| HERESTHEKICKER | Lead-in to a surprising twist ... or a hint to 16-, 22-, 32- and 45-Across |
| TONIGHTSHOWHOST | TV personality hidden in the answers to 16-, 22-, 32-, 41- and 47-Across |
| CHILDLABOUR | One theme of Oliver Twist or a minor work |
| ISTHATSO | Response to a surprising statement |
| ISIT | Response to a surprising claim |
| YOUDO | Response to a surprising claim |
| UNUSUALLY | To a surprising extent (9) |
| LINCOLNCENTER | Home of the Metropolitan Opera ... and a hint to the "honest" guy hiding in 20-, 32- and 45-Across |
| YOUVEGOTAPOINT | "That's fair to say," and a clue to the starts of 20-, 32- and 45-Across |
| ONEANDALL | Everybody, or what can be found inside 20-, 32- and 45-Across |
| NOCANDO | "Above my pay grade" ... and, read in four parts, a hint to 16-, 24-, 32-, 40- and 49- Across |
| INTHEHOLE | Warning before a detonation ... and a hint to 16 of this puzzle's answers |
| COLD | With 37-Across, "Saturday Night Live" start ... or a hint to 16-, 22-, 54- and 62-Across |
| JUMPONIT | Get right to work, or a hint to 16-, 22-, 36- or 51-Across |
| CCS | Duplicates, briefly ... and a hint to 16-, 22-, 49- and 58-Across |
| MLBCLOSERS | Ace relievers, briefly ... and a hint to 16-, 22-, 28-, 39- and 46-Across |
| STIFLEDLAUGHTER | Suppressed guffaws, and a hint to 16-, 22-, 47- and 58-Across |
| MONEYTALKS | "Wealth is power," or a hint to 16-, 22-, 38- and 51-Across |
| ISRAEL | Name given to the Old Testament patriarch Jacob after he wrestled with an angel of God (Genesis 32; 22-32) (6) |
| SIGOURNEYWEAVER | Actress who played Ripley in Alien and had a surprising cameo in ITV’s Doc Martin |