| OPENINGDAY | Annual ballpark occurrence, or a hint to the first few letters of each starred entry |
| OLDTIMERSDAY | Annual ballpark event |
| PARTYLEADER | Political bigwig, and a hint to the first few letters of 17-, 28- or 47-Across |
| NEONATAL | Relating to the first few days of a baby's life |
| ICEHOCKEY | Sport suggested by the first few letters of 16-, 22-, 36- and 47-Across |
| INC | Briefly including just the first few letters (3) |
| GEARSHIFT | What the puzzle's title refers to, or, how the first four letters of each starred entry might be described |
| SPARECHANGE | A small amount of money; also, how the first five letters of each starred entry might be described |
| EARLYBIRD | First to arrive, say, or a hint to each starred answer's first few letters |
| FREE | Gratis; or, a word to precede the first word of each starred entry |
| LANDHO | Cry from a crow's nest, or a hint to the first 4-7 letters of each starred clue's answer |
| INITIALLY | At the start ... or how the first two letters of each starred clue relate to the answer? |
| FRIENDSTOTHEEND | True buds, and a hint to the last three or four letters of each starred answer |
| CAPITALCITY | Center of a nation's political power ... or of each starred entry |
| DROPALINE | Say hi to in writing...or what to do to the first letter of each starred clue? |
| CROPTOPS | Navel-revealing shirts, and a hint to each starred answer's first few letters |
| IMBACKINTHEGAME | Remark after overcoming a setback, and a hint to two letters of each starred answer |
| FOOTBALL | Sport on whose field you'd find the first word of each starred entry |
| GETALIFE | "Mind your own beeswax!" and what the first part of each starred entry can do |
| CAROL | "Deck the Halls," for one ... or a hint to the first two letters of each word in the starred answers |
