| LEXICOLOGY | Branch of linguistics that studies the meaning and history of words (10) |
| COMEONDOWN | "The Price Is Right" catchphrase, or a hint to the meaning and direction of each starred clue's answer |
| ETYMOLOGY | The study of the origin and history of words (9) |
| BADLANDS | National park in South Dakota ... or, parsed differently, a hint to the meanings and initials of 17-, 24-, 39- and 51-Across |
| GEOLOGISTS | Those who study the origins and history of rock formations (10) |
| PHONETICS | A branch of linguistics that deals with the study of the sounds or pronunciation of human speech (9) |
| SEMANTICS | Branch of linguistics that deals with the study of meaning (9) |
| ENTOMOLOGY | Branch of zoology that studies insects, with the Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder writing one of the first books on the subject (10) |
| EE | The branch of engineering science that studies the uses of electricity and the equipment for power generation and distribution and the control of machines and communication |
| GRAMMAR | Branch of linguistics that includes syntax and semantics |
| PRAGMATICS | Branch of linguistics (10) |
| HUMANITIES | Non-scientific subjects of study, such as literature and history |
| PEERAGE | The dignity, rank or title of a noble; lords and ladies collectively; or, a book of the genealogy and history of said aristocracy (7) |
| RHEOLOGY | Branch of physics that studies the flow and deformation of matter (8) |
| MYOLOGY | Science that studies the structure and fibres of the muscles and their specific functions (7) |
| HISTOLOGY | Branch of biology that studies the microscopic structure of tissue (9) |
| OPTICS | Branch of physics that studies the properties of light (6) |
| ECOLOGY | Branch of biology that studies the relationships between living organisms and their environment (7) |
| BROOKS | Actor who starred in films including the Producers, Blazing Saddles, High Anxiety and History of the |
| ZOOLOGY | Branch of biology that studies the animal kingdom (7) |
