| COMINGOUT | LGBTQ milestone celebrated on October 11, or a hint to each starred clue's missing word |
| IMCOMINGOUT | Phrase often said on October 11, or a hint to 17-, 31- and 47-Across |
| COMEOUT | Observe the national holiday on October 11 |
| SLEUTHING | False clues, missing first object in investigation (9) |
| IDLE | Mind clues missing every other letter? That's futile (4) |
| HALLOWEEN | Henry to permit extremely evocative hymn at the end when it's celebrated on October 31st (9) |
| COLUMBUSDAY | A legal holiday in most states of the US commemorating the discovery of America, traditionally celebrated on October 12 (8,3) |
| MEANGIRLS | 2004 teen comedy celebrated on October 3 |
| EATENALIVE | Mobbed by mosquitoes ... or a hint to each starred clue's answer, based on the word that surrounds it |
| SIDEBAR | Article accompaniment, and a hint to each starred answer's location and missing word |
| EYEOPENING | Astonishing and enlightening ... or a phonetic hint to each starred clue's answer |
| SEEEYETOEYE | Agree, or a hint to each starred clue's answer |
| DEARONE | Cherished person, and a phonetic hint to each starred clue's answer |
| CREATUREFEATURE | "Godzilla vs. Kong." for example and a hint to each starred clue's answer |
| DROPPEDCALL | Telecom company's concern, or a hint to each starred answer's word-spanning connection descriptor |
| EARLYBIRD | First to arrive, say, or a hint to each starred answer's first few letters |
| FIRSTDANCE | Traditional start of a wedding reception, or a hint to each starred answer's opening letters |
| SHORTCHANGE | Treat unfairly, or a hint to each starred answer's scrambled last word |
| ALLSWELL | "We're doing OK!" ... or, read differently, a hint to each starred answer's first word |
| COINTOSS | Fifty-fifty flip, or a hint to each starred answer's first four letters |
