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The meta instructions require the identification of a specific phrase in response to the question “Will you solve this meta?” Starting with the initial guess of “YES I WILL,” which is a positive approach to any puzzle, let’s analyze the theme answers to uncover the solution. There are nine theme answers where the first word is a number, progressing from “ONE” to “NINE.”
21A: “ONE SLICE” refers to a single pizza serving.
23A: “TWO-TIMES” means to double-cross someone.
29A: “THREE STOOGES” is the group featured in the 1944 short film “Gents Without Cents.”
50A: “FOUR-EYES” is a term used to belittle people who wear glasses.
64A: “FIVE-WAY” describes intersections with heavier traffic than usual.
81A: “SIX BALLS” are the green solids on pool tables.
98A: “SEVEN SISTERS” is the collegiate group associated with Bryn Mawr.
107A: “EIGHT-BIT” refers to the graphics in the original “Legend of Zelda” game.
112A: “NINE-HOLE” characterizes a round of golf that includes half of the course.
Considering the puzzle title, it becomes clear that the numbers one through nine correspond to the theme answers. However, the solution is not found by looking at the squares in the grid with those numbers. Another approach is to consider the second words in each theme answer. For example, why was “SLICE” chosen instead of “SIDED” or “LINER”? By creating a list of the theme entries, we can identify synonyms of the second words that match clues in the grid:
1. SLICE (1A: Divide with a knife) corresponds to CUT.
2. TIMES (6D: Instances) corresponds to OCCASIONS.
3. STOOGES (14D: Flunkies) corresponds to UNDERLINGS.
4. EYES (53A: Gets a glimpse of) corresponds to NOTICES.
5. WAY (66D: Path) corresponds to TRAIL.
6. BALLS (79A: Spherical objects) corresponds to ORBS.
7. SISTERS (85A: Convent members) corresponds to NUNS.
8. BIT (118A: Small amount) corresponds to IOTA.
9. HOLE (121A: Something dug in the ground) corresponds to TRENCH.
Taking the first letters of these corresponding grid entries in thematic or grid order, the response to the meta question “Will you solve this meta?” is “COUNT ON IT.”
The inspiration for this meta puzzle came from the answer “STOOGE,” which was clued as “Curly of slapstick, e.g.” Originally, the clue was trickier, but I felt it didn’t fit the puzzle’s theme. Exploring the idea of numeric phrases, I decided to use them for the meta.
One test-solver pointed out an unintended issue even if the solver arrived at the correct idea. The word “EYES” in “FOUR-EYES” could be mistakenly matched with “ORBS.” Although it would be an unusual clue for “EYES,” previous clues for “ORBS” have used the angle of poetic references to eyes. I made sure to avoid words like “TAD,” which could easily lead to an erroneous match with the “BIT” in “EIGHT-BIT.” However, the connection between “EYES” and “ORBS” slipped past my attention. Fortunately, “ORBS” is required for the meta, just not for a match with “EYES.” Therefore, if solvers had the “aha” moment to look for synonyms of the second words of the theme answers elsewhere in the grid, they would be able to resolve this issue without too much difficulty.
One notable clue is “MARS” for 15D: The place Carl Sagan described as “a kind of mythic arena onto which we have projected our earthly hopes and fears.” Sagan’s quotes truly are treasures, and it’s challenging to think of a more concise and evocative description of Mars than that.
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