| SUPPORTSYSTEM | Nurturing network of family and friends, and a hint to the starts of 20-, 30-, 36- and 48-Across |
| MAKEITADOUBLE | Request to a bartender, and what must be done to the last words of 20-, 30-, 36-, and 47-Across for the answers to match their clues |
| NARAYAN | RK ---, Indian author of Swami and Friends and A Tiger for Malgudi |
| CLAN | Constant network of family (4) |
| LEAVEATTHEALTAR | Jilt in front of family and friends |
| BROOKNER | Anita, author of Family and Friends (8) |
| BINCHY | Author of novels including Circle of Friends and A Week in Winter who outsold James Joyce and Oscar Wilde (6) |
| MEATOFTHEMATTER | Issue's most important element ... and a hint to 17-, 30-, 36- and 47-Across |
| JACKSTOOPEN | Five-card draw variation ... or a hint to 17-, 30-, 36- and 44-Across |
| SHONDARHIMES | Creator of "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal" ... or, when said aloud, a hint to the starts of 20-, 30 and 45-Across |
| FARM | Place that can precede the starts of 20-, 30-, 36-, 46 and 52-Across |
| DUCK | Bird that can precede the starts of 20-, 30-, 36-, 46 and 52-Across |
| COW | Animal that can precede the starts of 20-, 30-, 36-, 46- and 52-Across |
| PIG | Animal that can precede the starts of 20-, 30-, 36-, 46- and 52-Across |
| ROBBINBOARD | It was a local body that put Pooh's friend and a snake on the road (6,5) |
| DAYOFTHE | Mexican celebration in November during which people gather to remember family and friends who have died, the ... Dead (3,2,3) |
| LEMNOS | Island lake to which member of family and myself returned |
| NEAREST | First word of a rhyming phrase meaning very close family and friends |
| COMMA | Important feature of the sentence "I like cooking, family and friends" |
| MACARTHUR | One of 20-30 "genius grants" awarded annually |
