| FIVEGUYS | Hamburger franchise, and what can be found at the starts of 17-, 24-, 30-, 41-, and 48-Across |
| BUILDABEAR | Customizable toy franchise, and what a part of each starred answer can do |
| PAIRSOFCARDS | Some poker holdings ... or a hint to 20-, 24-, 30-, 41- and 52-Across |
| FUDDRUCKERS | Hamburger franchise |
| FORTUNE | With 41- and 48-Across, what 56-Across declared while approaching the eruption of 20-Across |
| BABYSTEPS | Small advances ... or the progression suggested by the ends of 17-, 23-, 33-, 41- and 48-Across |
| MIDTERMS | Some tests ... or what's found literally in 17-, 24-, 30-, 39- and 44-Across |
| BREAKSBREAD | Has a meal, and based on certain outer letters, what 17-, 24-, 30-, 46- and 53-Across each does |
| WILDFLOWERS | Colorful elements of a meadow, and what can be found at the starts of the answers to the starred clues |
| FATHERFIGURES | Some male role models, and what can be found at the starts of the answers to the starred clues |
| SINKORSWIM | Success-versus-failure metaphor, and what can be found at the starts of the answers to the starred clues |
| DOWNSIZING | Cornerstone of the Konmari method, and the progression found at the starts of the answers to the starred clues |
| FOURQUARTERS | Change for a dollar, and what can be found at the starts of the answers to the starred clues |
| USATODAYSECTION | One can be found at the starts of 17-, 29- and 45- Across |
| SPA | Place to enjoy the kinds of pampering found at the starts of the answers to the starred clues |
| PENNAMES | Writers' aliases, and what are found at the starts of the answers to the starred clues |
| LEGOBRICKS | Toy construction pieces. or what can be found at the starts of the starred clues' answers? |
| TRIMLEVEL | Options package for a new car, and what can be found at the start of the answer to each starred clue |
| EYEOPENER | Revelation, or what can be found at the starts of the starred answers |
| ELLIE | Teenager smuggled across the United States in the video game franchise and HBO TV series The Last of Us |
