- - "Excuses are unacceptable" … or a hint to interpreting the starred clues
- - 'I don't want to hear any excuses,' as well as a hint to this puzzle's theme
- - Positively no excuses
- - Unqualified (with a hint to this puzzle's theme)
- - Familiar five-word phrase that means "Excuses are unacceptable!"
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- - Song from "The Little Mermaid" that's a phonetic hint to interpreting the answers to the starred clues
- - Oscar winner from 'The Little Mermaid' for Best Original Song
- - "Little Mermaid" tune
- - 1989 Best Original Song Oscar winner
- - Disney lyric repeated before "Darling it's better / Down where it's wetter"
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- - "To illustrate …", and a hint to interpreting the starred clues
- - Content to leave etching as an illustration
- - "To illustrate ... "
- - Pro formerly on the plump side, say
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- - Drum stroke after a punchline … or a hint to interpreting the starred clues' answers
- - Drum sound that follows a one-liner
- - Punchline drum hit
- - Sound after a one-liner
- - stroke is right, moth is wrong
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- - Hint to interpreting the five starred clues
- - Most of those in 24 across heard in the forum saying 'igpay Atinlay' for example
- - 'Language' that explains the answers to the six starred clues
- - "Language" in which the starred answers make sense phonetically
- - What four puzzle answers need to be written in
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- - Benjamin Franklin adage ... or a hint to interpreting the answers to the four starred clues
- - Aphorism from Ben Franklin
- - Adage suggesting the value of working expeditiously
- - Ben Franklin adage
- - Franklin aphorism
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- - Hit one out of the park, and the key to interpreting the starred clues
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- - Academy Awards category eliminated in 2021 ... or a hint to interpreting four clues in this puzzle
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- - What sorcerers practice ... or a hint to interpreting five clues in this puzzle
- - Moves quickly to capture shelter with magic
- - Harmful spells, in the Potterverse
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- - Speaker of the Latin quote hidden in the answers to the starred clues ... and the English-language quote hidden in the answers to the double-starred clues
- - Play and tragedy by William Shakespeare based on events from Roman history that has characters like Brutus and Mark Antony: 2 wds.
- - Crosser of the Rubicon, 49 BC
- - Ancient leader whose boast is hidden in 20-, 28- and 49-Across
- - Attributed speaker of the circled words
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- [ Other definitions ]