Chinese region dubbed the "Vegas of Asia" / MON 2-3-2020 / Help-wanted inits. / World faith founded in Persia / Singer Mann

Constructor: Michael Schlossberg

Relative difficulty: Easy



THEME: Animal Anatomy — Theme answers are in the format "[body part] of the [animal]."


Theme answers:

• EYE OF THE TIGER (20A: Theme song for "Rocky III")
• THE BEES' KNEES (28A: Heights of excellence, metaphorically)
• HAIR OF THE DOG (46A: Hangover remedy in which one continues drinking)
• THE MONKEY'S PAW (57A: Classic horror tale by W.W. Jacobs)

Word of the Day: ALEE (10D: Sheltered, at sea) —

situated on the side of a ship that is sheltered from the wind.

"he motioned for them to move to the alee side"

• (of the helm) moved around to leeward in order to tack a vessel or to bring its bows up into the wind.

  "she was veering around when the helm was alee"

Hi, it's Annabel Monday! I'm writing this on Sunday 2/2 which is Groundhog Day and also my dad's birthday, so everyone say happy birthday to my dad! I've been at my job at a nonprofit for a month, and it's going amazing--I love everyone there and I'm really committed to the work we're doing. It is SO weird to think that I started guest blogging in high school, because that now feels like an EON ago. Yes, I know that word isn't in the puzzle, but it's in like 90% of the Mondays I've done, so close enough.

Speaking of this week's puzzle, I think it's the first one that I've finished at anything close to a competitive time--okay, still at least twice Rex's average, but you have to understand that's very good for me, and part of that time was spent watching the Super Bowl. My point is, it was easy, which is fine for a Monday. Not a whole lot of exciting fill, but who AM I to judge? Embarrassingly, I knew KO'S from video games, not from boxing, but I can at least say that I've never used the HAIR OF THE DOG hangover cure, even in college. It was so cool to see AIMEE Mann get a shoutout! She's one of my faves, although I'm not including her in bullets because her music is...Often kind of a bummer.

Theme was pretty straightforward, easy to figure out and easy to get answers from once you had it figured out. There's not a lot to say about a well-done and simple Monday theme. I wish it had done a little more, maybe used some sayings that were a little more obscure, but then I guess that would have defeated the whole purpose of having an easy Monday.

Bullets:

• DRY HEAT (38A: Feature of a 95° day in Phoenix, but not Miami) — I gotta say, I'm almost as sick of people complaining about not having dry heat as I am of not having dry heat. I get it! It's very humid and wet here and where you came from it's a nice little oven! We're both in Maryland and we know how the weather is now. Bah humbug.  
• LARD (14A: Fatty ingredient in pie crust) — I had to incredulously ask my stepmom, "Do you use lard in pie crusts?" She responded, "Well, I don't!" 
• ZIN (24A: Red wine choice, for short) — Oh, I had BIG for this. I thought everyone loved big reds! They're delish. 
• SHA NA NA (44D: Doo-wop rock band that performed in the movie "Grease") — Morning earworm time!

Signed, Annabel Thompson, and I'm not very tired anymore honestly, so I'm taking suggestions for a new signoff.

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]

[Follow Annabel Thompson on Twitter]