Clues are shown below in grid order. The "jump scare" words in order form a series of wordplay-only clues for things that might provide a jump scare.
| A | T | T | I | C | M | A | M | M | O | T | H |
| D | I | S | S | O | L | V | E | A | G | E | E |
| O | M | C | L | M | D | E | R | N | I | E | R |
| R | E | H | E | E | L | R | C | T | O | N | E |
| E | W | E | R | S | S | A | Y | I | N | G | S |
| N | A | M | E | T | A | G | A | S | P | A | Y |
| W | R | A | P | O | G | E | S | T | U | R | E |
| A | P | P | A | R | E | L | O | M | E | G | A |
| S | P | U | R | A | L | I | C | E | B | O | X |
| A | L | C | O | V | E | S | I | E | L | Y | L |
| B | A | W | L | E | S | C | A | R | O | L | E |
| I | N | T | E | N | S | E | L | Y | R | E | S |
Each jump scare has its own "jump scare." Reorder them alphabetically by jump scare to get one more wordplay-only clue.
| Proper Order | Clue | Wordplay | Extra Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Place where things might be kept by decapitated arachnid missing its tail (5) | AT+TICk | decapitated |
| 2 | Big game for many royal people embroiled in calculation (7) | MA(MMO)TH | royal |
| 3 | Topper's cinematic transition is solved with a small fix (8) | D+IS+SOLVE(d) | topper's |
| 4 | One thousand discussed changing James, who wrote about a death in his family (4) | A GEE (a g) | changing |
| 5 | In Paris, last one to refuse is getting red hands (7) | DE(R)NIER | hands |
| 6 | What? In one part of the movie, elks get something new on their feet (6) | R(EH)EEL | elks |
| 7 | Bogus conclusion not included, Natural Born Killers director's meandering style (4) | sTONE | meandering |
| 8 | Pointy metal things missing around sink's edges, containers (5) | skEWERS | around |
| 9 | Saw and others' titular chants having a crummy ending (7) | S(A+Y)INGS | titular |
| 10 | Prep guard to return form of ID (7) | NAMETAG< | prep |
| 11 | Perhaps wave goodbye as boy disappears from top school, eaten by disgusting grue (7) | G(bEST)URE* | school |
| 12 | This is of concern for a costume designer: a polka-dotted top, tough skin and colorful bottom (7) | A+P+PARE+L | tough |
| 13 | Some before game eating the last thing the Greeks might provide? (5) | sOMEGAme | before |
| 14 | Ostrich egg on upturned brown rock, primarily (4) | SPU<+R | ostrich |
| 15 | Place to store decapitated rodents, zebra heart, bovine guts (6) | mICE+B+OX | guts |
| 16 | One beer around 5 after company shows places you might lurk (7) | AL(CO+V)ES | one |
| 17 | Cry "It's boring!" after first part of Bleak House (4) | B+AWL | house |
| 18 | Awful scare surrounded by shout in a ring that's green (8) | ESCAR*+OLE | surrounded |
| 19 | Focused on new set by nine (7) | INTENSE* | by |
| 20 | "Deadly Strings" recently resampled clip (5) | recentLYRESampled | deadly |
| 21 | Very much like a party concerning sin (5) | A+DO+RE | sin |
| 22 | I make sounds like a kitten covered by a large piece of plastic for Poe's dance (4 4) | T(I+MEW)ARP | Poe's |
| 23 | On the radio, I will 1-Ac. place for Dr. Moreau (4) | ISLE (I'll hom.) | 1-Ac |
| 24 | Recovers large ball of rock, snow, and dust filled with Sadako's head following Ring (5 2) | COME(S)T+O | following |
| 25 | Medium showing anger after how Maria might be introduced...it's ordinary (7) | AVE+RAGE | Medium |
| 26 | Soldier of Fortune article ending in tragedy (one kind of killing) (5) | MERC+Y | article |
| 27 | Manuscript about an insect...one puzzled insect with a deadly mating ritual (6) | M(ANT+I)S | puzzled |
| 28 | Support owner with new target for Freddy, often (4) | TEE+N | owner |
| 29 | Discovers religious crime...there's your revelation (6) | tHERESYour | discovers |
| 30 | Machines go crazy (but not in primary 32-Dn.) (6) | MACHinES* | primary |
| 31 | Ugly person's action involving its mouth, devouring problem child's plaything, ripping off its head (8) | GARG(tOY)LE | problem |
| 32 | Going on and on, acquiring wobbly sea legs (7) | AGELESS* | acquiring |
| 33 | Jason getting naked, left after grotesque spooks, avoiding people (7) | jASOn+CIA+L | grotesque |
| 34 | Somewhere in Colorado, post office conceals mangled blue hearts (6) | P(EUBL*)O | hearts |
| 35 | Green stuff was revolting with three-toed sloth swallowing bug's head (6) | WAS+A(B)I | revolting |
| 36 | Release staff toting a red lamb (6) | P(A+R)OLE | lamb |
| 37 | A bird that only says one thing near a taco vendor's store (5) | neaRAVENdor | taco |
| 38 | After bit of lead is found inside weapons' shafts (5) | AX(L)ES | after |
| 39 | Give a negative review after taking in Love Kills' central plot (4) | P(L)AN | love |
| 40 | Spooky final parts of The Lady Vanishes included moment of hesitation (4, var.) | E(ER)Y | vanishes |
| Clue Order | Jump Scare Clues | Jump Scares | Extra Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Revolting lamb taco after love vanishes | oCAT< | lamb |
| 1 | Decapitated royal topper's changing hands | C(L/r)OWN or C(L/r)OWNS | decapitated |
| 3 | Tough before ostrich guts | touGHOSTrich | before |
| 5 | Poe's 1-Ac following Medium article | M+AN+1AC | Poe's |
| 2 | Elks meandering around titular prep school | SKEL*+ETON | titular |
| 4 | One house surrounded by deadly sin | WRA(I)TH | house |
| 6 | Puzzled owner discovers primary problem acquiring grotesque hearts | ZOMBIE (middle letters) | owner |
"Lamb decapitated before Poe's titular house owner" gives lAMB+USHER, so the answer is AMBUSHER.