| HENRYFIELDING | British novelist whose most famous protagonist can be found at the beginning of the answers to the s |
| KAFKA | Novelist whose most famous protagonist transforms into a bug |
| THEFORCEAWAKENS | 53-Across in a notable film series, whose protagonists can be found at the ends of 18-, 23-, and 35- |
| SAGAN | Surname of the French novelist whose most famous work is Bonjour Tristesse (5) |
| FIRSTDRAFT | Preliminary version of a writing composition ... or how to describe the beginning of the answers to each of the starred clues? |
| FALSESTARTS | Track meet infractions ... or short words hiding at the beginning of the answers to starred clues |
| NKOREA | The 38th parallel is to the S of here |
| USA | Land to the S. |
| ACT | Alternative to the S.A.T. |
| FLIGHTLESSBIRDS | They're at the beginning of the answers to 18-, 39-, and 60-Across |
| TEASE | Verb for which synonyms can be found at the beginnings of the starred answers |
| TAYLORSWIFT | Star whose albums can be found at the beginnings of this puzzle's other starred entries |
| ENDPAPER | An often marbled or illustrated leaf pasted to the inside board cover of a book, thus found at the beginning or conclusion of such a tome (8) |
| LIPSAREMOVIN | 2014 top 10 hit for Meghan Trainor, and what's happening at the beginning of the answer to each star |
| AARDVARK | Found at the beginning of the book, it keeps the working population down (8) |
| ITSATRAP | Warning cry... or a hint to the beginnings of the answers to the five starred clues |
| XMEN | Marvel Comics mutants, four of whom can be found at the ends of the answers to the starred clues |
| WILDFLOWERS | Colorful elements of a meadow, and what can be found at the starts of the answers to the starred clues |
| KAZUOISHIGURO | Japanese-born British novelist whose novels include the Booker-prize-winning The Remains of the Day |
| KICKSTARTS | Reinvigorates, as an economy ... or a hint to the beginnings of the answers to starred clues |
