| THINGSFALLAPART | Classic 1958 Chinua Achebe novel ... and a hint what literally happens in 17-, 24-, 50- and 61-Acros |
| SPARECHANGE | Coins in one's pocket ... and what literally happens in each set of circles |
| TURNOVER | Pastry treat, and a hint what's hidden in 20-, 28-, 47- and 53-Across |
| WATER | River phenomena (or what literally happens six times in this puzzle) |
| SSS | Reptilian warning found in 17-, 24-, 50- and 61-Across |
| JOHNNYONTHESPOT | Handy guy to have around, or a hint to this puzzle's theme found in 17-, 24-, 50- and 62-Across |
| BREAKINGTHEBANK | Making a killing in Vegas ... or what happens in 17-, 28- and 47-Across |
| MIDASTOUCH | Moneymaking skill ... or, when read as three words, what happens in 17-, 21-, 35-, 45- and 54-Across |
| WARMUP | You'd expect this to happen in 17 down before going on to the pitch (4,2) |
| ONTHEBEACH | 1957 novel, and a hint to the ends of 17-, 27- and |
| ONTHEROAD | Kerouac novel, and a hint to the four starred women in this puzzle |
| ITENDSWITHUS | Colleen Hoover novel, and a hint for the answer to each asterisked clue * (12) |
| KNOCKOUTGAS | Incapacitating agent of pulp detective and scifi novels ... and a hint to solving this puzzle's starred clues |
| FINISHINGSCHOOL | A charming place, or what both halves of 17, 24, 50, and 61 Across are capable of doing |
| INNERVOICES | One's toughest critics, often, and, literally, three different words hidden in 21-, 26- and 43-Acros |
| THESECRETGARDEN | Frances Hodgson Burnett novel, and a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| TWOPARTYSYSTEMS | Political configurations suggested by the answers (and their circled letters) at 17-, 24-, 50- and 61-Across? |
| HANDPRINT | Turkey's body in a kid's art project, maybe (Theme hint: What can precede both words in each starred clue's answer?) |
| THEJETSONS | TV series that first aired 9/23/1962 whose family shares first names with 17-, 24-, 34- and 49-Acros |
| ITSATRAP | Warning to the answers to the three starred clues regarding the word hidden in 17-, 34- and 43-Acros |
