Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Final Round There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solvetoday...

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In Netflix's 'The Eternaut,' an Argentine comic goes global as dystopia hits home

In Netflix's 'The Eternaut,' an Argentine comic goes global as dystopia hits home

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A group of friends gather to play cards in their host's cozy home when the power cuts. Cellphones die. An eerie snow falls all over the city, killing everyone it touches. The friends struggle to survive, their panic replaced by a growing awareness that humanity itself is at stake. This is the premise of "The Eternaut," a chilling dystopian drama out ofArgentinathat premiered its first season onNetflixon April 30. The six-episode, Spanish-language series with its mix of sci-fi elements and focus on humanity's resilience, has struck a universal nerve, rocketing to No. 1 among Netflix's most streamed non-English-language TV shows within days. Netflix already renewed the show for a second season, with filming scheduled to start next year. But "The Eternaut" has touched on something deeper in Argentina, where legendary comic-strip writer Héctor Germán Oesterheld penned the original graphic novel in 1957 — two decades before he was "disappeared" by Argentina'smilitary dictatorship, along with all four of his daughters. Abroad, publishers are scrambling to keep pace with renewed interest in the source material. The Seattle-based Fantagraphics Books said it would reissue an out-of-print English translation due to the surge in U.S. demand. At home, the TV adaptation hasreopened historical woundsand found unexpected resonance at a moment of heightened anxiety about the state of Argentine society underfar-right President Javier Milei. "The boom of 'The Eternaut' has created a cultural and social event beyond the series," said Martín Oesterheld, the writer's grandson and a creative consultant and executive producer on the show. "It fills our hearts. It brings us pride." An alien invasion hits home For years, the surviving Oesterhelds resisted offers from Hollywood to adapt the cult classic, wary of the industry's seemingly irresistible urge to destroy New York City and other Western centers in apocalyptic dramas. To honor his grandfather's creation, Martín Oesterheld said the show had to be filmed in Spanish, with an Argentine cast and set inBuenos Aires. "What he did was to do away with the representations of science fiction that we know in Europe and the United States," Martín Oesterheld said of his grandfather. "He told it on our own terms, through things that we recognize." Netflix, pushing to expand beyond its saturated U.S. market into previously untapped regions like Latin America, was a natural fit, he said. The streaming giant wouldn't disclose its budget, but said the special effect-laden show took four years of pre- and post-production, involved 2,900 people and pumped $34 million into Argentina's economy. In the show, aliens wreak predictable mayhem on an unpredictable cityscape — wide boulevards, neoclassical buildings, antique pizza halls and grimy suburbs — lending the show a shiver of curious power for Argentines who had never seen their city eviscerated on screen. The protagonists don't play poker but truco, a popular Argentine trick card game. They sip from gourds of mate,the signature Argentine drinkmade from yerba leaves. The snowfall is uncanny, and not just because it kills on contact. Buenos Aires has only seen snow twice in the last century. "From truco in scene one, which couldn't be more Argentine, we see that 'The Eternaut' is playing with these contrasts — life and death, light and darkness, the familiar versus the alien," said Martín Hadis, an Argentine researcher specializing in science fiction. "It's not just a sci-fi story. It's a modern myth. That's what makes it so universal." In updating the story to present-day Argentina, the show brings the nation's disastrous 1982 war with Britain overLas Malvinas, or the Falkland Islands, into the backstory of its hero, Juan Salvo, played byrenowned actor Ricardo Darín. Salvo, a protective father and courageous ex-soldier