| INSIDESTORY | Truth known only to a few ... and a hint to a word hidden in 18-, 27-, 39- and 49-Across |
| CARBONOFFSET | Purported counterbalance for greenhouse-gas emissions . . . or a description of the wordplay in 18-, 27-, 39-, and 51-Across |
| MIDDLEEARTH | Hobbits' realm, or a hint to the word hidden in 18-, 27- and 44-Across |
| SETTHERECORDSTRAIGHT | Make the truth known |
| MOREORLESS | Roughly, and a hint to the words hidden in 18-, 23-, 36- and 52-Across |
| WHOMOVEDMY | Business fable with two mice...or a hint to a word hidden in each starred answer |
| SPLITDOWN | Shared equally ... and a hint to a word hidden at the center of each starred clue's answer |
| THEMIDDLE | Shared equally ... and a hint to a word hidden at the center of each starred clue's answer |
| SECRETS | Information known only to a few |
| ESOTERIC | Known only to a few |
| TRADESECRET | Doctor detects rare formula known only to a few |
| ARCANE | Known only to a few |
| SILENCEISGOLDEN | Proverb espousing the virtue of staying quiet, and a hint to a word spelled out by six letters in this puzzle |
| INSIDE | Known only to a select few |
| LEFTFIELD | Figuratively, where some wild ideas come out of; literally, a hint to a word and its position when p |
| GOGETTERS | Overachievers, and a hint to a word that can precede both words of the starred answers |
| CORNERBARS | Local watering holes, and a hint to a word that can follow eight of this puzzle's peripheral answers |
| BEERCHASER | Half a boilermaker ... and what's aptly hidden in 18-, 24-, 40 and 51- Across |
| PRIVILEGE | Poor gripe about wicked advantage given only to a few |
| SECRET | An official level of classification for information; an inaudible prayer at Mass; a piece of armour hidden by clothes; or, something known only to its initiates, such as a password (6) |
