| BLOFELD | 17 Across and white Persian lover (7) |
| GABRIEL | With 17-Across and 30-Across, author of "One Hundred Years of Solitude," which is now a Netflix series |
| CHESS | Game being played by 17-Across and 18-Across in a jail cell in a dual cameo on 1-Across on Monday night; the guard gives 18-Across a winning move, to which 17-Across replies sarcastically: "Thanks a l |
| POPE | Satirist, source of 17 Across and 34 Across, 54 Across (4) |
| STARCLUSTER | Night sky feature, and hint to a four-letter sequence hidden in 17-Across and 10- and 25-Down |
| GARDENSALAD | "Rabbit food," and a clue to parts of 17-Across and 11- and 25-Down |
| NAMECHANGE | "Clay" to "Ali," e.g., and a hint to 17-Across and 11- and 28-Down |
| JOINFORCES | Combine efforts, and puzzle title reflected in 17-Across and 10- and 25-Down |
| ADAMDALGLIESH | Truth-seeker in 17-Across and 57-Across |
| IMPRESSIONISM | Art style shared by 17-Across and 38-Across |
| DETECTIVES | What 17-Across and 29-Across are in Agatha Christie mysteries |
| DICTIONARY | Word that follows 17 Across and 11 and 28 Down |
| TRAINTRACK | Its parts end 17-Across and 11- and 28- |
| MICHAELJFOX | Actor who played 17-Across and 28-/29-Across: 3 wds. |
| EUROPE | Continent in which 17 Across and 40 Across are located (6) |
| OUR | With 17-Across and 33-Across, new novel by Celeste Ng |
| AGIRL | "It's ___!" (gender reveal for 17-Across and 20-Across) |
| THEMIRROR | With 17-Across and 31-Across, "Wolf Hall" series on PBS |
| DESIGNATED | Word that can precede the last parts of 17-Across and 10- and 25-Down |
| VEGETABLES | Word that can follow the first parts of 17-Across and 10- and 24-Down |
