Solution: Five hosts of the long-running CBS newsmagazine 60 MINUTES are found clockwise in the grid, starting from high noon: the recent VEGA, RATHER, SAWYER, STAHL, and the original WALLACE; this suggests the meta answer.
oldjudge 4s · 2023-07-01T17:04:45.337Z
Timely puzzle!
I K Snamhcok 🤓10:20 · 2023-07-01T17:20:33.873Z
A very nice way to while away the wait here at the barber shop. Thanks, Mikey!
Bbaack 17:47 · 2023-07-01T17:42:06.245Z
This took some circular reasoning to solve! Clever construction, thanks!
Guessed correctly. Now to find the metanism !! Thanks, Mikey !!
KayW 🤓6:18 · 2023-07-01T18:17:39.478Z
Fun one! LOL I must admit I need to go back and find all 5 hosts. I had a hunch based on the title, puzzle number, and prompt and as soon as I saw STAHL I submitted. Thanks Mikey!
One of my favorite "60 Minutes" clips containing one of my favorite math textbook authors, the late John Saxon (sorry about the print!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T6SEqcvBLc
I learned mathematics using the Saxon method in the 1990s. That, and my mother's encouragement of my muscular curiosity, are the two main reasons I love mathematics to this day.
KayW 🤓6:18 · 2023-07-02T00:07:53.004Z
Very interesting! I'd never heard of him or his method, but of course this is WAY after my time. Wikipedia says the method is still popular today in private schools and with homeschoolers but not public school systems.
hoover 2s · 2023-07-01T18:32:55.354Z
How you folks even make these things is a mystery!
That was much harder for me as an Aussie. I guessed the answer based on the shape of the grid!
HeadinHome 🤓17:23 · 2023-07-02T02:47:41.946Z
Embarrassed to say I did not even see the names on the outer ring, but guessed from “long running” and the shape of the CBS eye. The whiny-est opener, of course, was Andy Rooney… drove me nuts.
HeadinHome 🤓17:23 · 2023-07-02T02:49:52.581Z
That should say “whiny-est oPINer”
Darth 🤓17:19 · 2023-07-02T03:04:10.536Z
Interesting grid. Thanks for your time, Mikey!
Tyrpmom 3s · 2023-07-02T04:37:05.986Z
Nice one.
merlinnimue 🤓11:55 · 2023-07-02T05:27:59.300Z
dumdum here definitely struggled with the crossword, so i got worried and started to feel the clock ticking... i'm just glad it didn't take me the full length of the episode!
kymike 2s · 2023-07-02T17:12:39.637Z
I'd Rather do nothing else on a Sunday morning than a fun meta. It helps me Stahl for time before other tasks need to be done.
Well done making this work, and for puzzle #60 nonetheless.
Was off on so many trails until I thought, "wait a minute, who made this puzzle?" then I knew just what to do. BUT did you know that: IRA GLASS, LARISSA LAM, and GUY RAZ (Tinkerbelle host) of course all have a "media host" tie in and LISA cLING does also. I had assumed from the meta hint and center entry that 60 MINUTES would be the show, I just had to find out why. Fun TIME!
"___ Life" (jazz standard written by Billy Strayhorn at age 18)
9A
Glass can be found here, briefly
11A
NYT rival (get ready for Acronym Fest, folks - not meta-related!!)
12A
DC clock setting in winter
15A
"So, that's how we solve the meta!"
17A
Like some pilots' stunts
20A
East, in Essen or another German city starting with "E"
22A
"___ the People" (documentary on the Constitution of Video Game Players, which I made up)
23A
What hosts, five of whom are hidden in this grid, might do, or have done, on the answer to the meta (a rando center entry, but I couldn't get HOSTS to work!)
24A
Going rate?: Abbr.
25A
Some HDTVs
26A
Queen's servant?
28A
QVC rival
30A
Compass direction that isn't the one at 38-Down (sorry)
31A
First word in the title of Dickens' last completed novel
32A
8, often: Abbr.
34A
45 and 78, e.g.
36A
Have a drink in the afternoon, perhaps
39A
"___ what do we do??"
40A
Spanish chess piece
Down
1D
Misers, colloquially
2D
Connecting word
3D
Close
4D
Crosswords Really Sparkle, for short (we're trying here)
5D
Achieving the name of this game earns 25 points
6D
"If you don't know anything about cars, you ___!" (This is the only way I will clue this)
7D
MLA alternative
8D
Fifth-largest Greek city, using all but one letter in the word "SALARIES"
10D
Equilateral parallelogram
11D
Nash of Sixpence None the Richer
13D
"You're the straw that ___ the drink!" (Kramer, to Jerry)
14D
Wheel, cap, or coupling, e.g.
16D
In accordance with
17D
"How'd you do at the cobbling competition?" "I gave it my ___"
18D
After the kleptomaniac performed in the orchestra, he took a ___
19D
Opening in chess?
21D
Article seen hundreds of times in a newspaper
27D
Another name for the Italian heirloom tomato
29D
Brazil, e.g.
33D
It might be ideal
35D
Place to park on Sunday
37D
DMZ land
38D
Compass direction that isn't the one at 30-Across (sorry)