- - Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword, Romance Trope (Freestyle)

Sally Hoelscher, USA TODAYJuly 24, 2025 at 6:00 AM

There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Romance Trope (Freestyle)

Constructor: Sam Cordes

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

July 24, 2025What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle -

ONEIDA (4D: People whose men wear kastowehs) The ONEIDA are one of the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee, an Iroquoian-speaking confederacy of Indigenous and First Nations peoples in northeast North America. Kastowehs are traditional Iroquois headdresses. Kastowehs worn by ONEIDA men bear the tribe's insignia, three eagle feathers – two up and one down.

SPAMMING (8D: Repeatedly using the same action in a video game) I was not familiar with the meaning of SPAMMING as it relates to video gaming. I am, of course, familiar with SPAMMING in the sense of sending the same email message repeatedly to multiple users. As the clue explains, SPAMMING in reference to video gaming is similar; it refers to using one action repeatedly. In learning about this definition of SPAMMING, I also learned that there is a bit of discussion amongst gamers about what exactly constitutes SPAMMING.

MLEM (14D: Internet slang for a cat sticking its tongue out) The word MLEM is new to me! Somehow I have missed learning that MLEM has come to mean the act of an animal sticking its tongue out. It can also be used to refer to the sound made by such an action. I do have a photo to illustrate a MLEM, courtesy of my cat, Willow.

WillowRandom Thoughts & Interesting Things -

OMAN (12A: Only country whose name begins with "O") OMAN is a West Asian country located on the Arabian peninsula. The capital of OMAN is Muscat. This clue shares the fun fact that OMAN is the only country whose name begins with the letter O.

MANGA (18A: "Naruto," e.g.) Naruto is a Japanese MANGA and anime series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The title character is a young ninja who dreams of becoming the leader of his village.

NOTARIES (25A: Officials who leave an impression?) NOTARIES are officials who witness and verify signatures on documents. This is often acknowledged with the use of a special seal or stamp. Therefore, while NOTARIES may "leave an impression," as in "have a memorable effect on you," the wordplay in this clue (as indicated by the question mark) is that they "leave an impression" by "stamping a document."

ORA (44A: "For You" singer Rita) "For You" is a 2018 song by Rita ORA and Liam Payne. The song was included on the soundtrack to the movie Fifty Shades Freed. Rita ORA also appeared in the movie, as Mia Grey.

SHE BOP (45A: 1984 Cyndi Lauper hit) "SHE BOP" is a 1984 song from Cyndi Lauper's debut album, She's So Unusual. When the song was first released, it was considered controversial because it deals with female masturbation. The Parents Music Resource Committee, a group founded in 1985 aimed at increasing parental control over children's access to music, included "SHE BOP" on its "Filthy Fifteen"list.

RED ROVER (47A: Chain-breaking playground game) Ah, this clue / answer pair brought back memories of many hours spent on the elementary school playground shouting, "RED ROVER, RED ROVER, send (child's name) right over!" I never really enjoyed this game, because, not being an athletic type, I was frequently a target. RED ROVER has been banned by many schools because of the potential for injury.

DALE (57A: "Chip 'n ___: Rescue Rangers") Chip 'n DALE: Rescue Rangers (1989-1990) is an animated TV series featuring the title chipmunks operating a detective agency named Rescue Rangers. Chip 'n DALE: Rescue Rangers is also the name of a 2022 live action/animated movie based on the TV series. The movie, which is set 30 years after the TV series, is set in a world where fictional characters live alongside humans.

GOSH (63A: "Shiver me timbers," to a non-pirate) When I read this clue I thought, "I've never thought about what 'Shiver me timbers' actually means." GOSH, now I know!

ANTS (64A: Many "A Bug's Life" characters) A Bug's Life is a 1998 animated movie whose plot was inspired by the Aesop fable, The ANT and the Grasshopper. There are a number of ANTS in A Bug's Life.

AOL (1D: "You've Got Mail" company) This clue is a nice bonus entry. The capital letters in "You've Got Mail" alert solvers that this clue is talking not just about the catchphrase used by America Online (AOL), but specifically about the 1998 rom-com You've Got Mail. The movie stars Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks who don't exactly start the movie as BITTER ENEMIES, but only because Meg Ryan's character doesn't know the true identity of Tom Hanks' character. The two definitely end up becoming LOVE INTERESTS.

RABBIT HOLE (3D: You might fall down one while reading Wikipedia articles) Welcome to my world! I fall down a Wikipedia RABBIT HOLE on a regular basis while writing "Off the Grid."

STARR (26D: Nigerian singer-songwriter Ayra) In 2019, Ayra STARR began uploading covers of songs on Instagram. Then she posted an original song, and that led to a record contract with Nigerian label, Mavin Records, and a 2021 album titled 19 & Dangerous. The Nigerian singer says she chose the stage name Ayra because, "It means woke and eye-opening and that's what I stand for." Ayra STARR's most recent album, released in 2024, is titled The Year I Turned 21.

EUROVISION (28D: Song contest that ABBA won in 1974) The EUROVISION Song Contest is an international competition in which participants representing European countries sing original songs. Countries then cast votes to determine the winner. EUROVISION has been held annually since 1956 (with the exception of 2020). As the clue informs us, ABBA won EUROVISION in 1974. The represented Sweden with their song, "Waterloo."

SCARES (29D: Emulates a Monsters, Inc. employee) Monsters, Inc. is a 2001 animated Pixar movie. The movie is set in the city of Monstropolis. At the Monsters, Inc. factory, monsters venture into the human world to SCARE children.

SADIE (38D: ___ Hawkins dance) For a SADIE Hawkins dance, girls invite boys to be their dates, rather than vice versa. The dance is named after a character in Al Capp's Li'l Abner comic strip.

ORTEGA (48D: "Miller's Girl" actress Jenna) Miller's Girl is a 2024 movie in which Jenna ORTEGA portrays a high school senior who enters into a complicated relationship with her creative writing teacher (portrayed by Martin Freeman).

A few other clues I especially enjoyed:

PASTRIES (5D: Desserts whose letters can aptly be found in "patisserie")

KMART (34D: "Attention ___ shoppers...")

THE (60D: Word ignored when alphabetizing)

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

ROMANCE TROPE (Freestyle): There's no theme today as this is a freestyle, or themeless, puzzle. The title is a nod to two answers:

BITTER ENEMIES (19A: They might make each other's blood boil)

LOVE INTERESTS (52A: They might make each other's hearts race)

This puzzle is an example of my favorite kind of themeless puzzle, one in which some of the answers relate to each other, making it "themed-ish." In this case, the puzzle's two long answers are hinting at the classic ROMANCE TROPE – two people who start out as BITTER ENEMIES and end up as LOVE INTERESTS. I really enjoyed these two answers and the way their clues were written. Thank you, Sam, for this delightful puzzle.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Crossword Blog & Answers for July 24, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher

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