Out of Sight

Haven't heard of her, but a quick google sufficed. Thanks!

Answer: BINDI IRWIN

Explanation: Six symmetrical entries have clues that don't quite exactly work - or would work a bit better if a letter were added: BASE, NOR, DEBT, RUNG, WRY, NOSE. In fact, each of those entries really has a dropped "I," per the title (out of "sight" = "eye" = "I"): BASIE, NOIR, DEBIT, RUING, WIRY, NOISE. The initial letters of those spell BNDRWN, and that doesn't look like that much - although that might be enough to do it, especially in conjunction with the central entry: Derek HOUGH last won "Dancing with the Stars" in 2015 with BINDI IRWIN, our meta answer. However, if you need some sight, no problem! The only four "I"s in the grid are in the exact position that, if we include them with the BNDRWN, will spell out BINDI IRWIN in standard top-bottom order.

Who? :)

Thank goodness for Google. I had heard of her (she's Steve Irwin's daughter), because I remember her from Dancing With the Stars (don't judge). Thanks for the puzzle, Mikey!

Who? Thanks, Mikey.

I saw four of the six words missing I (I missed NOIR and WIRY for some reason), then went on a google hunt for famous people born in 1998. After wading through a bunch of unfamiliar names (and a couple familiar ones like Amanda Gorman and Malia Obama -- really? one of the Obama girls is 26?!), I encountered BINDI IRWIN in July. Seeing as she only has I for a vowel, I just punted. Now that I'm reading the explanation, I see I missed a bunch of clever stuff. And actually, Bindi is one of the few people in that list that I had heard of.

Nce gong, Mkey! ;)

I might have to confess to being familiar with her (yes I watched DWTS the season she appeared). But then I must also confess that I first found the answer by googling. Then I went back to the grid to see how and why LOL. An impressive construction - thanks, Mikey!

This answer occurred to me just seeing the BND and RWN, and thinking about adding in an “i” somewhere .. but I feel sure there’s a better path to this one than i used!

And--- someone with eyesight issues (Four-eyes)

Intended or subliminal?

Now I’ve read the explanation… wow! Didn’t even make the association of sight with eye/I. Also had no idea about the DWTS pairing (I rarely watched .. or watch… is it still on??). It was lucky that the BND were in the top wro, and RWN were in the lower row, or I would never have worked it out by the position of the 4 I’s going top to bottom!

Got it via the back door. Thought all the missing I's were odd but initially only got 4 of them, so I looked for DWTS contestants and there was BINDI IRWIN with 4 I's and born in 1998. Wasn't a lock of course so I went back and looked at the 4 I had: BASE, DEBIT, RUING, NOISE and figured I could insert I's and get BI DI RI NI and that seemed close enough to confirm it. Then I went back and looked at the rest of the puzzle and saw I could get the rest of the spelling. I was willing to accept that there might be a Neither Black NOR Red in Roulette and that sinewy might describe displeased or upset. Thanks for the puzzle Mikey!

Fun one, Mikey, and wow! That bit with the 4 extra I’s is such an extra bit of elegance, kudos!

JUST saw the other level of elegance. You know I noticed there were 4 MISSING I's but did NOT notice there were 4 I's. Kind of glad I did not because that woudl have been a rabbit hole. Once again, a marvelous twist.

Well done - especially with the "i"s in the grid in the correct order to fill in her name.

Thanks Mikey! Saw all the missing Is and my search of DWTS contestants helped me see Bindi Irwin. I'm an old boomer, but still knew who she was...as she had appeared on her dad's shows as a youngster and carried on his work after his passing.

Ugh. LMAO. I identified all the words and their missing Is right away, but I had to read nudge 4 in order to have my stupid brain wake up and put extra Is in between the BNDRWN... that was not triggering for me at all until today. I do know who she is, but she's very much not on my radar and BNDRWN didn't stick out in any way at all to me for like, what, 5 days now? Argh.

I kept focusing on the letters where the missing 'I's were -- didn't even think about initial letter until the nudge. And then I saw it immediately (which was good, bc at that point I had forgotten about the Derek Hough hint).

I don't know the show (well) or the personality (at all), making the letter count and DWTS appearance pointers most welcome! My first thought was to replace the skinny I's with C's (let's see this one!), quickly abandoned. Amazing flourish with the visible I's!

Like most of the "stars" on DWTS, this one was unknown to me. I got it from the six themers plus Google to confirm.