Monday January 7th 2019, NY Times Crossword

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Time: 7:43
Monday Average: 8:29
Best Monday: 4:10

I'm assuming that TEEN BEAT has been replaced by Teen Google at this point. Also, would CURED HAM be considered charcuterie?

I hadn't heard of RUGER firearms so I guess I'm surprised to learn that it's "America's largest firearm manufacturer," but I'm also unsurprised because I don't care at all.

ELSTON Howard seems like a good name to know as he was the first African American player on the Yankees and became the first African American player to win the AL MVP in 1963.

It doesn't take much, but now I'm humming Santa ANA Winds from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend to myself.

As you can see, I'm tired and disjointed so this entry is coming out as a bunch of random thoughts. I don't have much to NITPICK in this puzzle, but if there was a theme, I'm missing it. I keep wishing 8-across was Da Brat instead of LABRAT, but maybe that's just because I think she's due for a comeback. 

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