| CONCEALEDWEAPON | What each of the long across carries |
| BAND | With 45-Across, what each of the long Across entries are |
| DEES | Low grades, and the initials of the long Across answers |
| AULDLANGSYNE | Seasonal title made of two-letter resolutions of the long Across answers |
| ABS | Target of the puzzle's title, and part of each of the long entries |
| EGO | The "self" contained in each of the long answers |
| HIDDENGEMS | What the long Across answers with circles have |
| CHESSPIECE | Man on a board: there's one in each of the long entries |
| ABUG | Snug as ___ . . . : there's one hidden in each of the long entries |
| NODS | Affirmative actions added to the long across answers in this puzzle |
| TOE | Stocking stuffer found in the long Across answers |
| STATE | What the first word of each long Across answer Is VlS-a-vis the bracketed place in its clue |
| MOTTO | What the first word of each long Across answer Is VlS-a-vis the bracketed place in its clue |
| FINALE | What's spelled by the last letters of the six long Across phrases |
| POL | Campaigner found in the fronts of words of the four long Across answers |
| WELCOMEADDITION | Breath of fresh air ... or, literally, what the last word of eight long Across answers can be |
| ANIMALHOUSE | Raucous frat film, and a hint to the starts of the other four long Across answers |
| SNAKE | Year of the ___ (2025 on the Chinese calendar, which began yesterday; see this puzzle's two long across answers) |
| HIGHEND | Top-of-the-line, and what each of the four longest puzzle answers begins with? |
| OOHS | Cries of delight, and what each of the answers to the starred clues literally are? |
