| FOUROCLOCK | Traditional hour for the 3-letter beverage that starts each of the starred entries |
| SHUFFLEBOARD | Cruise ship game ... or how to start each of the answers to starred clues? |
| BADCHOLESTEROL | Nickname for the three-letter abbreviation hidden in this puzzle's theme entries |
| GREY | Type of horse that starts each of Goodwood races every year |
| NINETOFIVE | If no event, I work traditional hours (4-2-4) |
| APPROPRIATE | A synonym for the first word in each of the starred entries, as well as for the puzzle's title |
| HOST | Emcee: the circled letters of the starred entries, in clue order, spell out the name of the late star of the puzzle's title show |
| UNDO | A possible synonym for the puzzle's title; an anagram of this word is hidden in each of the starred entries |
| TAKE | A synonym for the puzzle's title; it may precede the first word in each of the starred entries |
| RST | Letter sequence suggested by the puzzle title, and found in each of the starred entries |
| THELOSTARK | Object of a quest by the title character; it may be found in each of the starred entries |
| ESP | Shortened term for the puzzle's title, it is hidden in each of the starred entries |
| DELI | Synonym for the puzzle's title; it may be found in each of the starred entries |
| HOT | Popular: it may precede the first part of each of the starred entries |
| HORSERACE | What the puzzle's title refers to; the first parts of the starred entries, in clue order, give the order of the top three finishers |
| AHA | Akin to the puzzle's title word, it's hidden in each of the starred entries |
| BUT | A synonym for "however," it's hidden in each of the starred entries |
| GETINSIDE | Advice given as part of this puzzle's title: each of the starred entries has it |
| TREE | Something hinted at in the puzzle's title: each of the starred entries begins with one |
| ERA | A period that starts each recurrent age (3) |
