| RAISETHEBAR | Heighten expectations, say ... or a hint to entering four answers in this puzzle |
| ONEUP | Outdo ... or a hint to entering four answers in this puzzle |
| BOXBRAIDS | Hairstyle worn by Janet Jackson in the 1993 film "Poetic Justice," with a hint to entering four pairs of answers in this puzzle |
| IRONIC | Against expectations, say |
| TRIVIAL | Unimportant entering four in test (7) |
| TAKETHEL | Accept defeat, in modern parlance ... or a hint to entering five answers in this puzzle |
| ENDSUPONTOP | Prevails eventually ... or a hint to entering the answers to the six starred clues in this puzzle |
| SLEEPINGCAR | Accommodation for a long train trip ... or a hint to entering a certain letter 14 times in this puzzle |
| RIGHTONCUE | Prompt ... or a hint to entering five answers in this puzzle |
| LEARNINGYIDDISH | Title on certain language videos ... with a hint to entering six answers in this puzzle |
| DOUBLEDAY | Publishing company whose name serves as a hint to entering several Down answers in this puzzle |
| LOSTART | Letter writing, they say ... or a hint to eight answers in this puzzle |
| UPLOADS | Puts on a server, say ... or a hint to the circled letters in this puzzle |
| ITGOESUPANDDOWN | How life is like the ocean, or a hint to entering the starred answers |
| OUTSIDEHELP | Assistance from a tutor, say...or a hint to the starred answers' indicated letters |
| READALOUD | *Woodwind permitted, say ... or a hint to sounding out the answers to the starred clues? |
| EARLYBIRD | First to arrive, say, or a hint to each starred answer's first few letters |
| INDOOROUTDOOR | Multipurpose, say ... or a hint to the starred answers' starts |
| OUTOFBODYEXPERIENCE | Viewing oneself from above, say, or a hint to what the shaded spaces represent |
| BREAKSCHARACTER | Can't hold back laughter while performing, say ... or a hint to the circled letters |
