| MARINECORPS | "Semper fi" group ... and a phonetic hint to the middles of the starred clues' answers |
| HAMLET | Speaker of the quote that's found in the middle of the starred answers |
| CENTRALTIMEZONE | Region for Bismarck and Montgomery, and a hint to the middle three letters of 17-, 27- and 45-Across |
| NUCLEI | The middles of cells (6) |
| HEARTOFGLASS | Late-'70s Blondie hit, or a hint to the middle word in 20-, 33- or 41-Across |
| ORES | Hidden treasures (found in the middles of 17-, 26-, 45-, and 60-Across) |
| ISNOT | One side of a childish debate ... or a phonetic hint to the answers to the four starred clues |
| ISTOO | Other side of a childish debate ... or a phonetic hint to the answers to the four double-starred clues |
| SEVENSEAS | Global group, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| CASEY | Strikeout victim of poetry, and a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues |
| FORTIES | Decade in which the Slinky debuted ... and a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues |
| INNERCIRCLE | Small, influential group ... and a hint to the word hidden in each answer to a starred clue |
| OBIE | Theater award ... and a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues |
| WISEOFF | Make smart remarks ... and a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues |
| DECAY | Go to pot ... or a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues |
| AYEAYE | "Yes, captain" ... and a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues |
| ARTY | Pretentiously cultured, and a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues |
| ESCAPEE | Search dogs' target ... and a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues |
| KEEPANEYEOUT | "Stay alert!," or a phonetic hint to the answers to the starred clues |
| FRINGEELEMENTS | Radical members of a group, and a hint to the circled letters |
