| HUFFANDPUFF | Catch your breath, or what the subject of this puzzle (found at the start of 17-, 29- and 45-Across) |
| MADETHEROUNDS | Checked on patients, or what the subjects of all of the starred clues did to their answers |
| HOLD | Word before "your breath" or "your tongue" |
| SALT | Theme of this puzzle, found in the answers to 21-, 26-, 44- and 52-Across |
| ACTIONVERB | Part of speech that indicates what the subject of a sentence is doing whose first word anagrams to "cation": 2 wds. |
| INTHEPICTURE | Adequately briefed what the subject of a portrait must be |
| THEME | What's the subject of groan from hatemonger? (5) |
| DISTRACT | Puzzle found in copper's pamphlet (8) |
| TANGRAM | Chinese puzzle found in Tibetan grammar (7) |
| WHEREWASI | Lost-one's-place words often preceded by the two-letter start of 17-, 29- and 49-Across |
| GENRE | What the start of 17-, 29-, 45- or 61-Across is, in a bookstore |
| LUNCH | Meal that can precede the start of 17-, 29-, 46- or 62-Across |
| USATODAYSECTION | One can be found at the starts of 17-, 29- and 45- Across |
| TRIMLEVEL | Options package for a new car, and what can be found at the start of the answer to each starred clue |
| FAILURETOLAUNCH | Rocket mishap, or what can be found at the start of the answer to each starred clue |
| BEES | Busy buzzers ... and letters found at the start of every clue in this puzzle |
| WHATSMYLINE | Long-running panel show, and hint to puzzle theme found at the start of seven answers |
| CLEF | French musical "key" found at the start of a stave - a treble or bass symbol that sets the tone (4) |
| NEWTESTAMENT | This could be statement Matthew's found at the start of this collection (3,9) |
| GASP | Catch your breath at first glance of snake (4) |