who emerges to lead the group of survivors, is haunted by the rout of his comrades sent by Argentina's dictatorship to retake the South Atlantic islands. The defeatkilled 649 Argentine soldiers, many of them untrained conscripts. "The conflict in Las Malvinas is not closed, it's still a bloody wound," Darín told The Associated Press. "It's bringing the subject back to the table. That has moved a lot of people." Argentine underdogs Faced with catastrophe, the protagonists rely on their own ingenuity, and on each other, to survive. What comes through, the creators say, is the Argentine saying "atado con alambre" — roughly, "held together with wire" — used to describe theinventive nature of those who do much with littlein a nation that has suffered through decades ofmilitary ruleandeconomic crises. "It says a lot about being Argentine — taking whatever you have at your disposal and pushing your limitations," said Martín Oesterheld. He was referring not only to the plot but also to the production at a time whenMilei has waged waron Argentina's bloated state andslashed fundingto cultural programs like the National Film Institute. "As our culture is being defunded, we're taking this Argentine product to the world," Martín Oesterheld said. Against this backdrop, the show's message of solidarity has gained an urgent new meaning, with Argentines outraged over Milei'slibertarian ideologytransforming the series' motto, "No one gets through it alone," into a rallying cry. The slogan was scrawled on signs at protests by retirees demonstrating againstthe government's sharp cutsto their pensions this month. To protectagainst police tear gas,some traded bandannas for the gas masks used in the show to shield against toxic snowfall. "There is a general policy these days that the state shouldn't take care of its citizens, which relates to individual freedom," Darín said. But there are many cases where if the state disappears completely, people are left to drift, as if they were shipwrecked." A search reignited As the Netflix series exploded out of the gate, missing-persons flyers for Héctor Oesterheld, his daughters and potential grandchildren popped up on billboards for "The Eternaut" all over Buenos Aires, a reminder of thereal-life horror storybehind the pulp adventure. By the time the military junta came to power in 1976, Oesterheld, 58, had become known as a committed leftist, his four daughters, ranging in age from 19 to 25, had joined a far-left guerilla group and the whole family had turned into a target of Latin America's deadliest dictatorship. Two of Oesterheld's daughters were pregnant at the time of their kidnapping. To this day, no one knows what happened to their unborn children, but they are believed to be among theestimated 500 newborns snatched from their parentsand handed over to childless military officers, their true identities erased. The three surviving members of the Oesterheld family have never stopped searching. Martín Oesterheld's grandmother, Elsa, who raised him after his mother was killed,banded together with other womendedicated to finding their missing grandchildren. They became known as theGrandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo. Seizing on national interest in the TV series, the Grandmothers this month issued public appealsfor help findingthe disappeared grandchildren. The response was overwhelming. "It was incredible, it went viral," said Esteban Herrera, who works with the Grandmothers and is still searching for his own missing sibling. "Since it's a science-fiction series on a platform like Netflix, we're reaching homes that the Grandmothers perhaps hadn't before." The outpouring of emails and calls raised more questions than answers. Reaching out were hundreds of Argentine viewers newly determined to find their own disappeared relatives or suddenly skeptical aboutthe legality of their own adoptions. "The Eternaut' is a living memory, a classic story that's passed down from generation to generation," said Martín Oesterheld. "For it to be embraced by so many people in this way ... there is no greater social commentary." ___ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean athttps://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

