| BOWLING | Sport that is the key to interpreting the answers to 21-, 40- and 56-Across |
| CLEARTHEBASES | Hit one out of the park, and the key to interpreting the starred clues |
| UNDERTHESEA | Song from "The Little Mermaid" that's a phonetic hint to interpreting the answers to the starred clues |
| TIMEISMONEY | Benjamin Franklin adage ... or a hint to interpreting the answers to the four starred clues |
| AMANFORALLSEASONS | Film or play that is the key to this puzzle |
| DAILYPLANET | Publication that is the key to this puzzle's theme |
| ROCK | ___ climbing extreme sport that is the central theme of the documentary film Free Solo |
| ROQUE | Mallet sport that is the second through sixth letters of another mallet sport |
| BASEBALL | Sport that is the "national pastime" |
| PALS | Friends that surround the answers to 21-, 26-, 43- and 50- Across |
| ITSAWRAP | Director's shout, and hint to the starts of 17-, 21-, 40- and |
| FOREXAMPLE | "To illustrate ...", and a hint to interpreting the starred clues |
| RIMSHOT | Drum stroke after a punchline ... or a hint to interpreting the starred clues' answers |
| DOUBLESTANDARDS | Unequally applied rules, or a hint to interpreting the starred clues' answers |
| BENDINGTHETRUTH | Telling lies...or a hint to interpreting the starred clues' answers |
| TEASEOUT | Disentangle ... or a phonetic hint to interpreting the starred clues' answers |
| IDEST | Phrase whose abbreviation is the key to four long puzzle answers |
| ALCOHOLFREE | Spiritless? ... or a hint to interpreting the starred clues' answers |
| NOIFSANDSORBUTS | "Excuses are unacceptable" or a hint to interpreting the starred clues |
| PLATFORM | ___ tennis is a sport that is a combination of tennis and squash and was devised in 1928 (8) |
