| PRECHECK | Boarding pass designation, or hint to either word in each starred entry |
| BEFORETAX | Like gross income, and where either word in each starred clue's answer can go |
| BASKETBALL | Sport invented by James Naismith; the second word in each starred entry is a position in this sport |
| PRE | It can come before the first word in each starred entry |
| CHANGEPURSE | Small bag for carrying coins, or, how you might obtain the first five letters in each starred entry |
| EGG | Item "laid" by a bird in each starred entry |
| BALLRETURN | Bowling alley device, and a hint to the hidden word in each starred answer |
| INCH | Short measure found in each starred entry |
| PASTTENSE | Like either word in the answers to the five starred clues |
| OPENINGDAY | Annual ballpark occurrence, or a hint to the first few letters of each starred entry |
| AWRINKLEINTIME | Classic young adult novel ... or hint to the path taken by four letters in the answers to the starred clues |
| THREEINAROW | Tic-tac-toe win ... or hint to the starts of the answers to the starred clues |
| DOUBLEHEADER | Ballpark marathon, or hint to what can precede both parts of each starred answer |
| SURFZONE | Where waves break, or a description of the second word in each starred answer |
| SLICEOFLIFE | Realistic, or the first word in each starred clue's answer? |
| KING | Type of leader, and a word that could precede the last word in each starred answer |
| PARTY | Word that could precede the second word in each starred answer |
| ETYMOLOGY | What the two words in each starred answer have in common with each other |
| ANIMALSHELTER | Where a stray may stay, or what the first indicated word in each starred clue's answer is for the second? |
| DOJACATPEGGYLEE | *Line 1 on this puzzle's mixtape label: "Say So" / "Fever" (Hint: Note the scrambled word in each starred clue's answer) |
