12/26 (Meta)
◆ · By Abide · Published 2022-12-26T13:02:28.536Z
Meta Prompt
The meta answer is a movie.
See also the puzzle discussion thread, Wednesday nudges, and reveal at https://www.xword-muggles.com/viewtopic.php?t=1988
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Nudges below:
The last square is a rebus designed to show you how the asterisk clues work. Letters are optional.
By now you should have five things. If you’re stuck, think outside the box, particularly the big box. 
Hopefully you found what you were looking for in the clues to lead you to a relevant 1976 movie. By the way, the puzzle title “12/26” is more than just a date placeholder.
Checking for previous play data...
1A
Music machine
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Across
- 1AMusic machine
- 6AIt's not a good look
- 10ASimone who's "Feeling Good"
- 14ATingly hands and itchy ears, to some
- 15ARadar-screen dot
- 16AHot spot
- 17A"___ Did It Again" (Britney Spears hit)
- 18A* Sound caused by shock waves
- 20A* Nervous performer's affliction
- 22A___ favor
- 23ASeven in Sao Paulo
- 24AA New York minute?
- 25AUncredited personage in "Harry & Meghan"
- 28AIvy leaguers?
- 30A4-6 roll in craps
- 31ABest Buy buys
- 34APoet's planet
- 35AToni Morrison bestseller
- 36A___-de-France
- 37A* "Nailed it!" gesture
- 40AMotor oil letters
- 41AY intersection
- 43AWingtip tip
- 44ATake a machete to
- 46A"___ New Wild" (PBS nature series)
- 48AUnit of life, in more ways than one
- 49ABlithering types
- 50AToast topper
- 51A"The prophecy was that I should be dismembered; and—Aye! I lost this leg. I now prophesy that I will dismember my dismemberer" speaker
- 55AMarlins' div.
- 56A* "Key" ingredient in some pies
- 58A* Byproduct of natural maple syrup
- 61A"A Passage to India" character
- 62AWhat Missssippi is missing
- 63AGinormous
- 64AProve victorious in
- 65AArea for child's play
- 66ANoodle served in kakejiru broth
- 67AOutlet for a rant
Down
- 1DReindeer runways
- 2DWhac- ___ (arcade game)
- 3DEnd of the line
- 4DCheck for flaws
- 5DDisease suffix
- 6DBe very single-minded
- 7DCrow over success
- 8DItem found in a pocket
- 9DStart for center
- 10DWord before "business" or "fool"
- 11DPlace to find scrimshaw
- 12D"The Matrix" hero
- 13D"Gimme ___!" (start of a Spartan cheer)
- 19DTax pros, for short
- 21Dxwordmuggles.com and xwordinfo.com, e.g.
- 25DOpera that inspired "Rent"
- 26DSkyMiles offerer
- 27DNot suitable
- 29DBurlington sch. identified by its "Green Mountains"
- 30DMake a goof
- 31D"The ___ Lead" (George Banks song in "Mary Poppins")
- 32DModern storage spot
- 33DSmall gun
- 34DVerse on a vase
- 38DSin /___ = tan (this one's for you, MikeyG)
- 39DChum
- 42DKids' fruity drink
- 45DHero's love in "Much Ado About Nothing"
- 47DWord form of "feather"
- 48DCity visible from Philly
- 50DUber-patriot
- 52D"Laughing" scavenger, in Spain
- 53D___ of thunder
- 54DMake percussion sounds
- 56DHeap kudos on
- 57D"You're gonna need a bigger boat" movie
- 58DType of latte
- 59DA, in Argentina
- 60DMoo ___ shrimp