| NARROWGAPS | Small spaces between areas, or what's represented in the long entries |
| FULLCOUNT | 3-2 ... or what's represented by the answers to this puzzle's starred clues? |
| INTERSTICES | Small spaces between things; cerise tints (anag.) (11) |
| POLICEMAN | What's represented in male cop? (9) |
| COSANOSTRA | What's represented in cartoons as US gang? (4,6) |
| SPACEDOUT | Like the circled letters in the long entries (or the clustered groups) |
| RANDR | Time off, using the circled letters in the long entries |
| AGREEMENT | Concurrence; it may be expressed by the phrases in the long entries |
| GAP | Small space between a subway car and the platform |
| SPARKGAP | Confused gasp about grounds in small space between electrodes (5,3) |
| CLOSESET | With only a small space between them, eyes perhaps |
| COLD | A synonym for the puzzle's title word, it may precede the first word of each of the long entries |
| FREE | Gratis; also, a fitting word to precede the first word in each of the long entries |
| SPACESHIP | Vehicle for extraterrestrials; the first sounds of the long entries, in clue order, provide another name for this craft |
| CHESSPIECE | Man on a board: there's one in each of the long entries |
| ANIMALS | What the long entries in this puzzle are (doubly so?) (7) |
| ABS | Target of the puzzle's title, and part of each of the long entries |
| ABUG | Snug as ___ . . . : there's one hidden in each of the long entries |
| NPR | "All Things Considered" airer; the first syllables of the long entries provide a clue |
| HOMESTRETCH | Final straight part of a racetrack (and a hint to the long entries) |
