| MCCARTHY | Actress Melissa who, when asked what she'd tell her younger self, said "Just follow your heart" |
| AUDREYPLAZA | Actress who meets her younger self played by Maisy Stella in the 2024 film "My Old Ass": 2 wds. |
| RELIC | Memorial of what she'd lost wasn't enough for widow (5) |
| BORE | Per an oft-quoted aphorism, someone who, when asked how he's doing, actually tells you |
| BEDELIA | Fictional Amelia who, when asked to remove spots from a dress, cut out all the polka dots |
| SEARCHLIGHT | Look for what's shed on beam probing the sky (11) |
| PETHAIR | What's shed by the family dog or cat: 2 wds. |
| LAMPOON | There's nothing in what sheds light on personal satire (7) |
| MYLEAD | "Just follow ___" |
| STALKED | Didn't just follow around |
| MAYFAIR | Just follow an ex-PM to this place in London (7) |
| LEO | Actress Melissa who won an Oscar for her performance in The Fighter |
| SPY | Person who lies when asked 'What do you do for a living?' |
| ANSWEREDCOYLY | What the Brooklyn girl did when asked, "What kind of hair is that?" |
| SAYCHEESE | Smile when asked what you'd like with your spaghetti? (3,6) |
| CANSIR | What you might answer when asked "What's a three-letter synonym for 'tin'?" by a gentleman? |
| SAYNOTHING | Don't answer or do, when asked what the much ado is about (3,7) |
| LAURIEMETCALF | "The Big Bang Theory" actress whose daughter portrays her character's younger self on "Young Sheldon": 2 wds. |
| SOFTOPTION | Easy choice, when asked what mattress you'd like? (4,6) |
| EYE | Cat's ___ 1988 novel by Margaret Atwood about a painter Elaine Risley who looks back at her younger days |
