| FIA | Race organiser for 11, 23 and 52 Across |
| STEWARD | Race organiser (7) |
| THEVENTURES | All-time best-selling instrumental group, whose first big hit was (see the first words of 17-, 23- and 52-Across) |
| TRAY | A flat receptacle such as a baking sheet, a board for conveying tea things, a holder in a CD player or a desk organiser for pending papers (4) |
| EDITOR | Credit organiser for framing newspaper leader (6) |
| LIFE | Magazine founded 11/23/36 |
| NOMORE | 11/23 17's promise to halve oompah band trombone playing when touring America (2,4,4,3,4) |
| FLUTIE | Boston College quarterback with a famous game-ending Hail Mary pass, 11/23/84 |
| CROSSEDSWORDS | Disagreed with editors cutting things like this ___ 1 and 10, 5 and 11, 21 and 24, 23 and 26 (7,6) |
| FIRSTSTATE | Delaware's nickname, or a hint to 17-, 23- and 54- Across |
| RELATED | Like a person and their "23 and Me" matches |
| GROUCHO | Crab and duck featured as 1, 12, 13, 14, 16, 23 and 24 (7) |
| CHOPIN | Composer and pianist who wrote Ballade No 1 in G minor, Op 23 and Nocturne, Op 9, No. 2 (6) |
| LAWMAN | Enforcement officer - perhaps in pursuit of 23 and 10 in 13, 2 and 20 (6) |
| BEST | _ 15, 6 (1ac 19), 27 (9 22), 56, 23, and possiibly 4ac, 21 for 28 26 8dn (4) |
| VIRGOS | They're born between August 23 and September 22 (6) |
| MONDAY | See 23 and 24 |
| LIBRA | Someone born between September 23 and October 22 (5) |
| FOOTPLATEMEN | 1 23 and 26 are enemies: plot incompetently at separating them? (12) |
| BARS | See 23 and 6 |
