| GOODBYES | Farewells ... or, homophonically and read top to bottom, what the first words of the answers to starred clues represent? |
| AHEAD | In the future, or, when spoken with a long starting vowel, what the last word of the answers to star |
| SKIMP | Quickly read top of poster to be stingy (5) |
| BYEBYES | Farewells or sleep (3-4) |
| TRUMPET | Loud sound from bottom - what was offensive about it? (7) |
| BRASS | Fish bit angler's bottom - what cheek! |
| COLDSPELL | Stretch of chilly weather, and what the first words of the answers to the starred clues amount to, phonetically? |
| LEANNRIMES | Winner of the 1997 Best New Artist Grammy (or homophonically, the starts of this puzzle's theme entries) |
| FORTHRIGHT | Straight to the point ... or, homophonically, what this answer is relative to this puzzle? |
| SPELLITOUT | Leave no room for misinterpretation ... or what the first words of the answers to the five starred c |
| DANCEPARTNERS | Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, e.g., and, literally, what the first words of the answers to starred |
| PINHEADS | Ninnies, and what the first words of the answers to the starred clues literally are |
| FRESHSTART | New beginning, and what the first words of the answers to the starred clues can literally have |
| BALLCLUB | Angels or Dodgers, and, in a way, what the first words of the answers to starred clues comprise |
| SPELLBOOK | Wizard's reference, and what the first words of the answers to the starred clues do |
| NUTSANDBOLTS | Essentials, or what the first words of the answers to the starred clues are |
| COMINGINHOT | Arriving with great speed, and what the first words of the answers to the starred clues are doing? |
| LOBSTERTAIL | The "surf" of surf and turf, often, or what the first word of the answer to each starred clue can be |
| BUYNOTHINGDAY | Official start of the Christmas season, according to protesters ... or, homophonically, an explanati |
| GRANDFINALE | Big finish, and what the first words of the answers to starred clues can be |
