| FALLINGDOWN | Like the contents of this puzzle's circled squares, in a nursery rhyme |
| SCOOPEDUP | Eagerly obtained ... or a hint to the contents of this puzzle's shaded squares? |
| SHOWSUP | Appears ... and the contents of this puzzle's circles? |
| LETTERS | Contents of this puzzle's theme |
| LISTOFGUESTS | In 1.2, Romeo stops a servingman in the street, who has a letter. Romeo reads the contents of this letter. What is in the letter? |
| PARTRIDGE | With the contents of this grid's circles, part of the refrain in 3-/6-/9 |
| LIVINGINTHEPRESENT | Like the contents of a gift-wrapped pet carrier, hopefully? |
| ROT | Go bad, like the contents of a compost bin |
| HOMEISWHERETHEHEARTIS | Phrase about feeling a strong connection to a particular place, and a hint for substituting letters in this puzzle's circled squares |
| DOUBLEORNOTHING | Risky wager ... with a hint to the letters in this puzzle's circled squares |
| UNREAD | Like the contents of a sealed letter |
| OXYGENMASK | Nothing can symbolise the contents of this life-saving apparatus |
| GREEKCROSS | Religious symbol resembling a plus sign ... or a hint to the three groups of circled squares in this puzzle |
| BUILDINGBLOCKS | Smaller parts making up a larger whole ... with a hint to the six groups of circled squares in this puzzle |
| WHATSINTHEBOXES | Question asked by a customs officer or a kid on Christmas ... with a hint to this puzzle's circled squares |
| HUSHHUSHMEETING | Secret get-together, or what occurs literally in each of this puzzle's circled squares |
| EVILQUEEN | She queried a magic object named twice in this puzzle's circled squares |
| PICTUREINPICTURE | Small screen superimposed on a large screen ... or a hint to this puzzle's circled squares |
| BOYCRAZY | Like many teen girls, and a literal hint to this puzzle's circled squares |
| STATELINE | Geographic demarcation that separates the two possible answers in this puzzle's circled squares |
