| PLUMBERS | '70s covert White House intelligence group ... and, in a more conventional sense, a hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues |
| ELF | A Riley ____ was a more conventional-looking Mini |
| FIGUREOFSPEECH | Nonliteral phrase or. in another sense, a hint to 19-, 30- or 38-Across |
| WAYTOGO | "Nice job!" ... and, in another sense, a hint about the first words of 18-, 23-, 52- and 60-Across |
| ASTERISK | Shed a tear and give a kiss to the star (8) |
| OWENS | Singer and actress Queen Latifah was christened with the more conventional name of Dana Elaine ... |
| ARDUA | RCAF's motto back when it was established in 1924... Per ___ Ad Astra (Through adversity to the star |
| PAPERROUND | Test Series delivers on its promise to give one access to the star (5,5) |
| CHEVILLE | French word for a peg of a stringed instrument; or, in a literary sense, a peg-like word, serving to fill a gap (8) |
| MAINSTREAM | Redesigned a Mister Man to be more conventional (10) |
| PLACEINTHESUN | Spot what's fashionable to The Star from holiday home (5,2,3,3) |
| QUARREL | From the French word "carre", for "square", a square-headed bolt for an arbalest/crossbow; a square tile; a square- or diamond-shaped pane; or, in another sense, a squabble (7) |
| VESSEL | A bowl, cask, jar, pan, pot, pitcher or other domestic utensil designed as a receptacle; a large boat or ship; or, in its biblical sense, a person regarded as a container of feelings or an embodiment |
| NUNES | Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee |
| ADAM | Schiff on the House Intelligence Committee |
| ALCEE | Rep. ___ Hastings of the House intelligence committee |
| VEGETABLE | Gave betel away and chewed on something more conventional |
| HONORWAYNE | Pay homage to the star of 'Rio Lobo'? |
| CHERKNIVES | Cutlery belonging to the star of "Moonstruck"? |
| NOVA | River flows up to the star... (4) |
