| SPARECHANGE | A small amount of money; also, how the first five letters of each starred entry might be described |
| GEARSHIFT | What the puzzle's title refers to, or, how the first four letters of each starred entry might be described |
| FINALCUT | Director's demand, and the last four or five letters of each starred answer |
| OILCHANGE | Car care task, or how the first three letters of each long entry might be described |
| CHANGEPURSE | Small bag for carrying coins, or, how you might obtain the first five letters in each starred entry |
| IMAGE | A picture, real or in the mind; also, how someone puts themselves across (5) |
| KATMANDU | Source of money also in country raised capital |
| TOSCA | Puccini opera ... or the first five letters of the maestro who conducted its La Scala premiere |
| BRAND | First five letters of Kent's most famous racing circuit (5) |
| DIVER | Pool athlete who aptly crosses the first 5 Letters of 30- |
| INSIDEJOB | What a lack of evidence of forced entry might indicate |
| OPENINGDAY | Annual ballpark occurrence, or a hint to the first few letters of each starred entry |
| INITIALLY | At the start ... or how the first two letters of each starred clue relate to the answer? |
| LANDHO | Cry from a crow's nest, or a hint to the first 4-7 letters of each starred clue's answer |
| FOOTBALL | Sport on whose field you'd find the first word of each starred entry |
| EPICENTER | *Point above a quake's origin (Note the first four letters of each starred clue's answer) |
| CAPITALCITY | Center of a nation's political power ... or of each starred entry |
| ACDC | "Electric" rock band: half their name is found in the center of each starred entry |
| CAROL | "Deck the Halls," for one ... or a hint to the first two letters of each word in the starred answers |
| IMBACKINTHEGAME | Remark after overcoming a setback, and a hint to two letters of each starred answer |
