| USBPORT | PC connection site, and a hint to each starred answer |
| KICKSTARTER | Crowdfunding site, and a hint to the starred entries' first words |
| TAILGATE | Pregame festivity site, and a hint to the inserted letters at the starred answers' ends |
| INTERNET | Site of sites, and a hint to a three-letter bit of five of this puzzle's Across answers |
| DRAFTKINGS | Popular daily fantasy sports gambling site, and a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| CENTERSTAGE | Limelight site, and a hint to the positions of this puzzle's circled names |
| SIDEBAR | Article accompaniment, and a hint to each starred answer's location and missing word |
| MINCEMEAT | Holiday pie choice, and a hint to each starred answer's hidden anagrammed word |
| CROPTOPS | Navel-revealing shirts, and a hint to each starred answer's first few letters |
| BLINDSIDES | Surprises unpleasantly, and a hint to each starred answer's first two + last two letters |
| 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 |
| GOONABENDER | Binge, or a hint to each starred answer's body part and two letters above it |
| COINTOSS | Fifty-fifty flip, or a hint to each starred answer's first four letters |
| WOODGRAIN | Tree texture, or a hint to each starred answer's pair of hidden words |
| SHORTCHANGE | Treat unfairly, or a hint to each starred answer's scrambled last word |
| LIGHTUP | Brighten, or a hint to each starred answer's vertical continuation |
| ALLSWELL | "We're doing OK!" ... or, read differently, a hint to each starred answer's first word |
| DEARONE | Cherished person, and a phonetic hint to each starred clue's answer |
