“X EXMA X….. (Please refer to your newspaper for complete puzzle.)
TODAY’S CLUE: Y = O
ANSWER: “I WISH I COULD TELL MYSELF THAT I SHOULD NAP, AND THAT I KNEW HOW … I JUST HAVE MORE COFFEE AND GET MY EIGHTH WIND.” — ARIANA GRANDE
ARIANA GRANDE
BORN JUNE 26, 1993 • AGE 33 • AMERICAN SINGER, SONGWRITER & ACTRESS
🌴 A FLORIDA GIRL WITH A BIG VOICE!
Ariana Grande-Butera was born in Boca Raton, Florida, and discovered her love of performing at an early age. She appeared in local children’s theater productions and began developing the remarkable singing voice that would eventually make her an international star.
🎭 HER FIRST BIG STAGE WAS BROADWAY!
At just fifteen, Grande appeared in the 2008 Broadway musical 13, playing a cheerleader named Charlotte. The experience gave her an early opportunity to combine acting, singing, and dancing before a live audience.
📺 THE GIRL BEHIND CAT VALENTINE!
Grande became familiar to young television audiences as the cheerful, red-haired Cat Valentine on Nickelodeon’s Victorious, which premiered in 2010. She later reprised the character alongside Jennette McCurdy in the comedy series Sam & Cat.
🎤 A VOICE THAT REACHED NUMBER ONE!
Her debut studio album, Yours Truly, arrived in 2013 and reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The single “The Way,” featuring Mac Miller, introduced her powerful pop and R&B vocals to an even wider audience.
🏆 THREE GRAMMYS AND COUNTLESS HIGH NOTES!
Grande won her first Grammy Award in 2019 when Sweetener earned Best Pop Vocal Album. By the 2026 ceremony, she had collected three Grammy wins, including Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Defying Gravity” with Cynthia Erivo.
🫧 FROM POP PRINCESS TO GLINDA!
Grande portrayed Glinda opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba in the movie musicals Wicked (2024) and Wicked: For Good (2025). Her performance in the first film earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, fulfilling a longtime dream of bringing the beloved character to the big screen.
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