byRobert Mejias

in

May 24, 2025

In Netflix's 'The Eternaut,' an Argentine comic goes global as dystopia hits home

In Netflix's 'The Eternaut,' an Argentine comic goes global as dystopia hits home BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A group of frie...

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Artist Caravaggio's faith shines in new Rome exhibit and at churches run by Pope Leo XIV's order

Artist Caravaggio's faith shines in new Rome exhibit and at churches run by Pope Leo XIV's order

ROME (AP) — The Roman basilica ofthe Augustinians—Pope Leo XIV'sreligious order — preserves an iconic painting of theVirgin Maryby Caravaggio, the blockbuster artist who revolutionized the use of light and darkness in Western art. A new exhibit of works by the Baroque painter is now on view in Rome until July 6, allowing for an updated look at his connection with spirituality. From the Pilgrims' Madonna at the Basilica of St. Augustine to the Martyrdom of St. Ursula that closes the "Caravaggio 2025" exhibit, art historians and clergy are highlighting the connections between religious belief and Caravaggio's "chiaroscuro." "It's the light that directs us toward what for him are the key points of the story," exhibit curator Francesca Cappelletti said about the artist's spotlight on the main characters that emerge from encroaching darkness. "Our life experience makes sense only if invested by a spiritual light." The Caravaggio Madonna at the Augustinians' Basilica In the Augustinian Madonna, dating from the early 1600s, what hits the viewer at eye level are the dirty soles of a ragged pilgrim couple's feet as they kneel by the apparition of the Virgin Mary. She leans casually against a door frame as she holds a toddler-size Jesus. It's a far cry from the usual otherworldly, genteel depictions of most Madonnas. That makes it even more poignant within Augustinian spirituality, because it illustrates the encounter between man's nature and God's mercy, said the Rev. Pasquale Cormio, the basilica's rector. "We see God's wish to show himself to humankind as someone who walks alongside the poor," Cormio said. "It's certain that this Virgin Mary is close to a perhaps tired, perhaps wounded, certainly dirty humanity that is burdened by daily life." The name of the Pilgrims' Madonna references not only the two figures before Mary, but also the fact that on this spot, the Augustinians have welcomed pilgrims en route to the nearby Vatican since the end of the 13th century. It was to commemorate a pilgrimage to Loreto — a shrine in central Italy where tradition says Mary's house was miraculously airlifted — that the painting's well-connected patrons commissioned it, said Alessandro Zuccari. A member of Italy's prestigious Accademia dei Lincei, he wrote the chapter on spirituality in the Caravaggio exhibit catalog. The spirituality of a rebel artist In fact, despite his adventurous life and bluntly realistic art, Caravaggio worked for prestigious, pious patrons, including a cardinal, and is documented to have participated in Catholic rites includingEucharistic adoration, Zuccari added. That hardly fits the reputation for a transgressive "accursed artist" that Caravaggio — whose full name was Michelangelo Merisi — accrued over the centuries. "We don't know what Caravaggio thought, because he left no writings," Zuccari said. "I'm convinced, as are other experts, that Caravaggio has his own spirituality." Out of about 70 paintings by Caravaggio, more than 50 represent saints or Biblical scenes — even those destined for private collections, not churches, he added. Religious themes across Caravaggio's work at new exhibit Some of the best-known are among the two dozen paintings on view at Palazzo Barberini, covering the time from Caravaggio's arrival in Rome around 1595 to his death in 1610. They include works on loan from Dublin to Kansas City. There's Caravaggio's first religious painting,St. Francis of Assisi, who's depicted in an angel's arms while one of his early companions, Brother Leo, is barely visible in the surrounding darkness. It's an early example of those "oscuri gagliardi" — a bold darkness, as a 17th century art critic quoted in an exhibit panel put it. "Gagliardo" is a slang word Romans still use today to mean everything from panini to people with a special flair and power. Two other religious paintings with the same innovative use of light and darkness take a gruesome turn. In Judith Beheading Holofernes, the Jewish hero frowns in seeming disgust at the blood spurting from his neck. In David with the Head of Goliath, the dripping severed head is a self-portrait. In what's probably the artist's last painting before dying at age 39, and the last exhibited in the new show, Caravaggio also portrayed himself. He's the man peeking, stunned and openmouthed, from the darkness at the soldier who's just shot an arrow into St. Ursula's chest. More of Caravaggio's religious paintings are in chapels downtown Rome. The Conversion of Saul, an early version of which is in the exhibit, and the Crucifixion of Peter are in Santa Maria del Popolo, also an Augustinian community. Three paintings about St. Matthew are in San Luigi dei Francesi church. Two blocks away, back at St. Augustine's, pilgrims and tourists continue to flock to see Caravaggio and other artwork. For Cormio, welcoming them is a chance to encourage Augustinian spirituality. "Augustine also left us this teaching — that through the beauty of creation and the beauty of human works, too, we can capture something of the beauty of God," he said. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP'scollaborationwith The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

byRobert Mejias

in

May 24, 2025

Artist Caravaggio's faith shines in new Rome exhibit and at churches run by Pope Leo XIV's order

Artist Caravaggio's faith shines in new Rome exhibit and at churches run by Pope Leo XIV's order ROME (AP) — The Roman basilica ofth...

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Men of the Moment — Take Our Quiz to Find Your Perfect Summer Match!

Men of the Moment — Take Our Quiz to Find Your Perfect Summer Match!

