| Brain-scan letters |
| Like St. Nick's "little mouth," in "The Night Before Christmas |
| Archaic "before |
| All, e.g., for this answer's last six letters? |
| Letter before gee |
| Actor in "Before Sunrise," "Before Sunset" and "Before Midnight |
| Actor Hawke of "Before Sunrise," "Before Sunset," and "Before Midnight |
| Football player Jackson drinks water before a game? |
| Archaeologist's letters |
| Possessive words before "oneself |
| Mixture brushed onto pastry dough before baking |
| Organizations with Greek letters |
| Animated movie released in 1998 shortly before the similar "A Bug's Life |
| Confusing statements ... and a hint to the circled letters |
| Letter before theta |
| Nights before Christmas and New Year's Day |
| Soldier's request before entering a firefight |
| Surprises unpleasantly, and a hint to each starred answer's first two + last two letters |
| Like a "before" versus "after" photo subject, say |
| Attend a party uninvited ... and a literal hint to five sets of circled letters |
| Accompaniers of cover letters: Abbr. |
| Abbreviation before a person's name on a business envelope |
| Adjust space between letters, in printing |
| Whatever it takes ... as hinted at in the arrangements of black squares around the circled letters |
| Personal letters |
| Actor Hawke of "Before Midnight |
| Letters from the family? |
| Retirement plan letters |
| Bounced-check letters |
| Cackling cry from a mad scientist before unleashing havoc on southern California? |