- - Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, First Base

Sally Hoelscher, USA TODAYJuly 26, 2025 at 1:00 AM

There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! First Base

Constructor: Winston Emmons

Editor: Amie Walker

July 26, 2025What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle -

KNOWLEDGE WORKER (20A: Professional whose job involves critical thinking) Although its meaning is inferable, the term "KNOWLEDGE WORKER" is new to me. As the term implies, a KNOWLEDGE WORKER is one whose job is essentially to think. Examples of KNOWLEDGE WORKERs are Informational and Communications Technologists, physicians, pharmacists, scientists, designers, accountants, lawyers, librarians, and academics.

MAHOGANY (9D: "I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich ___" ("Anchorman" quote)) The 2004 movie Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is a satirical look at the action news format popular in the 1970s. Will Ferrell portrays Ron Burgundy, anchorman for a San Diego TV station. It is Ron Burgundy who says, "I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich MAHOGANY," as he is explaining that he is "kind of a big deal." Although I was familiar with the movie, I haven't seen it, and needed the help of crossing answers here.

SITAR (55D: Anoushka Shankar's instrument) The SITAR is a plucked instrument invented in India in the 13th century. Anoushka Shankar is a SITAR player who has been playing the instrument since she was eight years old. She has released multiple solo studio albums, including Anoushka (1998) and Chapter III: We Return to Light (2025). I am learning about Anoushka Shankar today, but I know of her father, Ravi Shankar (1920-2012), who was also a SITAR player.

NINO (62D: "The Godfather" composer Rota) NINO Rota (1911-1979) was an Italian composer, pianist, and conductor. He composed the music for the first two movies in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather trilogy. NINO Rota won an Academy Award for Best Original Score for The Godfather Part II.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things -

NOT IT (40A: "Nose goes" phrase) "Nose goes" is a method for choosing who is to do an unwelcome task. The last person to touch their nose and say "NOT IT" is the (un)lucky winner of the game. I was not familiar with "nose goes" (also known as the "nose game") until I was an adult. I suspect its popularity is regional.

YMCA (49A: Where "it's fun to stay," in a Village People hit) Thanks for the earworm, puzzle! The Village People released the song "Y.M.C.A." in 1978. "It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A..."

YOU (52A: "___ can't win 'em all") Back-to-back puzzle appearances for YOU. (Well, not YOU personally, but the word YOU.) Yesterday we saw YOU clued as [The "y" of "tysm"].

I, TINA (67D: 1986 autobiography of the "Queen of Rock 'n Roll") TINA Turner's 1986 autobiography, I, TINA, was the basis of the 1993 movie, What's Love Got to Do with It, in which Angela Basset played the leading role. The book was co-written by MTV news correspondent Kurt Loder.

NOM (72D: ___ de plume) NOM de plume is a French phrase used in English as a synonym of pen name or pseudonym.

GROWL (4D: "I'm a dog and I'm angry" sound) I will never get tired of clues such as this that put thought to animal sounds. They are silly and they tickle me.

AMELIA (5D: Aviator Earhart) AMELIA Earhart (1897-1937) was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic. She made her solo transatlantic flight in 1932. It was five years later, in 1937, that AMELIA EARHART disappeared while attempting to become the first female pilot to complete a circumnavigational flight of the globe.

OMAR (10D: "This Is Us" actor Epps) The TV series This Is Us (2016-2022) follows the lives of two parents (Rebecca and Jack) and their three children (Randall, Kate, and Kevin). The show is set in the present, but uses flashbacks and flash forwards to tell the family's story across several time frames. OMAR Epps joined the show in its fourth season, portraying Darnell Hodges.

WICCA (25D: Religion also known as "The Craft") WICCA, also known as "The Craft," is a religion that was introduced in the 1940s and 1950s. It is considered a modern pagan, earth-centered religion, influenced by various historical, pre-Christian beliefs. WICCA communities are known as covens.

PERCY (30D: "___ Jackson & the Olympians") PERCY Jackson & the Olympians is a book series by Rick Riordan that is based on Greek mythology. The books are set in a world in which Greek gods are alive in the 21st century. PERCY Jackson is a 12-year-old demigod (a part-human, part divine being). Throughout the series, PERCY is attempting to prevent the Titans from destroying the world.

LOU (48D: Gymnast Mary ___ Retton) Mary LOU Retton was the first American woman to win the Olympics all-around gold medal for gymnastics. That was at the 1984 Summer Olympics. She was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997. More recently, in 2018, Mary LOU Retton was a contestant on the 27th season of Dancing with the Stars. (I say, more recently, which is true, but that was still seven years ago!)

HAM (56D: Monte Cristo meat) A Monte Cristo is a HAM and cheese sandwich that is battered and deep fried.

A few other clues I especially enjoyed:

WHO (25A: "Is this someone I know?")

HOURS (26D: The month of August has 744)

STAR (37D: Shape of some chore chart stickers)

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis -

KNOWLEDGE WORKER (20A: Professional whose job involves critical thinking)

CUSTOMER LOYALTY (41A: What punch cards are designed to reward)

HOME FURNISHINGS (56A: Furniture, rugs, e.g., for a residence)

FIRST BASE: The FIRST word of each theme answer can be paired with the word BASE to form a new phrase: KNOWLEDGE BASE, CUSTOMER BASE, and HOME BASE.

The title of today's puzzle let me know just what to expect theme-wise. I enjoyed the three excellent grid-spanning answers that confirmed my guess about the theme. Congratulations to Winston Emmons making a USA Today crossword debut. Thank you, Winston, for this excellent puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles -

USA TODAY’s Daily Crossword Puzzles

Sudoku & Crossword Puzzle Answers

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Crossword Blog & Answers for July 26, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher

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