| BENDINGTHETRUTH | Telling lies ... or a hint to interpreting the starred clues' answers |
| AMELIORATE | Better lie or a mate will go crazy (10) |
| 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 |
| FOREXAMPLE | "To illustrate ...", and a hint to interpreting the starred clues |
| NOIFSANDSORBUTS | "Excuses are unacceptable" or a hint to interpreting the starred clues |
| TEASEOUT | Disentangle ... or a phonetic hint to interpreting the starred clues' answers |
| TIMEISMONEY | Benjamin Franklin adage ... or a hint to interpreting the answers to the four starred clues |
| UNDERTHESEA | Song from "The Little Mermaid" that's a phonetic hint to interpreting the answers to the starred clues |
| CLEARTHEBASES | Hit one out of the park, and the key to interpreting the starred clues |
| PIGLATIN | Hint to interpreting the five starred clues |
| READMUSIC | Follow a composer's notation ... or a hint to interpreting four clues in this puzzle |
| TOP | With 39-Across, refill to capacity ... or a hint to interpreting the clues at 17-, 27-, 46- and 61-A |
| THINKBIG | "Shoot for the moon!" ... or a hint to interpreting the clues to 17-, 25-, 35- and 51-Across |
| DARKARTS | What sorcerers practice ... or a hint to interpreting five clues in this puzzle |
| OPPOSITESATTRACT | Dating axiom ... or a hint to interpreting four pairs of answers in this puzzle |
| HIT | Success in the game 60-Across ... or a hint to interpreting the circled squares |
| SOUNDMIXING | Academy Awards category eliminated in 2021 ... or a hint to interpreting four clues in this puzzle |
| MISSINGLINK | Theoretical connection ... and a hint to interpreting several Down answers in this puzzle |
| PIECESOFEIGHT | Pirate plunder ... or a hint to interpreting an appropriate number of squares in this puzzle |