Getty (4) Summer is here and that means it's time to find a companion for all your beach getaways, pool dates and late-night bonfires. Why not have your pick from some of the hottest men of the season? Our highly-scientific test will pair you with eitherBad Bunny, tennis starFrances Tiafoe,Brad PittorChristopher Briney. (Forget that most of these guys are spoken for. Again, this is in the name of science.) Mark your answers down then scroll to the bottom to find your match. No peeking! Choose your favorite summer drink: A)Gin gimletB)Rum punchC)Pomegranate margaritaD)Honey deuce Getty; courtesy grey goose What's your summer bucket list destination? A)South of FranceB)A Caribbean islandC)Wilmington, N.C.D)New York City If summer 2025 was a scent it would be… A)Motor oil and burnt rubberB)Sunscreen and tropical fruitC)S'mores and a bonfireD)Sweat and concession stand fries Getty What's your go-to poolside entertainment? A)Flipping throughArchitectural DigestB)Listening to a Hot Summer Hits 2025 playlistC)Devouring the latest beach readD)Watching sports highlights on YouTube What's your ideal summer date night? A)Sunset drive along the coastB)Front row at a concertC)Netflix and chillD)A round of pickleball Getty Which summer item are you stealing from his closet? A)His Burberry bucket hatB)His Gucci sunglassesC)His college hoodieD)His Lululemon sweatband What are you listening to all summer? A)Yacht rockB)ReggaetonC)Whatever is trending on TikTokD)Pump up jams Kym Illman/Getty Brad Pittmight be your soulmate. As a fan of Europe's finer offerings, you'll appreciate that the A-list star and founder of theorganic French gin, the Gardener,will be revving his engine insummer's hottest filmF1when it premieres June 27. Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Pack your bags because your new boyfriendBad Bunnywill be performing all season long in hishome of Puerto Rico for a sold-out residency. We can see you now, rocking out in the front row while sipping some "Pitorro de Coco." Daniele Venturelli/WireImage You're probably a fan ofThe Summer I Turned Pretty.Christopher Brineywill be heating up our TVs when the Prime Video show's final season premieres on July 16. Don't worry, in this fantasy relationship Briney's character Conrad is all yours, no messy love triangle! Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Frances Tiafoewould make a greatlovematchfor you. The professional tennis player is expected at the 2025 U.S. Open (Aug. 24-Sept. 7), and if your sporty nature says anything, you'll be sitting courtside when he makes his first serve. Did we ace it? For more fromPEOPLE's Hot Guy Summer issue, including cover star Shaboozey, pick up the latest issue, on newsstands now. Read the original article onPeople

byRobert Mejias

in

May 24, 2025

Men of the Moment — Take Our Quiz to Find Your Perfect Summer Match!

Men of the Moment — Take Our Quiz to Find Your Perfect Summer Match! Getty (4) Summer is here and that means it's time to find a compani...

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Miley Cyrus reveals leg 'began to disintegrate' from infection she contracted on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Miley Cyrus reveals leg 'began to disintegrate' from infection she contracted on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Miley Cyrusrecently detailed how a glamorous music video shoot on the Hollywood Walk of Fame led her to the hospital. Cyrus, 32, recalled the moment she filmed her "Something Beautiful" visual album and then landed in the ICU. "I filmed this video in October [2024] by November at Thanksgiving, I was put in the ICU for a moment — just for a moment," Cyrus said Thursday on"Jimmy Kimmel Live." Billy Ray Cyrus' Inauguration Stumble Reignites Years Of Household Drama: Who's Who In The Famous Family The "Wrecking Ball" singer shared she had been rolling around on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her music video. "I caught something," she remarked. "My leg began to disintegrate... around the kneecap area. And then the doctor goes, 'Do you have any idea why you would have such a brutal infection on your kneecap?'' Read On The Fox News App Cyrus pointed out the fact that her doctor had probably seen the worst in ahospital. However, she said the surgeon was completely grossed out by her infection. Like What You're Reading? Click Here For More Entertainment News "I had to tell him," she said. "To have a surgeon look at you and say, 'Yuck…' They open up cadavers. They see inside the guts of humans and they're looking at me, telling me I'm disgusting. And they do brain operations!" She continued to explain how she shot her music video on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the middle of the night to avoid paying costly rental fees. Miley Cyrus Reunites With Dad Billy Ray Cyrus, Breaks Silence On Rumored Feud With Parents "I had a big dream and a small budget. Well, I had a pretty good budget, but I spent it all on my clothes," Cyrus laughed. "Have you been to the Walk of Fame in the middle of the night?" she quipped. "I thought it was my last day." The former Disney star's comments come after she revealed another health scare she experienced earlier this year. While recording the "Miley's New Year's Eve Party," which she co-hosted withDolly Parton, Cyrus said she suffered an ovarian cyst rupture. "I had a medical emergency, I had an ovarian cyst rupture, which we didn't know exactly what was going on… but it was pretty traumatic… extremely excruciating and I did the show anyways… it was really hard on me," Cyrus said in an interview withZane Lowe. Original article source:Miley Cyrus reveals leg 'began to disintegrate' from infection she contracted on Hollywood Walk of Fame

byRobert Mejias

in

May 24, 2025

Miley Cyrus reveals leg 'began to disintegrate' from infection she contracted on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Miley Cyrus reveals leg 'began to disintegrate' from infection she contracted on Hollywood Walk of Fame Miley Cyrusrecently detailed...

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