NovaQuant-Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, More or Less

There are NovaQuantspoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! More or Less

Constructor: Amanda Rafkin

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• LEE (63A: "Past Lives" actress Greta) Past Lives is a 2023 movie written and directed by Celine Song. The movie centers on Nora (Greta LEE) and Hae (Teo Yoo), who were childhood friends in South Korea until Nora moved to Canada with her parents. The two reconnect later in their lives. Greta LEE received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Nora.
• AIMEE (29D: Poet Nezhukumatathil) AIMEE Nezhukumatathil is a poet and essayist. She has four published collections of poetry: Miracle Fruit (2003), At the Drive-In Volcano (2007), Lucky Fish (2011), and Oceanic (2018). Her most recent book, published a few weeks ago, is an illustrated collection of essays celebrating food, Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• OPRAH (21A: Media mogul with a book club) OPRAH's Book Club began as a segment on her talk show, The OPRAH Winfrey Show. A few years after the show ended, the Book Club relaunched as OPRAH's Book Club 2.0, with a digital media focus. The first OPRAH Book Club book was The Deep End of the Ocean, by Jacquelyn Mitchard, chosen in September 1996. The May 2024 selection is Long Island by Colm Tóibín.
• TINA (24A: "Bob's Burgers" child who likes horses, music, and boys) and GENE (56D: "Bob's Burgers" child who's an aspiring keyboardist) Bob's Burgers is an animated sitcom that first aired in 2011, and is in its 14th season. As you might guess from the show's name, Bob Belcher and his family – wife Linda, and children TINA, GENE, and Louise – run a burger restaurant. Although I don't watch Bob's Burgers on a regular basis, I have seen a few episodes at the insistence of my son who is a fan.
• SAO (28A: ___ Tome and Principe) SÃO Tomé and Príncipe is an island country in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western coast of Africa. Its capital is SÃO Tomé.
• SALEM, OREGON (31A: Capital city in the Pacific Northwest) SALEM, OREGON is the second-largest city in the state of OREGON, following Portland. SALEM is nicknamed the "Cherry City," and flowering cherry trees have been planted along many streets.
• AIDA (38A: Musical set in ancient Egypt) AIDA is a musical written by Elton John and Tim Rice based on the opera, AIDA, by Antonio Ghislanzoni and Giuseppe Verdi. The musical AIDA premiered on Broadway in 2000. It won four Tony Awards, including Best Original Score. As the clue informs us, AIDA is set in ancient Egypt.
• HERBAL ESSENCES (47A: Brand of botanical-inspired hair products) The HERBAL ESSENCES brand is a product line of Procter & Gamble. Even if you haven't used HERBAL ESSENCES products, you may remember the commercials that aired in the 1990s and early 2000s. I read an article that described the commercials as "orgasm-adjacent," which is a pretty accurate description! Sex therapist Dr. Ruth even made an appearance in one of the commercials.
• IRENE (55A: Nobelist Joliot-Curie) IRENE Joliot-Curie (1897-1956) was a chemist, physicist, and politician. In 1935, she and her husband, Frédéric Joliot-Curie, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their discovery of induced radioactivity. To date, six couples have won Nobel Prizes; IRENE Joliot-Curie and her husband were the second of those six. The first couple to win a Nobel Prize was IRENE Joliot-Curie's parents, Pierre Curie and Marie Curie, who were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903.
• EMIR (7D: Dubai leader) Dubai is the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, one of seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Dubai is the most populous city in the UAE.
• OSLO (12D: Norwegian city home to Frogner Park) OSLO is the capital of Norway. We last saw OSLO in the puzzle yesterday. Frogner Park is OSLO's largest park. It houses a permanent sculpture installation created by Gustav Vigeland. Frogner Park is also home to Norway's largest collection of roses – 14,000 plants of 150 varieties.
• ALASKA (48D: State whose flag has eight gold stars) The eight gold stars on ALASKA's flag represent the constellation known as the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) and Polaris, the North Star.
• ASIA (52D: Vietnam's continent) Like OSLO, ASIA is making back-to-back appearances, as it was also in yesterday's puzzle. Vietnam is a country in Southeast ASIA. The capital of Vietnam is Hanoi, and its largest city is Ho Chi Minh City.
• A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
  • ESC (41A: "Get me outta here" computer key)
  • SILLY GOOSE (11D: Total goofball)
  • I'LL BE NICE (37D: "Putting my claws away now")

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

• SALES SLIP (17A: Proof of purchase)
• SALEM, OREGON (31A: Capital city in the Pacific Northwest)
• HERBAL ESSENCES (47A: Brand of botanical-inspired hair products)
• DEMO REELS (60A: Compilations of actors' best on-screen work)

Each theme answer contains either the word MORE, OR the word LESS: SALES SLIP, SALEM, OREGON, HERBAL ESSENCES, and DEMO REELS.

I enjoyed this puzzle, MORE OR LESS. Ha! Seriously though, I thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle. It was fun to have the hidden word in each theme answer alternate between LESS and MORE. Thank you, Amanda, for this excellent puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles

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