This puzzle was made specifically for DOT's APIA night market festival event. One crossword puzzle is nowhere near as big enough to represent and highlight every single culture that makes up our diverse universe. Nevertheless, I tried my best to take you on a culinary journey of deliciousness you might encounter in the bustling and vibrant night markets throughout Asia. The thing I absolutely love about food (other than making my tummy happy), is that it's a common thread that connects us all.
Note: there are lots of spelling variants for things in this grid - I tried to use the "more official" one where possible (Macau/Macao, Gimbap/Kimbap, Som Tam/Tum, kebab/kabob
Marinated pieces of meat or vegetables in spices and yogurt cooked in a tandoor oven
11A
"The ___ of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice": Martin Luther King Jr.
14A
T.S. ___ (poet who inspired the musical "Cats")
15A
__ __ the run (grabbed something to munch on when you're late for something)
16A
Som ___: spicy salad made from shredded unripe papaya, popular in Thailand and Laos
17A
Chinese soup dumplings traditionally prepared in a bamboo steaming basket (eat carefully as they are filled with hot soup!)
19A
Old name for tokyo
20A
Actress Michelle who played the controlling mother on "Crazy Rich Asians"
21A
Scandinavian version of "Cheers!" while toasting
22A
He said "Am I my brother's keeper?" in the Bible
23A
Like non-prescription meds: Abbr.
25A
Vietnamese sandwich (baguette filled with meat, cucumbers, pickled daikon, pickled carrots, and cilantro)
27A
Japanese "octopus balls" snack (hint: sounds like a cross between a "taco" and "teriyaki")
32A
Old French coin
33A
Commercial suffix with "Cray" or "Motor"
34A
Seafood that looks like a giant shrimp, as seen in the fried snack "cucur udang" popular in Malaysia and Singapore
36A
Appliance sometimes blamed for missing socks
40A
Traditional Himalayan steam-filled dumplings featuring yak meat, but any variation of meat and vegetables may be used as well as style of preparation (steam or fried)
42A
By way of
43A
Malay or Indonesian word for "rice" as in the dishes: "___ goreng" (Indonesian fried rice with kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) and shrimp paste) and "___ lemak (fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf)
44A
Deep-sea exploration pioneer William who designed the Bathysphere
46A
Lion voiced by Liam Neeson in "The Chronicles of Narnia" films
49A
"What's up ___?" (Bugs Bunny's catchphrase)
50A
It's easy as 1-2-3, also what the Malaysian dessert "ais kacang" is commonly known as
52A
Colorful Filipino dessert consisting of sweetened beans, fruits, shaved ice drizzled with evaporated milk, and ube (purple yam) ice cream
54A
Korean seaweed rice rolls that look a lot like sushi
57A
Sis's sibling, perhaps
58A
Where you can go see van Gogh's "The Starry Night," informally
59A
Neighbor of Hong Kong whose variation of 69-Across tart draws inspiration from the Portuguese "pastel de nata"
62A
"Touch Me in the Morning" singer Diana
66A
Historical period
67A
Good place to try all the food you see in this crossword puzzle
69A
___ tart: Hong Kong snack often served at dim sum restaraunts and cha chaan tengs (tea cafés)
70A
When an episode of "SNL" ends in NYC, approximately
71A
Like some jokes
72A
Golf peg
73A
Natasha's partner in "Rocky and Bullwinkle"
74A
Swap
Verticali
1D
Hot, or one of the few English words in the song "Gangnam Style"
2D
"I cannot tell __ __" (confession attributed to a young George Washington)
3D
Southern Chinese ethnic group that includes the Hmong (and sounds like the sound a cat makes)
4D
"Oh, cry me a river!"
5D
Home of the Falcons and Braves: Abbr.
6D
Vehicle seen in an iconic photo of the Tiananmen Square protests
7D
"Let __ __" (Academy Award-winning song from "Frozen")
8D
Skewered dish, derived from the Turkish and Arabic word for "roasted meat"
9D
Cute Australian marsupials that aren't really "bears"
10D
"It's __ __ from me" (frequent judge's turndown phrase on "American Idol")
11D
Mr. T's TV group
12D
Parts of a circle equal to half the diameter
13D
"Whatcha waitin' for?"
18D
Boxer De La Hoya or fashion designer de la Renta
22D
Make butter the old-fashioned way
24D
Abbreviation in engineering drawings used to label a feature that is to be interpreted as exactly the same as nearby comparable features
26D
Show approval, in a way
27D
Final resting place, such as a pyramid
28D
Lotion additive
29D
___hameha: Goku's signature move in "Dragon Ball Z" (and also the name of a Hawaiian King)
30D
Psychoactive Polynesian beverage that comes from the Tongan and Marquesan word for "bitter" [rhymes with something flowing out of a volcano]
31D
"Wouldn't that be nice!"
35D
Lion voiced by Beyoncé in the 2019 remake of "The Lion King"
37D
When said three times, a "Seinfeld" catchphrase
38D
Class for someone whose native tongue isn't widely spoken in the U.S.: Abbr. [hidden in "Pine-Sol"]
39D
Puerto ___ (its flag is sometimes confused with the Cuban flag)
41D
Former First Lady Michelle with the 2018 hit memoir "Becoming"
45D
Recede, as the tide
47D
Book filled with personal photos and memories
48D
Word often paired with "neither"
51D
El ___: 2019 "Breaking Bad" movie named after the classic Chevy car