| BIRTHDATE | Nov. 3, 1949 for 17-, 30- and 48-Across (and this puzzle's author!) |
| BUILDCHARACTER | Improve one's moral strength ... and what the starred answers and this puzzle's authors both do? |
| TAKINGSIDES | Showing partiality ... or a hint to how the clues for 17-, 30- and 45-Across were constructed |
| INTERNALAFFAIRS | Police department watchdog (and hint to 17-, 30-, and 48-Across) |
| ELMERSGLUE | Collagist's need (and a hint to what is "stuck" to the beginnings of 17-, 30-, and 48-Across) |
| MADEOFSTONE | Cold-hearted ... or like 17-, 30- and 48-Across, based on the letters they're spelled with? |
| DIN | Noise brought into the answers at 21- and 48-Across, and 3- and 31-Down |
| GROUP | Word that can follow the last parts of 20- and 48-Across and 11- and 27-Down |
| CHINESE | It can precede the start of 6- and 48-Across and 28-Down |
| TORONTO | City where Taylor will play six shows from Nov. 14 to Nov. 23; she'll also play three shows in Indianapolis before that Nov. 1 to Nov. 3 (but Indianapolis is too long a word to fit in this crossword g |
| CIRCLEBACK | Return to a subject in conversation, and what this puzzle's author did to make the examples stand out |
| SOMEWHAT | Does it matter strangling this puzzle's author slightly? (8) |
| GONEFISHING | Classic out-of-office sign ... or what this puzzle's author has done? |
| CARDSINUNO | Category for the first words of 17-, 30- and 39- Across |
| TRYINGTIMES | Taxing periods, and a hint to 17-, 30- and 45- Across |
| SIDEBYSIDE | Apt title for this puzzle, appearing after both words in 17-, 30-, and |
| NATO | Acronym for the international organization based in Brussels that was established in 1949 for purpos |
| CHAKA | *Khan who will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Brooklyn on Nov. 3, as announced yesterday; other entries with an asterisk will be inducted as well |
| WOMEN | This puzzle's authors, e.g. |
| SIXWAYSTOSUNDAY | Completely ... with a summation of 17-, 30- and 47- Across |
