| RUBSTHEWRONGWAY | Annoys, or a hint to the word hidden in the starred entries |
| PUTALIDONIT | "Stop complaining!" ... and a hint to the words hidden in the starred clues' answers |
| INNERCIRCLE | Small, influential group ... and a hint to the word hidden in each answer to a starred clue |
| BACKUPPLANS | "Just in case" arrangements, and a hint to the word hidden in reverse in each starred answer |
| ERGO | Therefore (or the word hidden in the four theme answers) |
| ITSATRAP | Warning to the answers to the three starred clues regarding the word hidden in 17-, 34- and 43-Acros |
| NEGATIVES | Photographic images used for printing; or, the type of contractions hidden in the starred entries |
| ALLOVERTHEPLACE | *Wildly disorganized (Note: The title hints at the expanding word hidden in the starred clues' answers) |
| BRIDGEOFSPIES | 2015 Cold War film, or a hint to the words hidden across the rows of starred answers |
| MEASURESUP | Meets expectations, and a hint to words hidden in the starred answers |
| DAYANDNIGHT | All the time, as well as a hint to the abbreviations hidden in the starred answers |
| MIDDLEEARTH | Fictional setting of the title work; three of its creatures are hidden in the starred entries |
| TABLETENNIS | Activity suggested by the words hidden in the long Acrosses |
| NEWS | First letters of the words hidden in the four longest answers |
| BEANSALAD | Picnic veggie dish, and a hint to words hidden in the answers to starred clues |
| YINANDYANG | Chinese philosophical forces, and a hint to what's hidden in the starred answers |
| CANIGETANAMEN | "Anyone agree with me?" and a hint to what's hidden in the starred answers |
| WARANDPEACE | Classic novel of 1,000+ pages ... or a hint to the word ladder formed by the answers to the starred |
| THEWEEKEND | According to a song by the band "Loverboy," it's what everybody's working for. Its parts may be found in the starred entries. |
| ATOI | Yours, in Montreal, or what has been changed in the starred entries |
