After School Special

This puzzle will teach you a valuable lesson.
A nostalgic pop culture crossword celebrating the classic tropes of after-school TV movies and teen drama.
Select a cell to see clues
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Across

  • 1A
    Drained, like a teen protagonist after the climactic scene
  • 5A
    What a character serves in detention, or what feels like it's running out
  • 7A
    Support plan for a misunderstood student, briefly
  • 8A
    "___ on a True Story" (title card phrase)
  • 9A
    What the protagonist is doing for a better life
  • 10A
    Prop for a rebellious teen, smoked behind the gym
  • 12A
    Storms out, in a fit of drama
  • 13A
    How a character might be described in a shocking twist
  • 14A
    The one class where the quiet protagonist feels truly seen
  • 15A
    How a protagonist finally feels after pouring their heart out
  • 16A
    Running late, as the protagonist often is

Down

  • 2D
    The big debut, like for a school play or the movie itself
  • 3D
    A dreaded trip to the principal's office
  • 4D
    Avoid a direct answer, like a parent hiding a secret
  • 5D
    What you'd put in a VCR to watch a movie, once
  • 6D
    Guided by the one teacher who understands
  • 8D
    Feeling that leads the teens to make a bad decision
  • 9D
    The library or a favorite teacher's classroom, for a struggling teen
  • 10D
    Setting for note-passing and dramatic confrontations
  • 11D
    Cruel tricks played by the cool kids, perhaps