| DIPPER | The big ___ (constellation) |
| PLOUGH | The ___, constellation, aka the Big Dipper (6) |
| MINOR | Ursa ___ (constellation containing the star Polaris) |
| SCALES | The _; constellation Libra (6) |
| ARCHER | The _; constellation of Sagittarius (6) |
| BEAR | The Great _, constellation also called Ursa Major (4) |
| BOREALIS | Corona ___: constellation |
| BANG | "The Big ___ Theory" (Sitcom for which Canadian band the Barenaked Ladies performs the theme song) |
| ISSUE | Newspaper supporting the homeless, The Big ___ (5) |
| SHORT | 2016 Oscar-winner about the financial crisis of 2007/8, The Big ___ |
| WOW | Exclamation, perhaps given when you see someone's massive pumpkin, as in the rose variety 'Oh ___', or Dahlia 'The Big ___' (3) |
| ENCHILADA | The big ___ is the most important person or issue, but it might just sound like an oversized Mexican delicacy |
| FOUR | The Big ___ helped launch the first Calgary Stampede (4) |
| EASY | The Big ___, nickname of the U.S. city of New Orleans (4) |
| APPLE | The Big ___ (Attraction in Colborne, ON) |
| SLEEP | The Big ___ (1946 Bogart film) |
| YEAR | The Big ___ with Owen Wilson and Jack Black |
| IDEA | The Big ___ with Donny Deutsch |
| DANCE | *March Madness, a.k.a. "The Big ____" |
| ARISTOTLE | The Big ___ (Shaquille O'Neal nickname) |
