| Partially obscured (and a hint to this puzzle's theme) |
| Confusing statements ... and a hint to the circled letters |
| Surprises unpleasantly, and a hint to each starred answer's first two + last two letters |
| Attend a party uninvited ... and a literal hint to five sets of circled letters |
| Whatever it takes ... as hinted at in the arrangements of black squares around the circled letters |
| After following the instructions to make a big one, hint that tells you where to look around to find hidden booty |
| Asleep ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| Contract extras, and read differently, a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| Behave!" ... and a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| Agrarian structure, and a hint to the circled letters |
| Hints |
| Hint |
| Annoys, or a hint to the word hidden in the starred entries |
| Hinted (at) |
| Helpful hints |
| Bar exhortation ... and a hint to how to answer five puzzle clues |
| Split ___ (tonsorial woe, and a hint to this puzzle's theme) |
| A hint for the "life insurance" options in this puzzle |
| Hinted about a player swap? |
| Long-running TV science show that hints at the other long entries |
| Household hints guru |
| TV adjuncts ... or a hint to four squares in this puzzle |
| Hit Netflix show that hints at the theme hidden in the puzzle's borders |
| Baking conveniences, and a hint to this puzzle's circles |
| Big name in household hints |
| Question about change, which hints at the hidden feature of four two-part puzzle answers |
| Alan of Federal Reserve fame, or a hint to the hues that bookend the starred entries |
| Summer coolers, briefly, and a hint to this puzzle's six longest answers |
| AWOL chasers ... or a hint to the answers to the six italicized clues |
| Detectives' hints |