| YTK | Big scare of a couple of decades ago ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| GREYEYEDPEAS | What the group that sang "I Gotta Feeling" might be called in a couple of decades? |
| BLOCK | With 39-Down, UVA event of two Saturday nights ago...or a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| OLDIE | "Golden" song of decades ago |
| ALARM | One left limb in big scare |
| TITANIC | Big scare, masking face after the initial transmission starts (7) |
| SOUNDINGBOARD | Someone to bounce ideas off of ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| TUESDAY | Part of a calendar septet, and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| H2O | Fire fighter, familiarly ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| THIRDEYEBLIND | Band with the 1997 hit "Semi-Charmed Life" ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| HERESWHY | "Allow me to explain," and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| MAKINGENDSMEET | Scratching out a living ... and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| ALLEYESONME | "Pay close attention to what I'm doing," and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| BEQUIET | "Shut up!" ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| HOLYCOW | "Wow!" ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| SNL | NBC fixture fond of wordplay, and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's spoonerisms |
| TOEIN | Auto wheel alignment, and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| ARGON | About 1% of Earth's atmosphere, and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's gimmick |
| NOWISE | Without any chance at all (and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme) |
| ESPYAWARDS | Honors for athletes, and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
