Benjamin Ashford|Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Threestyle (Freestyle)

There are Benjamin Ashfordspoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Threestyle (Freestyle)

Constructor: Amanda Rafkin

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

• MATTY (21A: Explorer McNair who led the first all-female expedition to the Geographic North Pole) It was in 1997 that MATTY McNair led an all-female expedition to the Geographic North Pole. She wrote about the experience in the 1999 book, On Thin Ice: A Woman's Journey to the North Pole. MATTY McNair is considered to be one of the top polar guides in the world; she has also journeyed to the South Pole. Born in Pennsylvania, MATTY McNair now lives on Baffin Island in Canada.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

• DON'T ASK (4A: You're better off not knowing) and THAT'S MY BUSINESS (55A: "You don't need to know) The puzzle is being a bit secretive today! I wonder if this has anything to do with the EDIBLE UNDERWEAR (17A: Snack on a snack, in a sense). Sassy and intriguing!
• TBS (11A: "Wipeout" channel) Wipeout is a TV game show that was rebooted on TBS in 2021. The original game show aired from 2008-2014 on ABC. The TBS version of the show is hosted by John Cena, Nicole Byer, and Camille Kostek. Contestants compete on an extreme obstacle course.
• HISS (30A: Angry cat's sound) and SNARL (49D: Angry dog's sound) Equal opportunity angry pet clues.
• ARIES (37A: March/April sign) ARIES is the zodiac sign for persons born between March 21 and April 19.
• ROSIE (38A: ___ the Riveter) The iconic poster of ROSIE the Riveter, shows a woman wearing a red-and-white, polka dot bandana, with the words, "We Can Do It!" The poster was originally used as a motivational poster by the Westinghouse Company's War Production Committee in 1942. The woman on the poster only became known as Rosie the Riveter years later, in the 1980s. The term "Rosie the Riveter" came from a 1942 song of that name, written by Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb. (Side note: The woman that was likely the inspiration for the poster was actually named Naomi.)
• TUDORS (45A: Houses with steeply pitched rooves) TUDORS, houses built in the TUDOR style of architecture, are characterized by steeply pitched gable roofs, embellished doorways, and groupings of windows. Half-timbering is another feature of TUDOR architecture, with spaces between the wood framework filled with masonry or stucco.
• ROSE PETAL (47A: Symbol of time passing in "Beauty and the Beast") In Disney's 2991 animated movie, Beauty and the Beast, the titular Beast is a prince who was transformed into a beast as punishment for his arrogance and cruelty. To break the curse, the Beast must learn to love and earn love in return, before the last ROSE PETAL falls from an enchanted flower.
• AHS (50A: TV show with a season titled "Apocalypse," for short) AHS here stands for American Horror Story, a TV series that first aired in 2011. AHS is an anthology TV series, meaning each season is a self-contained miniseries with a different set of characters and story lines. American Horror Story: Apocalypse is the eighth season of the show, which originally aired September to November, 2018. The twelfth season of the show, AHS: Delicate, just finished airing last month.
• MARIA (52A: "The Sound of Music" or "West Side Story" protagonist) This is a fun connection to make. In the 1959 musical The Sound of Music, MARIA is a postulant at the Nonnberg Abbey, who becomes the governess, and later the stepmother (apologies if this is a spoiler!) of the seven children of Captain Von Trapp. In the 1957 musical West Side Story, MARIA is the sister of one of the members of The Sharks (Bernardo), who falls in love with one of The Jets (Tony).
• CAT TOY (66A: Mechanical mouse ... or the box it came in) It will come as no surprise to you, I'm sure, that I thoroughly enjoyed this clue. It is true, CATs, like young children, are enamored with boxes, sometimes more so than the TOYs that come in the boxes. At our house, we call boxes "CAT traps." Here's a photo of some CAT traps that captured my cat, Willow, and my daughter's cat, Toby. (Willow is not a fan of Toby coming to visit; there may have been a HISS or two involved.)

• NYU (6D: Big Apple University.) The Big Apple is a nickname for New York City, the home of New York University (NYU). Since 1833, NYU's main campus has been located in Greenwich Village. NYU has the largest enrollment of any private university in the United States, with over 51,000 students.
• KARMA (10D: "___ is the guy on the Chiefs coming straight home to me") This is a modified lyric from Taylor Swift's 2023 song, "KARMA," from the album Midnights. The original lyric on the song is "KARMA is the guy on the screen coming straight home to me." When Taylor Swift performed the song in November at an "Eras Tour" concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she changed the lyric to "KARMA is the guy on the Chiefs coming straight home to me," a reference to her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, who was at the concert. Travis Kelce plays football for the Kansas City Chiefs.
• BECHDEL TEST (18D: Assessment used for measuring the representation of women in film) The BECHDEL TEST is a measure used to assess the representation of women in works of fiction. The BECHDEL TEST asks whether a work contains at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man. The TEST is named for cartoonist Alison BECHDEL, who wrote the graphic novels Fun Home and Are You My Mother?
• HOT SOUP (23D: Clam chowder, but not gazpacho) Gazpacho is a cold tomato-based vegetable SOUP. I liked the way gazpacho was used in this clue.
• ELI (24D: Actor Goree) ELI Goree's credits include the role of Muhammad Ali in the movie, One Night in Miami, and the role of Munroe "Mad Dog" Moore in the TV show, Riverdale. 
• SPEAK (32D: "___ Now" (2010 Taylor Swift album) Not one, but two Taylor Swift references in today's puzzle. SPEAK Now is Taylor Swift's third studio album. It includes the songs "Mine," "Back to December," "Mean" and "Ours." Taylor Swift re-recorded SPEAK Now, and released it in 2023 as SPEAK Now (Taylor's Version).
• SRO (36D: _tanding _oom _nly) In this fill-in-the-blank clue, each blank stands for one letter. Filling in the letters SRO into the clue gives us Standing Room Only.
• ON HRT (48D: Taking estrogen, e.g.) HRT stands for hormone replacement therapy.
• BAT (59D: Only mammal capable of true flight) This is a fun animal fact! There are some other mammals that appear to fly, such as flying squirrels. However, flying squirrels actually glide rather than fly. A BAT is the only mammal that is capable of flapping its wings to propel itself in flight. A BAT's wing resembles a modified hand, with a flexible membrane stretched between the elongated finger bones. BATs are agile fliers, and some BATs can fly at speeds up to 100 miles per hour.

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

There's no theme today, as this is a freestyle, or themeless puzzle. The title, THREESTYLE, is a nod to the grid, with black squares forming the number THREE in the center of the grid.

What a fun grid! That THREE is striking, and makes it a perfect grid for today, the third day of May. There is a ton of lively fill here. In addition to the answers I've already highlighted, I also enjoyed ANY IDEA, SAY CHEESE, GOOD TIMES, THE THIRST IS REAL, and WASH YOUR HANDS. Thank you, Amanda, for this delightful puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles

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