| UNACORDA | Italian phrase meaning "one string", by which a musician understands they are to apply a piano's soft pedal (3,5) |
| CONAMORE | Meaning "with love", an Italian term by which a musician understands they must play with tenderness (3,5) |
| SITAR | Plucked Indian lute named for the traditionally three strings by which it is played in Hindustani music (5) |
| CRESCENDO | Italian word for "growing" by which a musician understands a passage must gradually increase in loudness; thus, any climax or peak of noise (9) |
| VERGARA | "Modern Family" star Sof a |
| SUEDE | Sof leather |
| LEGNO | Col -, meaning "with the wood", a term by which a violinist understands they must strike the strings with their bow's stick, rather than with its hair (5) |
| SEALED | My lips are ___, phrase meaning one will keep a secret (6) |
| TACET | Meaning "it is silent", a word by which a musician or singer understands their instrument or voice must be quiet (5) |
| ACCORDS | String by another string, softhead agrees |
| ONA | "Puppet ___ _ String" by Elvis Presley |
| NOSTRA | This Italian phrase meaning 'our thing' is also a common name for the Mafia, Cosa ... |
| ALFRESCO | What two-word Italian phrase meaning 'in the open air' is used to describe outdoor dining? (2,6) |
| STENCIL | Device with a cut-out or perforated design that can be used with a stippling brush and paint to apply a design to a wall (7) |
| SEMANTLE | Daily word-guessing game in which guesses are ranked by how conceptually close they are to the target word |
| SOTTO | - voce; Italian phrase meaning "in a low voice" (5) |
| SOTTOVOCE | Italian phrase meaning in a quiet voice (5,4) |
| DAB | Press a surface briefly with a cloth without rubbing especially in cleaning to apply a substance |
| PLASTERER | One whose job is to apply a soft mixture of sand and cement to walls, etc. (9) |
| NOUMENA | In philosophy, things as they are in themselves, rather than as they are to us through our senses |
