If you are going 1x you will need a smaller chainring. I run a 38 up front and 11-32 in the back. That gives me really good range, there is only one race I regularly do that I would like one more gear. A pretty standard 2x CX crank would be 46/36 or 48/38 (10 tooth difference) then you would use a 11-25 or so

I do 40 front and 12-32 back. Good for gravel and cx duty.

I coukd imagine a 46 working but only if you’re in like so cal or Texas or something where the courses are dry and fast, or you have a really big granny in the back.

In New England I run a 42 right now but have also used a 40 in the past

Running a 46 in Texas (or anywhere, really...) would be a mistake. I’m towards the pointy end and can say that nobody does that. I run 40. Could run 42 if I wanted. My former teammate has gone top 5 in a C2 (in Texas) on a 40.

OP: if you’re setting up for CX, stick with 40 or 42. You could go 44 or higher if this is more of a gravel/road bike setup.

ETA: cassette...I’d stick w 11-28. 11-32 if it’s hilly and you want that lower end.

A gear that big up front gets you 32+ mph. That is huge.
I run 39 oval front and 11-36 in the rear and that is just enough for our area climbs. I never go smaller than the 16 in the rear in a race. I am certainly not running out of gear with a 39

I’m in West TN and we really don’t have a ton of elevation. I’ll be using it mainly on gravel and road riding. Don’t get a top of opportunities to do cross racing. I have a friend running a 44 1x.

46?? No no no, you'll never get around many CX courses. I run 40 and 12-27 on my race bike. If I'm doing a lot of training in the summer on it, I'll put on a 12-32 to be able to get up some of the bigger hills around here.

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Any run that doesn't include pooping in someone's front yard is a win.

46 can work paired with a 42 cassette which gives the CX bike enough range for regular road riding particularly if you have a 10 cog (XX1/Force1/Rival1 with long cage 11 speed setup). You would just have to swap tire or wheel and have a road bike.

Depends where you ride. I ride 1x 44t with 10-40 cassette.

So what your title really should be: “gravel gearing?”

My new Trek Crockett came with a Sram 1x with a 40 up front and 11-32 on the back. It worked well for CX, and gravel riding. And I also ride this same gearing with a road wheel on the same bike. I live in a pretty hilly area so the front 40t works well.

Thanks for all of the feedback. The bike came setup 46/36 11-28. I am going to run it this way for now and just see how things go.