Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's crossword, The Corporate Jungle (Freestyle)
Constructor: Ryan Mathiason
Editor: Amanda Rafkin
ENG (19A: Official language of Botswana (Abbr.) BOTSWANA is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is located north of the country of South Africa. The capital of BOTSWANA is Gaborone. The official language of Botswana is English (ENG.) and the national language is Setswana.
URSA (32A: ___ Minor (constellation)) URSA Minor is a constellation consisting of seven stars, the brightest of which is the North Star, Polaris. In Latin, URSA Minor means "Little Bear," which is another name used for the constellation.
GIN (33A: Juniper-flavored spirit) GIN is flavored with juniper berries and other herbal ingredients. GIN was originally produced for medicinal purposes – as long ago as the 11th century – thus the addition of the medicinal herb juniper.
SEC (35A: Conference with LSU and Auburn) The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a division in college athletics. The 16 members of the SEC include Louisiana State University (LSU), which is located in Baton Rouge, and Auburn, which is located in Auburn, Alabama.
BORN (44A: "A Star Is ___" (2018 film)) The 2018 movie version of A Star is BORN stars Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. It is the third remake of a 1937 movie of the same name that starred Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. The 1954 version of A Star is BORN starred Judy Garland and James Mason, and the 1976 remake starred Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson.
ARGH (47A: Frustrated cry) and TSK (4D: Disapproving sound) and AHH (45D: Sound of relaxation) I'm calling this trio "the sounds of this puzzle."
HASHTAG (49A: Social media symbol that looks like a tic-tac-toe board) It occurs to me that this tic-tac-toe board symbol might be an age test. At various times # has been known as a number sign, pound sign, and most recently, a HASHTAG.
REBA (6D: "I'm a Survivor" singer McEntire) "I'm a Survivor" is a 2001 song by REBA McEntire. More recently, REBA McEntire has been a coach on the reality singing competition, The Voice, and stars on the NBC sitcom, Happy's Place.
RAN (9D: Completed a marathon) and RACE (56D: Marathon, for example) A nice pair of clues.
SIR (29D: ___ Purr (rhyming Panthers mascot)) SIR Purr has been the mascot of the NFL's Carolina Panthers since 1995. My cat, Willow, has been the mascot of my blog since I began writing it in 2020. It's too bad pictures don't have sound, because Willow was indeed purring when I took this photo.
BAN HAMMER (34D: Virtual "tool" used to boot unruly commenters from live chats) Isn't BAN HAMMER a lovely descriptive name for this virtual tool?
OH HENRY! (42D: Candy bar whose name ends with an exclamation mark) An OH HENRY! candy bar has peanuts, caramel, and fudge, and is coated in chocolate. The candy bar was invented in 1920, but there's no consensus about how it got its name.
LAOS (46D: Country whose capital is Vientiane) LAOS is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia. Its capital, as the clue informs us, is Vientiane.
In addition to the answers I've highlighted above, I also like these long answers:
FINGERS CROSSED (3D: "Let's hope!")
ESPRESSO MAKERS (14D: Gadgets used by baristas to brew strong, rich coffee)
THE CORPORATE JUNGLE (Freestyle): There's no theme today, as this is a freestyle, or themeless puzzle. The title is a nod to two clues:
MONKEY BUSINESS (15A: Mischievous behavior)
BEAR MARKET (54A: Down time for the S&P 500)
This is the type of freestyle puzzle that I would call "themed-ish." Although there's not a theme in the traditional sense of three to five long answers connected by some wordplay component, we do have a pair of answers that have a connection. Sometimes a pair such as this is referred to as an "apt pair." MONKEY BUSINESS and BEAR MARKET are common phrases where the first word is an animal's name, and the second word is a synonym for a corporation. Thank you, Ryan, for this enjoyable puzzle.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Crossword Blog & Answers for March 31, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher
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