| BIERASURE | The assumption that two women dating are lesbians, e.g., or a hint to what was deleted from 16-, 26- and 45-Across |
| POSIT | Statement which is made on the assumption that it will prove to be true (5) |
| KNOWING | Wise, or a phonetic hint to what was deleted from each starred answer |
| DOWNANDOUT | Destitute, or a hint to what was deleted from each starred answer |
| ADVANCEDDEGREES | Post-college goals, e.g., or a hint to what the starred answers are progressively "awarded" |
| INSIDEINFO | *Stock tips, e.g., or a hint to the starred answers' synonyms and their placement in the grid |
| LEAPDAY | 2/29/16, e.g. ... or a hint to the circled squares in this puzzle |
| LAVENDERMENACE | Informal group that staged a 1970 protest against the exclusion of lesbians from the feminist movement |
| ADAMSALE | Old jocular term for water derived from an assumption that the biblical first man had only H2O to drink (5,3) |
| KREMLIN | Where in Moscow is the Cathedral of the Assumption, where Ivan the Great defiantly tore up the charter binding Moscow to Mongol rule? (7) |
| SEMICIRCLES | First- and third- quarter moons, eg .. or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| TRIPLETHREAT | Actor/singer/dancer, e.g., or a hint to answers to asterisked clues (12) |
| ASUNCION | Capital city and chief port of Paraguay, named from the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (8) |
| TOOKIN | Listened to what was said as well as to the family (4,2) |
| VWS | Bugs, e.g. ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| TENET | Assumption that a number are alien (5) |
| FALSEBINARY | Assumption that there are two genders, e.g. |
| EREADER | Kindle, e.g. ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme? |
| PIANOS | Must get away from the assumption these are for key players? (6) |
| ADOPTION | The assumption is the fuss is over a lost point (8) |
