Possible Clues:

• Person whose stock is climbing ... or what each asterisked clue's answer receives from the row below it?
• Up-and-comer
• Comer
• Up-and-comer, or a progression found in 29-, 23-, 20-, 9-, and 11-Down
• One to watch
• Potential success is in doughnuts or fried onions with salt
• Future celebrity
• Person who's getting bigger
• Up-and-comer ... or what can be found in 3, 6, 8, and 20 Down?
• *Up-and-comer