Time to clock in!
SUNDAY PUZZLE — Hello solvers! We hope everyone’s summers are going well, and we’re so pleased to share our first joint Sunday puzzle with you all. This is Alex’s Sunday debut, and he only leveraged Talia’s expertise to do 75% of the fill. This puzzle is dedicated to all corporate baddies navigating office culture for the first time in their summer internships. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ping Project Manager Talia (taliabla@umich.edu) and Domain Owner Alex (alexrw@umich.edu) before their innies clock out. If you have any general concerns, be sure to contact the Chief Crossword Officer (CCO) at crosswords@umich.edu
Tricky Clues:
29A. This clue refers to LVA, as in the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA. Anyone who knows Talia knows she is a big sports fan, especially women’s basketball, so we thought this was a perfect way to add a sports reference into our crossword. Three-time MVP A’ja Wilson is one of the most decorated players in women’s sports today, but her Aces are currently having a mediocre season after winning championships in two of the last three seasons.
61A. This clue refers to Restrictive Early Action, or REA. This non-binding college application option lets you lock in your top choice before regular decision deadlines. But that peace of mind doesn’t mean much once you see the $70k price tag. Maybe the T100 state school that won’t burn a meteorite-sized hole in your (or your parents’) pocket isn’t so bad after all.
7D. This clue refers to TONSIL. As one of two masses in the back of the throat, this thing can cause big trouble. Alex would know after getting chronic tonsillitis that lasted nine months and proved resistant to seven rounds of antibiotics. As much as we’re happy this entry made the final cut, we’re equally thrilled Alex’s tonsils finally got cut out.
37D. This clue refers to UGLYCRIED. We went back and forth on how we wanted to clue this entry. But when thinking back on iconic ugly cries, we couldn’t ignore Kim Kardashian’s infamous sob after losing her $75,000 diamond earring in the ocean. “People are dying,” but we’re dying laughing at this meme years later.
49D. If you’ve been online at all in the past month or so, you may have encountered people talking about Labubus or Dubai chocolate. This clue refers to TRENDY, as in the aforementioned fads that have taken the world by storm. We can’t say we completely understand them, especially the mischievous-faced Labubu dolls, but hey, to each their own!
Today’s Theme:
We decided to make this puzzle because of our amusement for the language used in corporate offices everywhere. If you are currently working in a corporate job or internship, hopefully you are now amply prepared to solve this. Throughout the grid, we decided to include some of our favorite buzzwords, including TOUCHPOINT (16-Across), NETWORKING (23-Across), and CIRCLE BACK (56-Across), culminating with the revealer of CORPORATE JARGON (40-Across). Shout out to you if you spotted the other corporate-themed entries and clues throughout the puzzle, including BAND (19-Across) and WIDTH (11-Down), CTO (45-Across), and LAID (30-Across). You may also notice that the top right and bottom left corners of the puzzle are completely isolated from the broader fill. This was a deliberate design choice to highlight the common feeling of ‘severance’ between our personal and corporate personalities and lives. We hope you enjoy and let’s touch base again soon!
Answer Key:
