After a few months of MGWCC, this is the first time I had to leave more than 1 or 2 blank squares in the crossword.  Having already gotten the meta was a small factor, but basically the hard parts of this one were too hard for me.  

I did jump on the meta aha pretty quickly. Since it was a pretty big percentage of each of the theme answers, I’m guessing most people did. 25 minutes til meta solve (still never solved the crossword fully)… my log is after the cut. 

0:00:00

Reading blog while printing.

0:00:12

Major corporation, got it. what does size…never mind, here’s my printout.

0:00:44

16A OBOE?

0:01:14

ugh printed badly with bottom and sides cut off, moving to puz.

0:02:11

Ok, setup for puz solving

0:02:48

20A WILLIE (lots of “no idea”s so far. this could be a while)

0:03:12

2D NOTI?

0:03:25

is 4D GELL-MANN? makes 1A SNAG, I like it

0:03:48

i like 14A HONE, then SHAW and ANAL crossing

0:04:33

18D LIONS? 5D EXTEND? 17A ATALLTIMES?

0:05:08

6D AHI 5A EATUP, 9D PASTURES

0:06:03

23A MONTE.. ha

0:06:24

25D ENCLAVE?

0:06:58

33A ACHES, 4OA STEAM? 29D THEMET

0:07:33

27A GRAND ENTRANCE?

0:08:06

37A ISLES

0:09:14

46A ETAIL? (minute pause due to lots of “I have no clue”)

0:09:54

38D SAILINTO, or something like that?

0:10:13

guessing 38A SANK and 41 PAINS to try to get into E section

0:11:05

changing 38A to SLID so 35D can be EDS, makes 30D COLIN

0:11:35

OWE and EWING finish E. now W

0:12:18

now clue on any. ugh. ok, bottom third.

0:12:57

49D OINK 59A VINE

0:13:14

47D RSVP 48D OHIO, SHIN, ROOTFOR, 40D SURF

0:14:10

45A IRS

0:14:56

57D ERA?

0:15:19

61A TRIM

0:16:23

42A IM JUST VENTING?

0:17:26

56A may be -RENTAL, making 41D PTILE?

0:18:11

51A CLICHE? … I may be stuck now. going back to the unfinished top (N and NE)

0:19:05

11D ABIT?

0:19:22

10A guessing BACH

0:19:32

10D BOLEYN(sp?)… thought of here, was stuck on including first name

0:19:59

13D HEAR 19A LIRA 12D CORE

0:20:34

UEY, PEAS, STPETER

0:21:14

7D/8D/15A not working. back to W, I guess.

0:21:42

32A TEENS?

0:22:14

27D GENII?

0:23:03

32D 28D 36A 39A … stuck.. back to bottom

0:23:17

if 60A is ALGAE, then 50D could be ROLE (a part for william hurt)

0:24:54

57D works as AGE

0:25:05

if the power glove was BAD we get BOAT RENTAL… which has TRENTA… and 17A has TALL… so STARBUCKS sizes!

0:25:43

quitting with 9 empty squares? let’s do one quick pass over them.

0:26:59

Nope. failing on puzzle. got meta. I can live with that.