| GREEKCROSS | Religious symbol resembling a plus sign ... or a hint to the three groups of circled squares in this puzzle |
| CROSS | A hybrid; symbol such as saltire or plus sign; or, a football pass (5) |
| BUILDINGBLOCKS | Smaller parts making up a larger whole ... with a hint to the six groups of circled squares in this puzzle |
| PEDXING | Street sign ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| SOMETHINGSFISHY | "Hmmmmm ..." [as hinted at by the three groups of black squares in the middle of the grid] |
| JOYCE | Author who coined "quarks," whose six flavors appear in this puzzle's six groups of circled squares |
| TRUE | The three groups of seals:- ___, fur seals and sea lions |
| PHYSICSFORMULAS | What the three sets of circled squares in this puzzle represent |
| LEAPDAY | 2/29/16, e.g. ... or a hint to the circled squares in this puzzle |
| ESCAPEACT | Houdini's signature feat ... or a hint to the circled squares in this puzzle |
| DOUBLEDAY | Big name in publishing, and a visual hint to the three adjacent pairs of answers to starred clues |
| SIDEDISH | Thanksgiving serving, and a hint to the circled squares in this puzzle |
| CROSSREFERENCES | "See also" notations ... or what can be found in the circled squares in this puzzle? |
| CRISSCROSS | Move back and forth, or a structure formed by the circled squares in this puzzle? |
| SNL | TV show since 10/11/75, eight of whose former stars appear in the circled squares in this puzzle |
| MORN | Poetic time of day ... and a clue to the circled square in this row |
| AZORES | What is the name of three groups of volcanic islands west of Portugal? (6) |
| SPADES | Suit of cards marked with a black symbol resembling a cordate leaf with a stem (6) |
| TVSPOTS | Many P.S.A.s ... or the four circled squares in this grid? |
| JUSTHAVINGABALL | Living it up ... or a hint to the six groups of circled letters |
