| NOTNOW | "I'm busy!" ... or, if read in four pieces, an aid in solving several clues here |
| PUZZLEJUMPER | One solving several crosswords simultaneously? |
| REDROBIN | One of several clues today considered shady and up in the air? Could be related to one of our little |
| DETECTIVE | He often needs several clues to get one solution (9) |
| SAPIENCE | Pieces an innovation turned into wisdom (8) |
| PARAPHRASES | Puts in other words, or, if read as three pieces, a hint to the starred answers |
| BIT | From Old English for "mouthful", a crumb, morsel or scrap; a bridle's snaffle or other metal mouthpiece; any small coin or piece; an awl for a brace or a drill; or, a brief space of time (3) |
| YELLOW | One of the colours of the counters used in Connect Four, pieces/tokens in Ludo, wedges in Trivial Pursuit or locations on a Monopoly board (6) |
| TIMEANDAGAIN | Repeatedly, or if read a different way, a cryptic way of signaling a letter bank for the other theme answers |
| SEEINGSTARS | Feeling dazed, as you may be when reading four clues here, or their solutions? (6,5) |
| LEAGUE | Distance definable, for me, as initially in four pieces (6) |
| QUARTERED | in four pieces |
| NOCANDO | "Above my pay grade" ... and, read in four parts, a hint to 16-, 24-, 32-, 40- and 49- Across |
| APRON | In favour of wearing an aid in the kitchen? (5) |
| LEVER | An aid in lifting always left in front |
| ASSET | An aid in action as put in place |
| AUDEN | Poet whose work was read in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" |
| SKIPOLE | Pole with metal points used as an aid in skiing (3,4) |
| ROSETTA | ___ Stone, slab from Egypt that was an aid in understanding hieroglyphics (7) |
| GERSHWIN | George, U.S. composer whose work includes the orchestral piece An American in Paris (8) |
