Sally solves USA TODAY’s daily crossword puzzle, Get Moving! (Freestyle)

Spoilers ahead. You may want to solve today’s puzzle before reading any further! Get Moving! (Freestyle)

Constructor: Claire Rimkus

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

What I learned from today’s puzzle

• TREAT (43A: Little ___ culture (form of self-care that involves rewards)) While the term “little TREAT culture” is new to me, the practice is not. I am a firm believer in treating myself! Little TREAT culture is exactly what it sounds like: indulging in a little TREAT (maybe a cup of coffee, a walk to the park, or solving a crossword puzzle) as a reward (maybe for running errands, finishing a work assignment, or paying bills). The term “little TREAT culture” originated on TikTok, where many videos encourage people to TREAT themselves. When used correctly, little TREATs can provide a mental boost and play a role in self-care; it’s science.

Random thoughts and interesting things

• MALE (15A: Like bright red cardinals) As with many bird species, MALE and female cardinals have different colors. MALE cardinals are bright red, while female cardinals are light brown with a reddish tint to the wings, crest, and tail feathers. Young cardinals have a coloration similar to that of female cardinals, regardless of sex. A MALE cardinal only gets its characteristic red color after it has molted and grown its adult feathers.

• GYMNASTICS (18A: Simone Biles‘ sport) During the Summer Olympics in Paris that are currently taking place, there has been a lot of news about Simone Biles doing GYMNASTICS. Simone Biles comes home from Paris with three gold medals and one silver medal. That brings her total Olympic medals to 11. Simone Biles has also won 30 World Championship medals. She is the most decorated athlete in the history of GYMNASTICS.

• KWAGS (22A: Swags back and forth, like a tail) My cat, Willow, has an extremely fluffy tail, and when she KWAGS with it, she doesn’t always pay attention to where she’s going. She’s been known to swipe things off the table with her tail, and every now and then I get a face full of tail.

• TIP (26A: “Ugh, it’s right on the ___ of my tongue!”) The older I get, the more words get stuck right on the TIP of my tongue!

• OSLO (34A: Capital of Norway) Besides being the capital, OSLO is the most populous city in Norway. OSLO is located at the northernmost point of the Oslofjord, one of the many fjords that form the coast of Norway.

• SOY (40A: Tamari ingredient) Tamari is a Japanese sauce made from fermented soybeans. It is similar to SOY sauce, but is slightly thicker (and gluten-free)

• CBS (52A: “The Equalizer” TV Network) The equalizer is a crime drama television series that premiered in 2021 on CBS. The show is a reboot of a series of the same name that aired on CBS from 1985 to 1989. The reboot stars Queen Latifah in the title role, a former CIA agent who turns vigilante to help those who are struggling get justice. The fifth season of The equalizer is scheduled to air later this year.

• ARTS (56A: The “A” in STEAM) In education, the acronym STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, ARTS, and mathematics. STEAM programs integrate ARTS-related skills—such as design and creative thinking—into STEM teaching.

• WASP (58A: Ant-Man’s partner) Ant-Man and WASP are Marvel Comics characters. In the Marvel movies Ant-Man and the WASP (2018), and Ant-Man and the WASP: Quantumania (2023), the characters are played by Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly, respectively. Ant-Man and WASP both have suits that allow them to shrink or grow in size as they become stronger.

• TODAY (68A: Day after tomorrow) I really enjoyed this clue! I had to think about it for a moment and then, “Aha!”

• SVEN (70A: Reindeer in “Frozen”) In the Disney animated films Frozen (2013) and Frozen II (2019), SVEN is Kristoff’s reindeer friend. (Kristoff is an iceman who lives in the mountains.) During the making of FrozenDisney brought a live reindeer into the studio so that animators could study its movements. They learned that reindeer scratch their heads with their hind legs, much like dogs. Although SVEN is not a talking animal, Kristoff sometimes “talks” for him, verbalizing what SVEN might be thinking. Jonathan Groff, who voices Kristoff, also provides the voice of SVEN for these moments.

• GINA (3D: “Suits” actress Torres) GINA Torres played the role of Jessica Lourdes Pearson in the legal drama, To take (2011-2019). She reprised the role in the spin-off TV series, Pearsonwhich aired for one season in 2019. GINA Torres currently stars as Emergency Medical Services Captain Tommy Vega on the TV series, 9-1-1: Lone Star.

• ALMA (7D: “___ and how she got her name” (children’s book)) ALMA and how it got its name is a picture book by Juana Martinez Neal. It is about a young girl named ALMA Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela. She thinks she has too many names, until her father tells her the story of each of her names. Fun fact: We have seen this book title used before to mean the words GOT, HER, and NAME.

• ASIA (19A: Angkor Wat continent) Angkor Wat, located in Cambodia, is a complex originally built as a Hindu temple for the Khmer Empire in the early 12th century. It was gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the century. Angkor Wat is spread over 400 acres and the Guinness World Records considers it the world’s largest religious building. Although no longer used as a temple, Angkor Wat attracts many visitors and is still considered by many to be a spiritual place. This is the first appearance of our crossword friend ASIA this month.

• PIE (27D: Dessert eaten on Pi Day) I always like to see mentions of Pi Day and PIE in the table.

• SLEEP STUDY (31D: Procedure That Can Diagnose Apnea) SLEEP apnea is a condition in which a person’s breathing temporarily stops more often than normal (defined as more than five times per hour) while they are asleep. As you can imagine, SLEEP apnea disrupts normal SLEEP. A SLEEP STUDY, which records body activity during SLEEP, can diagnose SLEEP apnea, as well as other conditions such as SLEEP-related movement disorders, seizure disorders, or teeth grinding.

• IAGO (37D: “Aladdin” parrot) In the Disney animated film Aladdin (1992), IAGO is a talking parrot, voiced by Gilbert Gottfried. IAGO is the sidekick of Jafar, the villain of the film. In the sequels and TV series in the Aladdin franchise, IAGO is being reformed into a better character. IAGO is named after the Shakespearean villain in Othello.

• SNAP (57D: Give recognition during a slam poetry event) As I mentioned before, a SNAP is used as a way to show appreciation during poetry slams, as SNAPs are less likely to distract the reciter.

Summary of the crossword puzzle theme

GET MOVING! (Freestyle): The word freestyle in the puzzle lets us know that there is no theme today. The title could be a nod to MUSICAL CHAIRS (29A: Game where you sit down when the music stops). It could also be a nod to GYMNASTICS, because that is a sport where you definitely have to MOVE!

Since I learned the term “little TREAT culture” today, it’s fitting that this puzzle was a TREAT to solve. In addition to the answers I’ve already marked, I enjoyed the EXTRA answers PLAYING IT COOL, SOUNDS GOOD, THINGS TO DO, and YOGA POSE. Thanks, Claire, for this delightful puzzle.

For more information about USA TODAY’s crossword puzzles

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Crossword Blog & Answers for August 8, 2024 by Sally Hoelscher