Start of a brainteaser whose answer appears in order, from top to bottom, in this puzzle's circled squares

Question:

Length:

Similar Crossword Questions:

Secret get-together, or what occurs literally in each of this puzzle's circled squares
Mark that appears four times in this puzzle (hint: the baseball player who's the answer to this puzzle uses one, too)
Welcome mat spot (our puzzle title hints at the theme revealed by the pattern of circled squares)
Movie good guys responsible for the circled squares in eight long puzzle answers
Letter that appears at least once in every single answer in this puzzle
What the three sets of circled squares in this puzzle represent
What's revealed by connecting the special squares in this puzzle in order
Company whose movies, not counting sequels, are all included in this puzzle [Circled Squares: 2009]
Gather wealth by exploitation ... as hinted at by this puzzle's circled squares?
Drink cooler ... or a hint to six squares in this puzzle's answer
Company "sorted" in this puzzle's circled squares
Geographical features ... or what the circled squares in this puzzle represent
Work by Sir Edward Elgar hinted at by this puzzle's circled squares
Question asked by a customs officer or a kid on Christmas ... with a hint to this puzzle's circled squares
Alice Walker novel ... or a hint to 12 squares in this puzzle
Party snack (and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters)
Start to this puzzle's theme, appropriately
Start of a morning diner order
Sioux chief (and what can be found in the circled squares?)
Like this puzzle answer
Word or phrase with no repeated letters, such as every answer in this puzzle
Avia competitor, and the bottom line of this puzzle's theme
Start of a restaurant order
Workweek start, or an apt title for this puzzle based on an abbreviation found in its five longest answers
What this puzzle's eight concentric rings (uncircled and circled) represent