| SWELLING | Perform well in the crescendo and diminuendo (8) |
| MUDDER | Horse that performs well in the slop |
| POCOAPOCO | Like the crescendo in Ravel's "Bolero" |
| BIGFINISH | Concert crescendo, and what 16-, 24-, 49- and 59-Across all have |
| AEGROTAT | Excuse for one who can't perform well in exams (8) |
| SHINBONE | Perform well, holding head up, in part of leg (8) |
| SKILLFUL | Having the ability to perform well |
| CLIMATIC | Reaching crescendo without middle C, like Four Seasons' variations (8) |
| STARTOUT | Begin to perform well as ticket seller (5,3) |
| DWELLING | Almost doing well in the house (8) |
| FOREGONE | Well in the past (8) |
| CLIMAXED | Came to a crescendo |
| THECROWN | Royal drama that did well in the recent Emmy awards (3,5) |
| INCREASE | Crescendo |
| RISETOTHEOCCASION | Perform well in response to a challenge |
| RISESTO | ___ the occasion (performs well in a pressure situation): 2 wds. |
| SWELL | An adept, bigwig, dandy, don or fop; a gentle hillock; a crescendo followed by a diminuendo; or, a succession of oceanic waves (5) |
| DESIGNOFEVERYDAYTHINGS | In The ____, Donald Norman writes: "If I were placed in the cockpit of [an] airliner, my inability to perform well would neither surprise nor bother me. But why should I have trouble with doors, light |
| UPSURGE | Increase in sports participation and crescendo for orchestra (7,2,7) |
| INPLAYING | Increase in sports participation and crescendo for orchestra (7,2,7) |
