| STRINGSATTACHED | What the answers to the starred clues come with |
| TOPS | With the giant letter formed by the black squares immediately above this answer, what the answers to the starred clues all literally have |
| HOLDTHATTHOUGHT | "Remember what you were about to say," and what the answers to the starred clues literally do |
| GETAFTERIT | "Seize the day!," and what the answers to the starred clues literally have |
| ANAGRAMSOFNATIONNAMES | What the answers to the starred clues all start with |
| METWO | Hint to what the answers to the four starred clues have in common |
| YOUYOUYOU | *Whom "I'm in love with" in an Ames Brothers song, and a hint to what the answers to starred clues c |
| CITYBLOCK | Urban square ... or what the answers to the pairs of starred clues seem to have between them? |
| BREAKASTORY | What an investigative journalist might do, and what the answers to the starred clues literally do |
| OHMAN | What one might say after figuring out what the answers to the starred clues have in common? |
| WELLROUNDEDDIET | Nutritionist's recommendation ... or what the answers to the starred clues make up, to an overly literal person? |
| BORNLOSERS | Ones fated to fail, or what the answers to the starred clues are, initially? |
| FIRSTPLACE | Top spot on the podium, and what the answers to the starred clues all have? |
| BREAKTHEICE | Begin a conversation, and what the answers to the starred clues do to their circled letters? |
| GODOWNTOTHEWIRE | Remain uncertain until the very end, and what the answers to the starred clues do? |
| HUMBLEBEGINNINGS | Part of a rags-to-riches story, and what the answers to the starred clues literally have |
| SEALEDWITHAKISS | Love letter message often accompanied by a lipstick mark, and what the answers to the starred clues are, thanks to their circled letters |
| ENDONAHIGHNOTE | Finish with a flourish ... and what the answers to the starred clues all do |
| IRISHCOUNTIES | What the answers to the seven starred clues all are or contain |
| NEITHERNOR | *Irrelevant ... or what the answers to the five starred clues have? |
