| THROW | Light bed cover ... and a verb that goes with the first parts of this puzzle's four longest answers |
| CAPTAIN | Rank that goes with the first parts of the answers to starred clues |
| SANTA | "Nick" name that goes with the first names in the grid's six longest entries |
| JACKET | Short coat that shares its name with a book cover and a potato's skin (6) |
| VERANDA | Outside cover and a place inside (7) |
| SWITCHPLATES | Electrician's covers, and a hint to the ends of the answers to starred clues |
| FRAMERATE | Videographer's stat formed by a photo holder + a verb that can mean "assign stars to": 2 wds. |
| SOFTPEDAL | "De-emphasize" equivalent whose second part anagrams to "plead": Hyph. (Theme answer: An adjective describing firmness is followed by a verb that makes a vehicle move) |
| HARDDRIVE | Computer storage component whose second word anagrams to "Verdi": 2 wds. (Theme answer: An adjective describing firmness is followed by a verb that makes a vehicle move) |
| LITTER | Light bed - rubbish (6) |
| COT | Crib, small light bed |
| BARRYMORE | Family name that can go with the first names at 18-, 24-, 39-, and 50-Across |
| POKER | Game that can follow the first part of this puzzle's four longest answers |
| GETOUTOFHERE | "Shoo!," and an instruction that goes with the last words of the answers to the starred clues |
| EURO | Word that can precede the first parts of this puzzle's theme answers |
| FORKBALL | Sports term whose middle four letters anagram to "bark" (Theme answer: The first part of this answer is a piece of cutlery, and the second part follows the pattern B _ L L.) |
| SPOONBILL | Flying animal whose first five letters anagram to "snoop" (Theme answer: The first part of this answer is a piece of cutlery, and the second part follows the pattern B _ L L.) |
| BOBSUPANDDOWN | Moves like a buoy in the ocean ... or a hint to the circled parts of this puzzle? |
| EXTRA | Bonus, and a word that can precede the last words of this puzzle's four longest answers |
| DND | Role-playing game with a 20-sided die, familiarly, and a feature of this puzzle's four longest answers |
