| STIRTHEPOT | Cause trouble, or a description of what the strings of circled letters do |
| HELDWATER | As a description of what the sponge did, was valid (4,5) |
| SHAKEWEIGHT | Oscillating exercise device of infomercial fame . . . or how to arrive at the four strings of circled letters in this puzzle |
| SPINATALE | Embellish the truth, and what the sets of circled letters do? |
| CRACKAJOKE | Say something funny, and what the sets of circled letters do |
| HOTWATER | Informal term for a state of trouble or a dangerous predicament (3,5) |
| PECK | A measure of trouble or a Canadian car |
| REPEATAFTERME | "Do as I do," and a hint to what the circled letters do |
| HALFNELSON | Hold a description of what can be seen from the side of Trafalgar Square? |
| RIDINGCROP | Jockey's tool, or a description of what's been done to the starred answers |
| RAISEARUCKUS | Cause commotion ... or what the circled letters do? |
| CORNERTHEMARKET | Get a monopoly (or what this puzzle's circled letters do) |
| CROSSPARTYLINES | Act in a bipartisan way, and what the circled letters do Across and Down |
| BREAKFAST | Important meal, or what the circled letters do, if parsed another way |
| ARRAIGN | Sounds like a description of what a king does in court proceedings (7) |
| HOLDSWATER | IS VALID AS A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT A BUCKET DOES |
| STARBURST | Chewy fruit-flavored candy ... or a description of what's depicted visually in this puzzle |
| WISECRACK | Make a witty comment, or a phonetic hint to what the indicated letters do (Bonus: Note what these letters spell) |
| GETARAISE | Start to make more money, and what the circled letters do? |
| PUTALIDONIT | "Shut your trap!" ... and, graphically, what the circled letters do |
