Charles Langston:Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword, Where's the Competition?

There are Charles Langstonspoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Where's the Competition?

Constructor: Garrett Herzfeld

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• CAR (51A: Coca-Cola 600 vehicle) The Coca-Cola 600 is an annual NASCAR race. It is held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. This is the same day as the Indianapolis 500, but the Coca-Cola 600 starts later in the day. Competing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day is referred to as Double Duty, and is considered one of the most difficult feats in motorsport.
• DRAG (64A: Performance that may include a "death drop") A "death drop" refers to a dance move that involves the dancer falling backwards into a pose on the ground, with one leg bent back at the knee. The move has been popularized by some DRAG performers, particularly on RuPaul's DRAG Race.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• ASIA (14A: Largest continent) ASIA is nearly 1.5 times larger than Africa, the second largest continent. Not only is ASIA the largest continent, it is also home to the highest point on Earth, Mount Everest. ASIA is making its second appearance of the month, just three days after its first.
• MAUI (16A: Tattooed demigod in "Moana") The island of MAUI is named for a demigod in Polynesian mythology who is known for being a trickster. That demigod is a character in Disney's 2016 animated movie, Moana, which is set on a Polynesian island. MAUI is voiced by Dwayne Johnson, who reprises the role in Moana 2, scheduled for release in November of this year.
• MAT (23A: Yoga pad) This felt like a bonus theme answer today, as some sports competitions take place on MATs.
• YES (25A: "___, Chef!") "YES, Chef!" is a catchphrase on the TV series, The Bear. The show is about a chef from New York City who returns to his hometown of Chicago to run his family's Italian beef sandwich shop, The Beef.
• ELLE (62A: ESPN sports anchor Duncan)  ELLE Duncan is an anchor for ESPN. She currently co-hosts an edition of SportsCenter with Kevin Negandhi. ELLE Duncan also co-hosts a YouTube show and podcast, The ELLE Duncan Show.
• FRIDA (63A: Mexican painter Kahlo) Mexican artist FRIDA Kahlo (1907-1947) has been described as one of the most instantly recognizable artists. This is partly due to the fact that many of her works were self-portraits. FRIDA Kahlo's work was influenced by Mexicanidad, a Mexican identity that places special importance on indigenous cultures.
• FANS (1D: Charli XCX's are called Angels) Charli XCX is an English singer and songwriter. Her most recent album, released in June of this year, is titled Brat. It was this album and its cover that began the "brat summer" trend. I appreciate the fact that this answer is somewhat inferable even for solvers who might not be familiar with Charli XCX, as this name for her FANS is reminiscent of the Charlie's Angels franchise.
• SINGER (8D: Alicia Keys, e.g.) Two weeks ago we saw SINGER clued as [Chappell Roan, e.g.]. Who will be the next artist featured in a clue for the word SINGER?
• AMOR (10D: Casa ___ ("Love Island" destination)) Love Island is a dating reality show franchise. The U.S. version of the show, which premiered in 2019, is based on the British version with the same name. The premise of the show is that a group of contestants live in a villa, isolated from the outside world and under video surveillance. On the first day the islanders (as the contestants are called) couple up based on their initial chemistry. Casa AMOR is a twist that is introduced sometime during the series. It involves the group being split into two groups, with either the males or females staying at the original villa, and the other group moving to a second residence called "Casa Amor." New contestants are then introduced to each group.
• IDA (18D: NAACP founder ___ B. Wells) IDA B. Wells (1862-1931) was an investigative journalist. She was one of a group of people who founded NAACP in 1909. Other co-founders include W. E. B. Du Bois, Mary White Ovington, and Moorfield Storey.
• HERO (27D: "My ___ Academia" (manga series)) The manga series, My HERO Academia, and the anime series based on it, are set in a world where superpowers (called Quirks) are common. The manga, which is written and illustrated by Kōhei Horikoshi, follows a boy born without a Quirk, who would like to become a superhero.
• SOO (30D: "Hamilton" actress Phillipa) In 2015, Phillipa SOO originated the role of Eliza Hamilton in the Broadway production of Hamilton. Currently, Phillipa SOO is portraying a nurse practitioner in the TV medical drama, Doctor Odyssey, that premiered in September of this year. Doctor Odyssey follows the experiences of a medical team on a luxury cruise ship.
• AREA (36D: Roughly 53,819 square miles, for North Carolina) I enjoy when clues for AREA give a specific example such as this. The AREA of North Carolina places it 28th in the list of largest U.S. states (so in the bottom half).
• A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
  • HOG HEAVEN (9D: Pig's place of bliss)
  • STALE (48D: Like week-old injera, probably)
  • AC/DC (55D: Band known as "Acca dacca" in their native Australia)

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

• NAPKIN RING (17A: Part of a fancy place setting)
• ORDER IN THE COURT (38A: Judge's outcry)
• FORCE FIELD (60A: Invisible energy barrier)

WHERE'S THE COMPETITION: The last word of each theme answer is a COMPETITION venue: RING, COURT, and FIELD.

After reading the title today, I was intrigued, but didn't have a guess about what the theme would be. There was a nice "Aha!" moment upon filling in NAPKIN RING, and recognizing a RING as a place for (boxing) COMPETITIONs. Congratulations to Garrett Herzfeld making a USA TODAY debut! Thank you, Garrett, for this enjoyable puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles

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