| COUNTINGSTARS | *2013 OneRepublic hit ... and a task that, if applied to the asterisked answers, yields five |
| FURNITUREASSEMBLY | Ikea task, and a task that can be applied to the sets of circled letters in this puzzle |
| SPRAYON | Informal term for especially tight clothing looking as if applied by an aerosol (5-2) |
| ROCKBOTTOM | Lowest level, and a hint to the asterisked answers |
| UPSTART | Arrogant newcomer, or a hint to the asterisked answers' initials |
| STARS | 2013 Onerepublic hit, Counting - - - (5) |
| NATIVE | Indigenous; 2013 OneRepublic album (6) |
| SHAMEONYOU | "That wasn't nice!" and a hint to a trigram hidden in the asterisked answers |
| FINALSWEEK | Period for taking exams ... or a hint to the pattern shown in the last three or four letters of the asterisked answers |
| ESTEE | Girl's name that phonetically provides the initials to the answers to the asterisked clues |
| EXERCISEYOURRIGHT | Vote, say, and a clue to one side of the asterisked answers |
| NEVERMIND | 1991 Nirvana album, and a clue how to enter the asterisked answers (9) |
| SUIT | You might have to follow it; the ending to each of the asterisked answers (4) |
| LOVEISALLAROUND | 1968 Troggs Top 10 hit, and a hint to the hidden puzzle theme in the answers to starred clues |
| DUTY | A task that a person is bound to do for moral or legal reasons (4) |
| CHESS | Word that can precede the first word of the answers to the asterisked clues |
| PAULREVERESRIDE | Longfellow classic containing a code that is represented within the answers to the asterisked Down c |
| SHOOTINGSTAR | Meteor that might be wished upon ... and a literal hint to the asterisked clues' answers |
| SOUNDOUT | Pronounce, as syllables ... and what's spelled by the letters you hear from the asterisked answers' deleted syllables |
| THEGAMBLER | 1978 Kenny Rogers hit, and a hint to the ends of the starred answers |
